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College Counseling

6th - 12th GradeThe college counseling program at Divine Savior Academy (DSA) - Doral Campus assists students in their development as life-long learners and servants of Christ. Our college counselor guides students individually through the career and college planning process in both middle school and high school. Ultimately, each student is equipped to pursue the college and degree program of their choice.

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VISIT

Our Doral Campus graduates have been accepted to the following universities and more!

American University
Baylor University
Boston University
Boston College
Brown University
Colorado State University
Cornell University
Dartmouth University
Drexel University
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida State University
Georgetown University

Georgia Institute of Technology
Johns Hopkins
Martin Luther College
Marquette University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New York University
Northwestern University
Ohio University
Penn State University
Purdue University
Rice University
Suffolk University

Texas A&M
University of California-Berkeley
University of Chicago
University of Massachusetts at Boston
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pittsburg
University of Tampa
University of Texas at Austin
Vanderbilt University
Yale University

HIGH SCHOOL PROFILE PDF

Our College Planning Resources

6th - 8th Grade

9th Grade

10th Grade

CHECKLIST: 10th Grade College Checklist (PDF)

PDF RESOURCES:

WEBSITE RESOURCES:

11th Grade

CHECKLIST: 11th Grade College Checklist (PDF)

WORKSHEETS:

PDF RESOURCES:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

College Kickstart

Junior and Senior students utilize College Kickstart to help them prepare for their college application process. College Kickstart is a web application that uses an individual student’s data to help create a balanced list of schools, assist in early admission decisions, and maximize efficiency. It also helps students consider affordability and merit scholarships. College Kickstart provides access to admissions data for over 750 US four-year institutions, providing information on key application requirements, such as standardized testing policies, recommendation requirements, and interview policies.

Guide for College Visits (PDF)

One of the best ways to learn more about colleges is to visit their campuses.

36 Questions to Ask (PDF)

When you’re on a college campus, slow down and ask a lot of questions. Ideally, you’ll want to talk with more than just the admission staff. Stop a few students during your stay, and ask them what they like and don’t like about their school. If you can talk to a professor or two, even better. To make the most of your college visit, check out these 36 questions that you might want to ask.

Selective Service Registration (PDF)

All male citizens of the U.S. must register with the Selective Service to be eligible for federal financial aid and related offerings.

Success in Postsecondary Education (PDF)

Motivation, preparation, and self-advocacy are essential for success in college. Read to learn the difference between those who succeed and those who don’t.

How to Build a College List (PDF)

The college application process includes deciding which schools to apply to at the beginning of the senior year. During the junior year, develop a balanced list of “Safety – Target – Reach” schools to prepare you for application success as a senior. This resources leads the way.

12th Grade

CHECKLIST: 12th Grade College Checklist (PDF)

WORKSHEETS:

PDF RESOURCES:

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

College Kickstart

Junior and Senior students utilize College Kickstart to help them prepare for their college application process. College Kickstart is a web application that uses an individual student’s data to help create a balanced list of schools, assist in early admission decisions, and maximize efficiency. It also helps students consider affordability and merit scholarships. College Kickstart provides access to admissions data for over 750 US four-year institutions, providing information on key application requirements, such as standardized testing policies, recommendation requirements, and interview policies.

5 Steps to Creating a College List (PDF)

The five steps outlined in this article help find the college that best fits the student.

Guide for College Visits (PDF)

One of the best ways to learn more about colleges is to visit their campuses.

36 Questions to Ask a College (PDF)

When you're on a college campus, slow down and ask a lot of questions. Ideally, you'll want to talk with more than just the admission staff. Stop a few students during your stay, and ask them what they like and don't like about their school. If you can talk to a professor or two, even better. To make the most of your college visit, check out these 36 questions that you might want to ask.

Selective Service Registration (PDF)

All male citizens of the U.S. must register with the Selective Service to be eligible for federal financial aid and related offerings.

After Acceptance How to Finally Decide on One School (PDF)

If two or more colleges or universities accept your application for admission, what should you consider to select the one school you choose to attend?

College Supply List (PDF)

You'll need some equipment while away at college. This list provides a great start when it's time to pack.

Standardized Testing

Standardized testing is conducted for a variety of reasons: accreditation, curriculum review, and college planning, among others. At Divine Savior Academy, this process begins in the middle school and continues throughout high school.

PSAT testing for juniors is done each fall on the second or third Wednesday morning of October. Grade 9 and 10 testing for ACT Aspire is usually completed in the spring. Please see below for more information about each assessment.

Students from Divine Savior Academy use our DSA High School Test Code: 100413 when registering for any of these tests.

