Post High School Education

Special COVID-19 Update (3/1/21)

AHS Counseling Department

The AHS Counseling Department is committed to providing you with the same kind of support and guidance that we would if we were meeting on campus. You can make appointments during our office hours by contacting us through email or by phone. We will ask you to choose a phone or video meeting. Once we have agreed on a time and day, we will send you an invitation to our appointment.

We want to emphasize that appointments are available for routine concerns, and should not be used for mental health emergencies. If you need immediate mental health support or crisis counseling, DO NOT wait to schedule an appointment with one of us. Instead, contact:

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
Phone: 1-800-273-8255
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Staffed with trained professionals 24/7
Provides support for people in emotional distress or suicidal crisis

Jackson County Mental Health
Phone: 541-774-8201
https://jacksoncountyor.org/hhs/Mental-Health/

We will respond to questions, concerns, emails, as soon as we are able. Thank you in advance for your patience as we move though this together. As we all work to stay connected, we also encourage you to reach out to your teachers and classmates for support.

For up-to-date information on Learning During Closure, please click here.
For the Ashland School District Coronavirus: COVID-19 Response and updates, please click here.

3/1/21 - This page has been verified up-to-date. If something seems incorrect or out of place, please contact the Main Office.

SENIORS College & Career Center: Spring Update (3/1/21)

Spring 2021: Resources on College & Career Pathways for Seniors and their Families

As always, Jen Marsden, our College and Career Specialist, is available to help students and families navigate the college admissions and financial aid process. Seniors and their families are encouraged to reach out to her with questions at jennifer.marsden@ashland.k12.or.us or to schedule a zoom appointment. Below is information on common questions we have been receiving with links to helpful resources.

Financial Aid Awards

Seniors may have already received financial aid award letters from colleges or found their financial aid awards posted in their student portal on the college website. Many colleges will not give students their financial aid packages until April, and often community colleges do not bundle financial aid awards until May or later. If you would like Ms. Marsden, to give you an estimate of what an Oregon community college will cost based on your EFC, please check in with her.

Sometimes financial aid awards can be confusing to decipher. Remember, loans are considered a part of financial aid and may be included in your financial aid package. Even though a loan is offered, students do not need to accept them. Ms. Marsden is available to help you understand and evaluate your financial aid awards. Please reach out to her if you want to set up a time to discuss them.

Colleges are aware that the financial situation of many families may be changing and different than what is reflected in the 2021-22 FAFSA students completed, which was based on 2019 tax information and family assets held when the FAFSA was filed. All colleges have a professional judgment process, where they can reevaluate and adjust a student's financial aid award based on a family's current income and assets. If you would like to learn more about this process, Ms. Marsden is available to discuss it with you.

The following article will walk you through what to look for when evaluating your financial aid award(s) and also offers suggestions on how to write a financial aid appeal asking for professional judgement: How to Understand Your Financial Aid Award Letter.

Oregon Promise Grant

If seniors applied for the Oregon Promise Grant, and met eligibility requirements (2.5 GPA, listed a community college on their submitted FAFSA, and applied to an Oregon Community College), they will receive an email from OSAC updating them on their Oregon Promise Grant status and directing them to log into their OSAC account to see their OP award. The final deadline to apply for the OP Grant is June 1, but seniors should apply as soon as possible, and make sure to also add an Oregon community college to their FAFSA. Here is a link to the Oregon Promise FAQ page that includes information on how to apply: Oregon Promise FAQ Page

The following video explains how OSAC calculates each student's Oregon Promise Grant, which currently range from $1000 - $3,750. While the video is a couple of years old (and the top award has increased), the information on award calculation is still accurate: Oregon Promise: How Much Will I Get?

While in past years there has been no income (or FAFSA EFC) cap to receive the OP Grant, eligibility requirements can change based on available funding. Last spring OSAC announced an EFC limit of 22,000 for new applicants (Class of 2020) who began college in fall 2020. This EFC cap was put in place because the state was concerned funds would be reduced due to the pandemic. Reports have indicated that was not the case, so we are hopeful there will once again be no EFC cap for the Class of 2021. If updates become available, we will post them here. Students and parents can always appeal to the community college for professional judgement on their OP award based on a change in financial status.

