Senior College Corner

January 7, 2021

Dear Seniors,
 
We hope your finals are off to a great start. Congratulations on getting to the end of your first semester of senior year! Graduation is just five months away! While most of you have completed your college application submissions, we want to encourage those of you who are still working to finish up as soon as possible. Especially your CUNY application and any other pressing deadlines that are approaching.
 
Please see below for a few important college-related reminders:
Checking Application Status Portals
After submitting your application, most colleges have applicant portals where you can monitor your application materials. Please be sure that you read these emails closely and follow the instructions to set up your account. *Also please keep in mind that it can take colleges several weeks to process and update their system. CUNY can take up to 8 weeks -- CUNY also requires that you claim your CUNYfirst Account in order to view the status of your application. Follow the instructions here if you have not yet already done so.
 
Reminder: Please email your counselor a PDF copy of your submitted CUNY application if you have not already done so. For those of you who submitted the Common App, please be sure that you have assigned your counselor as an “advisor” and that the preview is enabled.
 
We are also still processing materials submissions (i.e. transcripts and recommendations) and will continue to do so in the coming weeks. If you see that something appears to be missing and you’re concerned, please check-in with your college guidance counselor.
Applying for Financial Aid
If you are applying for financial aid, now is the time to submit your applications! Please consult your specific colleges’ websites to confirm their priority deadlines. You must adhere to those deadlines. Every college requires the FAFSA, and some require additional documents, such as the CSS Profile. Contact your college guidance counselor if you have questions.
College Admission Decisions
Please remember to be sure to notify your counselor of any and all of your college news as you receive it. We want to be able to congratulate you or keep you encouraged, but we also need to have the most accurate information for our records.
Gratitude To Your Teachers and Recommenders
Please take the time to thank your teachers who wrote letters of recommendation for you. It is a time-consuming process and teachers choose to devote time to support you when they don’t have to. So showing your appreciation is especially important and meaningful. We have thank-you cards available in the College Guidance Office. You are welcome to drop-in and grab what you need to write your notes!
Scholarships
You may also continue to use scholarship search sites, such as Going Merry or Fast Web to find potential scholarships that are still available. For example, The New York Times is offering a scholarship for NYC students who have achieved academic success while facing significant hardships. Click here to learn about eligibility and directions to apply. Deadline is this Sunday, January 10, 2021.
We know you must be looking forward to the break as much as we are. But first, finals! Focus and do your best on these second-to-last exams. We wish you the best of luck!
As always, please be in touch with any questions or concerns! If we don’t see or hear from you, have a restful break. Stay safe!
 
Warmly,
 
The College Guidance Department

November 18, 2020

Dear Seniors and Parents,
 
We hope you’re having a good week. Please read below for timely reminders and announcements:
Important Reminders
  • Please do not submit any application before you review it with your college counselor. 
  • Do not forget to actually submit all parts of your application and pay the application fee! 
  • Once you do submit your application, be sure to monitor the college’s portal to confirm all materials are received. Keep in mind that it may take colleges time to update student portals so do not panic if you notice items are missing. Instead, speak with your counselor if you have questions or concerns.
Opportunities to Connect with College Guidance
TODAY, Wednesday, November 18: “College in the (Online) Cafe” returns! Any students who have questions or concerns, please drop by “mslong” (Zoom) from 12:30-1:30 where College Guidance Counselors will be available to chat. 
 
TODAY, Wednesday, November 18: “Conversations with College Guidance.” Chat with members of the College Guidance team. Join “mslong” on Zoom from 6-7pm.
 
TODAY, Wednesday, November 18: “College Application Workshop for Seniors.” Any seniors who need assistance with any application (CUNY, Macaulay, Common App), this is for you! Stop by “mslong” (Zoom) at 7:30pm.
 
Monday, November 23: “Conversations with College Guidance.” Chat with members of the College Guidance team. Join “mslong” on Zoom from 5-6:30pm.
Financial Aid
Now is the time to apply for financial aid. Please be sure you’ve submitted the FAFSA to every college you apply to. Some schools also require additional forms, such as the CSS Profile. Click here to see which schools require the CSS Profile.