College Planning

Resources

Access the links below to find helpful career exploration and planning tools!

1. College Board Career Search Tool

2. College Board Career Exploration Guide

3. O*Net Career Interest Profiler

4. Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Stats)

5. CareerOneStop (U.S. DOL)

6. ACT Career Planning Resources

7. GCHS Career Planning Worksheet

8. GCHS Future Interest Profiler

9. Military Pathways

10. Resume Writing Tips

Career Planning Tips

1. Use the GCHS Career Planning Worksheet and Future Interest Profiler (linked above) to get started

2. Shadow someone in a career field of interest to see what they really do in a day's work

3. Attend a local career fair

4. Talk to your parents and family members about their career pathways

5. Rule out potential careers you know aren't right for you

6. Create a resume of your education, extra-curricular, service, and work experience, and update it regularly

College Planning Tips by Grade

FRESHMEN and SOPHOMORES
1. Get started with career planning resources - see the career planning page
2. Explore college websites
3. Use the above tools to learn about college options
4. Track performance on pre-ACT to assess your college readiness

JUNIORS
1. Complete career planning steps first
2. Explore majors that would support your future career
3. Visit colleges and use the college comparison worksheet to track your visits
4. Meet with college admissions counselors who visit Gibault
5. Attend local college fairs - look for opportunities posted by Mrs. Kovarik
6. Study for the ACT or SAT; consider taking a preparatory class; see Study Skills section for resources
7. Identify top choices colleges where you will send your ACT or SAT scores
8. Sign up for and take the ACT or SAT (many juniors test in February, April, June, July)
9. Attend college summer visit programs
10. Talk with recent graduates about their college experience
11. Hone resume - see Mrs. Kovarik for review
12. Draft college application essay - see Mrs. Kovarik for review
13. NCAA-bound students - register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
14. Select junior and senior year coursework with college major in mind

SENIORS
1. If needed, retake the ACT/SAT over summer or in September, October or December. Note that later test scores may not be available by certain application deadlines.
2. Create a CommonApp account
3. Research application deadlines at your college choices:
--4-year College: apply between August-October. Many colleges' first application deadline is Nov. 1.
--2-year College: apply by February
4. Understand college acceptance terms:
--Early Decision: the applicant, if accepted as early decision, must attend that institution and must decline  all other institutions
--Early Action: the applicant, if accepted as early action, is not bound to the institution and can continue to  weigh their options. They likely have identified the institution as a top choice and feel their application is  strong without showing completed senior year coursework.
--Regular Decision: this is the latest application deadline you will see. Students might prefer this option if  they want their application to show completed coursework from fall of their senior year and want more time  to bolster other aspects of their application or to decide on the right institution.
5. Finalize college application essay and resume
6. Apply to colleges either directly or through CommonApp. Request your high school transcript from Mrs. Kovarik
7. Identify faculty, coaches, volunteer leaders, etc. who could write you a letter of recommendation
8. Once available, create an FSA ID and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - see the Financial Aid subpage for more information
9. Apply for scholarships - see the Scholarships subpage for more information
10. NCAA-bound students - continue to track NCAA requirements through the NCAA Eligbility Center and with your recruiting coach
11. Once your decision is made, accept admission to your college!

Resources

Access the links below to find helpful college planning tools!

1. College Board College Match Quiz

2. College Board College Search Tool

3. ACT College Planning Resources

4. ACT College Comparison Worksheet

5. GCHS Questions To Ask on a College Visit

6. NCAA Eligibility Requirements

How do I decide on a college major?
Use the career planning resources to help determine what career(s) fit your interests, talents, and values. From there, use the linked college planning resources to figure out which majors would help you attain that career and which colleges offer that major. Talk with parents, older siblings, and other trusted adults about their career and college pathways. Shadow people in your career of interest and ask what major they completed to enter their career path. Talk with college admissions counselors about what majors, internships, and career connections their college offers.

How do I prepare for a college visit?
Besides planning travel and lodging, get ready for a college visit by thoroughly researching your school, booking your campus tour in advance, notifying Gibault and your teachers if you are going to miss school (NB: Gibault grants 2 "free" college visit days that do not affect your attendance record), sign up for any program-specific tours if available (ex. a tour specific to the College of Business or the Medical Campus), and bring the "Questions To Ask on a College Tour" resource linked above. If you know any Gibault graduates at that college, reach out to them as well to get a trusted student perspective on the school.

When do I apply to college?
Many colleges' early application deadline is on or near November 1, but application deadlines vary by institution. Best practice is to apply to colleges from August-October of senior year unless you are relying on senior year first semester coursework to improve your application profile/GPA.

Should I take the ACT/SAT even if my college is test-optional?
Although many colleges are now test-optional, taking the ACT/SAT can improve your application profile. ACT/SAT scores may still be required to be eligible for academic merit scholarships. Moreover, while general admission may not require an ACT/SAT score, specific programs or schools within a college (such as a Nursing program or School of Engineering) may require the ACT/SAT for direct entry.

How do I send my high school transcript to my college?
If you are applying via CommonApp, list Mrs. Kovarik as your counselor, and she will send your official transcript to your colleges. If you are applying to colleges directly (ex. through the school's own application portal), send  that list of colleges to Mrs. Kovarik in an email, and she will send them your official transcripts. If you would like a copy of your transcript, request it from Mrs. Kovarik. PLEASE NOTE: Mrs. Kovarik will send your final official high school transcript to your accepted college after graduation and final grades are reported. You do not need to  submit a transcript request to initiate this.