 

Accessing RCC and SOU Transcripts to Send to Colleges

For students who took dual credit courses while at AHS, and want to send their RCC and/or SOU transcripts to the college they will be attending, below is information on how to request those transcripts for RCC and SOU:

Information on How to Apply to Rogue Community College

Applying to RCC is free. Students can complete the online application by going to the following link: https://web.roguecc.edu/admissions/rcc-admissions

If students have taken an AHS class for RCC College Now dual credits (or taken an RCC Driver Education class), they already have an RCC student ID #. If students have forgotten their RCC ID#, they can use their SSN to login on the RCC website, and then indicate they have forgotten their password.

Information on How to Apply to Southern Oregon University

The SOU admissions application remains open for fall 2021. Merit-based renewable scholarships for Oregon residents are being awarded on a rolling basis. SOU is now test optional. An SAT or ACT test is not required for admission. Ms. Marsden can also email students a pdf of their unofficial transcript to submit to SOU. In addition, SOU is deferring their $60 application fee. Students seeking to apply can select the “fee defer” button at the end of the application, so no payment will be needed to submit an application. Miranda Stiles is the SOU admissions counselor for Southern Oregon. She encourages students and parents/guardians to reach out to her with any questions at stilesm1@sou.edu.

General FAFSA Information

If seniors have not already submitted a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), now is the time to get it done! All financial aid revolves around the FAFSA and submitting the FAFSA sooner than later allows students to access maximum amounts of federal, state and institutional aid. Even if you think your family will not qualify for federal financial aid, it is important that you complete the FAFSA senior year. Some schools will not give students merit aid unless they have a FAFSA on record. Students must also complete the FAFSA to qualify for the Oregon Promise (OP) grant ($1,000-$3,750) for community colleges.

Following is general FAFSA information: The 2021-22 FAFSA will use parent tax information from 2019. Parents should use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA to avoid being selected for verification. Legal guardians do not provide financial information on the FAFSA, but can help their student complete the application. The majority of our seniors have already created an FSA ID (their FAFSA signature) and started their FAFSA. One of a student's parents will also need to create an FSA ID (unless they already have one) to complete their student's FAFSA.

Job Corps Update

Job Corps is a NO-COST Job Training and Education Program, where full-time dormitory and board accommodations are provided! To learn more about available programs and eligibility requirements, visit the Job Corps website or contact Joshua Wells, the Southern Oregon Job Corps representative at wells.joshua@jobcorps.org or 541.282.5819.

JUNIORS College & Career Center: Spring Update (3/1/21)

Spring 2021: Resources on College & Career Pathways for Juniors and their Families

College Pathways Info sessions, ACT/SAT Updates, AHS College Handbook, ASPIRE, SCOIR and more!!!

Jen Marsden, our College and Career Specialist, is available to help students in all grades explore post high school education and career pathways, and to assist in navigating the college admissions and financial aid process. Students and their families are encouraged to reach out to her with questions at jennifer.marsden@ashland.k12.or.us or to schedule a zoom appointment. Please check out the helpful resources below!

AHS College Handbook

The 2020-21 AHS College Handbook is a great resource for all students (and parents/guardians) who want to explore post high school education options. Topics covered include a junior checklist, how to find an education pathway that’s a good fit, information on applying to community colleges and four-year public/private universities, ACT/SAT information, how to access financial aid and scholarships, and other useful information. You can also pick up a hard copy of the handbook during materials distribution on designated Wednesdays.