Map Testing:

DSA offers Map Testing, a computerized adaptive test, three times during the year to measure students’ growth in reading and math skills by adjusting the difficulty of questions based on their answers. This allows teachers and counselors to pinpoint a student's current academic level and track their progress over time. Reports are generated that allow teachers, students, and parents to track growth as well as assess their preparedness for SAT and ACT testing.

PSAT/NMSQT:

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It also gives students a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.

ACT:

The ACT test, started by the American College Testing Program is a standardized test used as a college entrance exam. Colleges and universities use a student’s ACT score, along with GPA, extracurricular activities, and high school involvement to determine if they wish to accept the student’s application for admission. ACT provides students assistance in test prep, college planning, financial aid, and choosing a college major.

See this guide for Using Your ACT Results.
Find more information about the ACT Test here.

SAT:

The SAT is a college admissions test that shows colleges what a student knows and how well that knowledge can be applied. It tests a student’s knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms.

Find more information about the SAT Test here. (More resources provided below.)
Find steps to receive SAT test accommodations.

More Information About the ACT and SAT

DSA students may take either the ACT (math, science, English, reading) or the SAT (critical reading and writing), or both.

Helpful articles to determine which test to take:

What does the Princeton Review say about each test?
Take this quiz to learn the answer to this question: “Should I Take the ACT, the New SAT, or Both?”

TEST PREP:

DSA offers SAT Prep classes for students to gain practice and insight regarding the SAT. The class is taught by DSA content teachers in English and Math who provide test taking strategies, review key concepts appearing on the test, and administer full length practice exams. Each session consists of five SAT Prep classes leading up to an SAT exam date.

SAT Test Prep: The College Board has partnered with Khan Academy to make comprehensive, best-in-class SAT prep materials open and free. Local options exist, too.

ACT Academy is ACT's new program to give each student an individualized learning plan, tailored to that individual's needs.

Compare ACT and SAT scores: Use this chart to find the relationship between ACT and SAT scoring, as well as more links to information about the differences and similarities between the ACT and the SAT tests.

Advanced Placement Testing:

AP What to Bring Student Letter – information on day of exam

AP Calculator Policy – which calculators are acceptable for use

For answers to AP testing questions, please contact Ms. Bialy or Ms. Fierro at collegecounseling@divinesavioracademy.com.

Career Planning

Career planning is an ongoing process that allows students to rethink and reevaluate their career options while growing and developing spiritually, emotionally, socially, and mentally. At Divine Savior Academy, this process begins in the middle school and continues throughout high school.

To aid in planning, the college counselors have developed an extensive list of resources, tools, and helpful links to career planning websites:

Middle School Career Planning
High School Career Planning
Interest Inventories and Assessments
Job Search Skills
Helpful Links

Middle School Career Planning

At the middle school level, the career planning process begins with self-exploration. Students are encouraged to evaluate their skills, abilities, interests, personal priorities, education, and life experiences. Personal goals are explored within the scope of present behavior, and what changes may be in order.

During the 8th grade year, students begin to build a personal portfolio for use in the career and college planning process throughout high school. Students utilize MyCareerShines, a comprehensive education and career planning system that helps students succeed in the increasingly competitive global economy. 8th graders learn about themselves, discover the many options and opportunities for the future, and gain access to information and tools helpful in achieving goals.

High School Career Planning

At the high school level, the career planning process continues with self-evaluation. Students are encouraged to evaluate their strengths and abilities. The following activities aid students throughout the process:

Attend a variety of classes to learn strengths and interests
Develop new skills by participating in clubs, activities, and sports
Explore career options by talking to parents, advisors, teachers, and college counselors
Research careers of interest
Look for part-time jobs or volunteer opportunities in areas of career interest
Job shadow a parent or family friend to learn more about a career

Freshmen

Students in 9th grade English class complete the College Planning Project which offers an experiential approach to personalized college planning through interaction with information, resources, and activities. Students’ interests, skills, and personality characteristics are assessed and analyzed as they relate to career options and college planning resources. The high school college planning experience produces a career plan students may wish to pursue throughout high school and beyond.

Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors

Through a series of classroom presentations from DSA’s college counselors, students receive detailed guidance with career and college planning tasks appropriate for each grade level. These activities include test preparation, grade-level checklists, NCAA eligibility, campus visits, recommendation letters, application processing, scholarships, and so forth.

Interest Inventories and Assessments

Career Aptitude Test: What Career is Right for Me? Discover which careers are best suited for you.
How do you learn best? Visual? Auditory? Reading and Writing? Kinesthetic? Know your learning preference.
Self-Directed Search: The SDS, or Self-Directed Search, is a career interest test that helps determine possible fields of study and occupations for students.
O*Net Interest Profiler: This online quiz helps students discover their interests and match them up to potential career choices.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook is an online resource for career information. This handbook is available in both English and Spanish.