If I'm taking dual credit SLU classes, do I apply as a freshman or transfer student?
Regardless if you have taken college credits already, you would apply as a freshman/first-year college undergraduate student.

How do I send my SLU transcript to my college?
For college applications, you can submit an unofficial SLU transcript, which is available online through your MySLU portal. After graduation, wait until Mrs. Kovarik confirms that all final grades are reported and processed by SLU. Then, follow the steps listed here to send your official transcript to your college. 

View Upcoming College Counselor Visits

College counselors schedule 30 to 45-minute informational sessions at Gibault designed for junior and senior students. A schedule of college and university visits will be announced via the College Planning Newsletter, posted to Schoology, and announced daily to students. Scheduled visits are also included in the website calendar

For the latest test dates and information, click onto www.act.org.  When deciding which school to attend, check if the school requires the written portion of the ACT for admission. Currently, only 16% of four-year colleges and universities require the written portion. You can check at www.actstudent.org/writing.

Should I take the ACT/SAT even if my college is test-optional?
Many colleges are now test-optional and may only consider standardized test scores if they improve a student’s application profile. However, ACT/SAT scores may still be required to be eligible for academic merit scholarships. Moreover, while general admission may not require an ACT/SAT score, specific programs or schools within a college (such as a Nursing program or School of Engineering) may require the ACT/SAT for direct entry.

Access the links below to guide you through the Financial Aid process.

Note: the new FAFSA becomes available each fall for the succeeding academic year. 

1. Creating an FSA ID

2. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

3. Step-by-step FAFSA Guide

4. Types of Financial Aid

Should  I apply for federal financial aid?
A student should complete the FAFSA regardless of income level if they want to be considered for federal, state, and school financial aid programs. This includes grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans. The Illinois Board of Education requires FAFSA completion for public high schoolers.

What documents do I need to complete the FAFSA?
See the step-by-step guide above for a list of needed documents.

When should I fill out the FAFSA?
Complete the FAFSA as soon as it comes available in the fall of your senior year. This timeframe ranges from October to December each year. You can start the process early by creating an FSA ID before the FAFSA is available. The FSA ID application takes a few business days to process, and an FSA ID is necessary to complete the FAFSA.

Will filling out the FAFSA sign me up for student loans?
The FAFSA is merely an application that shows what financial aid you are eligible for - it is not an agreement to accept financial aid. Once you accept admission to a college or university, you accept actual financial aid through the institution.

What is the difference between a grant and a loan?
The primary difference is that loans must be repaid, typically with interest, whereas grants do not have to be repaid. 

Should I use student loans to fund my education?
Decisions about loans should be made in careful consideration with your family and with a full understanding of your financial aid eligibility, scholarship offers, and budget. This office will never advise a student on financial decisions.

If you are interested in playing a sport at the college level, it would be in your best interest to create a profile in the NCAA Eligibility Center and/or NAIA Eligibility Portal. While Mrs. Kovarik/Mrs. Kueker are able to submit your transcripts, you need to have your ACT test scores submitted directly from ACT to the NCAA/NAIA. You also need to make sure your courses at Gibault meet NCAA/NAIA requirements. NCAA eligibility standards can be found in our curriculum guide or on their website. Please see Mrs. Kovarik if you have any questions.

Local Scholarships

Mrs. Kovarik updates the GCHS Local Scholarship Newsletter weekly in the fall and daily in the spring. This newsletter includes scholarship opportunities offered by local organizations and benefactors.

Our community college, Southwestern Illinois College, has its own database of foundation scholarships and private community scholarships, which can be accessed here. 

National Scholarships

See the below links for national scholarship search platforms. 

1. Fast Web

2. Scholarships.com

3. Student Scholarships

4. Scholarship America

Below is a list of national scholarship opportunities sent to Gibault students. Mrs. Kovarik updates this list weekly.

1. Elks MVS Scholarship

2. American Legion Scholarships

3. DAR National Scholarships

4. Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship

Merit Scholarships

Many colleges offer automatic scholarships based on academic or extracurricular merit. Some institutions have a chart showing X GPA plus Y ACT score equals Z scholarship amount. Others schools base scholarship offers on the relative academic merit of the cohort of applicants. Catholic universities often have scholarships set aside for students at Catholic high schools. Keep in mind also that many universities offer in-state tuition or border state tuition scholarships.

It is likely that the colleges you apply to have scholarships you have never heard of or do not know you might qualify for. Ask an admissions counselor about their college's scholarship process - which opportunities are automatic and which you might need to apply and/or interview for. Don't wait for a college to give you a scholarship offer, but actively seek scholarship opportunities to ensure you are accessing all your financial resources.

Athletic Scholarships

Each year, several Gibault graduates continue to play a sport in college on an athletic scholarship. Athletic scholarships can be full or partial. Students interested in pursuing an athletic scholarship should be in communication with recruiting college coaches early in their college search. You should also create an NCAA profile and review the NCAA high school coursework requirements for Division I and Division II athletes if you are hoping to play at that level. 

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