ACT and SAT Updates

Students planning on applying to four year colleges usually take ACT/SAT tests in spring of junior year and/or fall of senior year. AHS will begin offering these tests again in March with safety guidelines in place, including a limited number of available seats to allow for appropriate distancing. If AHS has no more seat availability, students can look for open testing sites in Medford and Grants Pass. Many colleges are now “test optional” and Oregon’s public universities no longer require ACT/SAT test results for admission, but some do for eligibility for honors colleges or merit scholarships. Check individual universities for what is currently required or optional.

Students can register for the ACT and SAT online and those who qualify for free/reduced lunch are eligible for fee waivers for both tests. Please contact karyn.barats@ashland.k12.or.us to obtain a fee waiver.

SAT Dates: March 13, May 8, and June 5

ACT Dates: April 17

Upcoming AHS College and Career Pathways Information Sessions

All sessions will be on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 pm and can be accessed at the following link: https://asdconnect-org.zoom.us/j/97711618881. The sessions will be recorded and available on the AHS YouTube channel where you can also find info sessions, such as “College Pathways 101” from earlier this year.

March 10: Finding a College Pathway that is a “Good Fit”Overwhelmed by the thought of planning for college? Finding an educational pathway that is a good fit for YOU takes some planning. AHS students of all ages (and parents/guardians) are invited to come learn more about the process of planning for education after high school - a process which has the capacity to provide an opportunity for self-discovery, reflection and growth. Those who take the time to do their research are more likely to find an educational pathway that is a good fit

.April 14: Financial Aid 101Learn about the pathways to access financial aid and scholarships! We will discuss the process for completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), an online application which qualifies students to receive the Federal Pell Grant, Oregon Opportunity Grant, Oregon Promise Grant, and government loans. Even if you think your family will not qualify for federal financial aid, it is important to complete the FAFSA. Many colleges will not give students merit aid unless they have a FAFSA on record. We will also briefly discuss the CSS Profile, an additional application many private schools use to determine institutional financial aid.

May 12: Community College Opportunities and Pathways (more details to come!)

May 26: Four Year Colleges and Universities Application Process (more details to come!)

ASPIRE at AHS

ASPIRE’s trained volunteer mentors help students explore education and career pathways. Mentors assist students in researching colleges, preparing admissions and scholarship applications, understanding the financial aid process, and many other aspects of the road to post-secondary education and careers. Students who want to learn more about ASPIRE or sign up for a mentor can contact jennifer.marsden@ashland.k12.or.us.

SCOIR

Now is a good time for juniors to continue exploring resources in SCOIR, our college and career exploration and planning platform. To access their SCOIR account, students use their school email and password. When logged into SCOIR, students can go to “My Profile” and scroll down to find the YouScience link. Once they’ve finished their YouScience assessments, students can explore careers, programs of study, and colleges based on their individual aptitudes and interests.

College Visits and Information Sessions Calendar

Post High School Education

This is a place to find resources for Post High School Education like College, University, Trade Schools, or other education options after high school.

Oregon Public Universities

There are seven public universities in Oregon, each with unique strengths and academic programs, serving the students of the state, the region, and beyond. Information on college costs is included in the link below:
https://www.oregon.gov/highered/plan-pay-for-college/Pages/public-universities.aspx

Oregon Community Colleges

Looking for a community college in another state? You can search by all fifty states at www.aacc.nche.edu

Featured Links

College & Career Information

To Apply for Financial Aid:

To Register for the SAT:

To Register for the ACT:

To practice for ASVAB:

To Search for Scholarships:

Contact Us

College & Career Center

Jennifer Marsden
College & Career Center
ASPIRE Coordinator
541-482-8771 ext. 2130
Jennifer.Marsden@ashland.k12.or.us
Available Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Meeting by appointment during office hours.
Contact via email, phone, or Teams to schedule an appointment.

Karyn Barats
Scholarship Coordinator
Counseling Secretary
541-482-8771 ext. 2114
Karyn.Barats@ashland.k12.or.us
Available Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Meeting by appointment during office hours.
Contact via email, phone, or Teams to schedule an appointment.

Katie Howett
College Dreams Representative
khowitt@collegedreams.org
Contact via email or phone to schedule an appointment.