Job Search Skills

Resumes: Sample resumes, resume templates, and formatting tips.
Cover Letters: Cover letter samples, formats, layouts, and writing help.
Job Interviewing: Tips, advice, and practice questions for job interviewing.

Helpful Links

EducationPlanner.org: This education planner aids parents and students from middle school through high school in the career and college process. It addresses all stages of planning, from self-assessment to financial aid, and is an excellent source of advice, information, interactive exercises, and activities.
Big Future by the College Board: This site is sponsored by the not-for-profit College Board whose mission is to “connect students to college success and opportunity.” Find colleges, learn more about how to pay for college, and make a college plan with online tools and resources.
Mapping Your Future: This website is sponsored by a group of guaranty agencies who participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and are committed to providing information about higher education and career opportunities. It is a resource for career, college, financial aid and money management information.
Florida Apprenticeship Programs: Apprenticeship is a tradition that combines on-the-job training with classroom instruction. The purpose of the program is to provide the apprentice with a comprehensive knowledge of the trade. This site includes all the necessary startup information from the Florida Department of Education.

Financial Aid

What DSA Parents Need to Know About Student Financial Aid
Learn the ma jor changes in store for college families during these two school years.

The financial aid process can feel overwhelming. The good news is that help is available! DSA’s College Guidance Department has put together this Financial Aid resource to help students and their families navigate this process. Please find the following information below:

Financial Aid Terminology
Federal Aid
Types of Aid
Who Gets Aid
Florida Office of Financial Aid
Scholarships
Florida Bright Futures Scholarships
FAFSA: Apply for Aid
General Tips and Tools
Loan Repayment
CAUTION!

1. Financial Aid Terminology

Students and families applying for financial aid are often overwhelmed by the terminology and heavy use of acronyms within financial aid forms and literature. Below are some acronyms, terms, and definitions:

FAFSA = Free Application For Student Aid
FSA = Federal Student Aid
EFC = Expected Family Contribution
FPL = Federal Perkins Loan Program
FSEOG = Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
FWS = Federal Work Study
PLUS = Parent Loans For Undergraduate Students
COA = Cost of Attendance
FFEL = Federal Family Education Loan
LEAP = Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership
SSIG = State Student Incentive Grant
CPS = Central Processing
SAR = Student Aid Report

Federal Pell Grants

A gift award that does not have to be repaid
Ranges between $400 to $4,050 per year depending on need.
Visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell for more information.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Additional gift to the especially needy to supplement the Pell Grant.

Florida Student Assistance Grant

Need-based grants which provide assistance to Florida residents who are attending in-state colleges and universities
Grants range from $200 to $1,200 per academic year.

Florida Resident Access Grant

Provides tuition assistance to Florida undergraduate students attending an eligible independent, non-profit Florida college or university
Amount varies depending on available funds.

Federal Family Education Loan Program

Offers loans by private lenders to students and/or parents who demonstrate financial need.

Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan

Loans up to $2,625 for first-year students. Interest paid by federal government, and repayment begins six months after student leaves school.
Visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized for more information.

Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan

Available to those who do not demonstrate need. Borrower is responsible for all interest that accrues from date of disbursement.

Federal PLUS Loan

No-need parent loan with variable interest rate capped at 9%.
Repayment must begin within 60 days of disbursement.

Federal Perkins Loan

Need based, low-interest loan up to $3,000 awarded by the college at low interest rate to those with exceptional need

College Work Study

Federally-funded program that enables qualified students to work part-time on campus.

D.O.E. Scholarship Programs (subject to state legislation)

Awards offered through state agencies based on academic merit rather than financial need.

2. Federal Aid

Will you need a loan to attend college? If so, think federal aid first. Federal student loans usually offer borrowers lower interest rates and have more flexible repayment terms and options than private student loans.

Find the Federal Student Aid Loan Programs Fact Sheet here.

3. Types of Aid

Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school and can come from a variety of sources.

Find types of aid information here.

4. Who Gets Aid

Different types of aid (e.g., private scholarships, state grants, federal loans, etc.) have different rules, called eligibility criteria, to determine who gets the aid.

Find aid eligibility information here.

5. Florida Office of Financial Aid

The Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) serves as a guarantor for the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), and the administrator of Florida’s scholarship and grant programs.

Find the Florida Office of Financial Aid here.

College will cost you; waiting will cost you more. Learn now about Florida’s prepaid college plans.

6. Scholarships

There are four main sources for scholarships: federal, state, institutional, and local. An updated DSA Scholarship List is available in the College Center and provides deadlines, dollar amounts, and links to local scholarships.

Follow these links to find out more about these different kinds of scholarships and grants:

Scholarship.org: provides an online resource center and research library which presents websites related to planning for college, financial aid opportunities, and information about colleges and universities.
uncf.org: offers a host of information opportunities and resources for minority students, especially those interested in attending Historically Black colleges or universities.
hispanicfund.org: provides scholarship information and resources for Hispanic students.
collegefund.org: has scholarship information and resources for American Indian students.
FastWeb: offers a quick and easy way to find scholarships and your dream school.
College Express: is a great search engine for colleges, loans and scholarships.
The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid: offers a comprehensive listing of financial aid opportunities, including information on ROTC programs.
The Princeton Review: provides online applications and services to improve your SAT score.
Scholarships.com: provides free college scholarship searches and financial aid resources.

7. Florida Bright Futures Scholarships

See Mrs. Jimenez for more information.

Divine Savior’s students are eligible to qualify for one of two Bright Futures Scholarships: the Florida Medallion Scholars Award (FMS) or the Florida Academic Scholars Award (FAS). Students who may qualify should register online at https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/SAPPRFILE/SAPPRFILE in early January of their senior year.

Both awards are renewable for four years with GPA requirements. Other ways to qualify are to be a National Merit or National Achievement Scholarship Finalist.

Important notes about Florida Bright Futures:

Students are required to submit a complete, error-free FAFSA for Bright Futures, Florida Resident Access Grant, and Access to Better Learning and Education Grant initial and renewal eligibility any time prior to disbursement. No FAFSA = no money.
The award is activated at the beginning of the academic year after the student graduates (which begins in the fall). Students who enroll in a school for the summer will not be awarded any monies for that semester. In rare instances, the Department of Education (DOE) will distribute funds if they are available.
The GPA from DSA and the GPA calculated by the DOE are different. Because of this we encourage students whose GPA falls a little short of the requirement to still register as in some instances, depending on where your grades are strongest, you may have a higher GPA from the DOE.
Apply during the last year in high school, before graduation, or forfeit all future eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship.

Important information on Reinstatement/Restoration:

If an eligible student did not receive scholarship funds for the last academic year (fall through spring), a Reinstatement/Restoration Application must be completed and is available on the OSFA website at https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/SAPHOME/HOME to reinstate the scholarship. Select the links State Grants, Scholarships & Applications, Apply Here, and then Reinstatement/Restoration Application. New applications are available in February each year.
A student must receive funding within three years after high school graduation or apply for reinstatement within three years after high school graduation.
OSFA recommends that reinstatement applications be submitted online by July 1, for a timely fall disbursement or by December 15 for a timely spring disbursement. The deadline for submission of previous academic year reinstatement applications for both fall and spring (or equivalent) is generally May 30.
If determined eligible for reinstatement, the student will receive the Bright Futures award (FAS, FMS, or GSV) for which the student was last eligible prior to reinstatement.

Find more information about Florida Bright Futures here.

8. FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

To apply for federal student aid, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and easier than ever, and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school.

Find FAFSA information here.

9. General Links, Tips, & Tools

Federal School Code Search
Top 10 Tips for Writing Effective Scholarship Essays
15 Questions to Ask the Financial Aid Office
Male students aged 18-24 not registered with the Selective Service will NOT qualify for Federal and state student loans or grant programs. This includes Pell Grants, College Work Study, Guaranteed Student/Plus Loans, and National Direct Student Loans. Register online now.
College Comparison Tool
Award Letter Comparison Tools
Net Price Calculator
FinAid is the most comprehensive annotated collection of information about student financial aid on the web.
CSS Financial Aid Profile

10. Loan Repayment

Understanding the repayment process for your federal student loans can go a long way toward building a solid financial foundation.

https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans

11. Caution!

Be wary of companies that claim millions of dollars in scholarship money go unused or charge a fee for doing a college scholarship search. To lure you in, they may provide the names and addresses of dozens of sources, but often what you get is nothing more than what is available for free on the Internet. Stay away of such companies that:

make statements or promises of guaranteed winnings (“This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back!”)
suggest or claim that everyone is eligible
pressure you to respond quickly to their offer (“You must agree to terms now or scholarship will be withdrawn.”)
request unusual personal/financial information (“May I have your credit card number or bank account number to hold this scholarship?”)
require a high application fee (“This scholarship will cost you some money.”)
have typing and spelling errors in their brochure or application
mention special consideration (“You’ve been selected by a ‘national foundation’ to receive a scholarship,” or “You’re a finalist in a contest,” that you didn’t enter)
Beware – do not pay money to get money!

National Fraud Information Center (877) 382-4357

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College Counseling

Our College Planning Resources

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Bethanne Bialy

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shantal fierro

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