News for Seniors
October 7 at 6:30 PM- Understanding Financial Aid Evening Presentation | Posted 9/24/25
Mrs. Ahearn is hosting a representative from JJC’s financial aid office for a presentation on understanding financial aid options and resources for college-bound families. This information is applicable to any college bound student, not just those planning to attend JJC. Come learn about the types of financial aid available. Any grade level is welcome to attend.
October 15 at 6:30 PM- FAFSA Help Night at Newark | Posted 9/24/25
Seniors & senior parents, please start the process to fill out the FAFSA form. Information about how to complete the FAFSA can be found at the Federal Student Aid website: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out Attend our FAFSA Workshop at Newark High School if you need assistance. A representative from the JJC Financial Aid office will help 12th grade students and their guardians complete the FAFSA form for free. Please RSVP for this event by emailing wahearn@nchs18.org.
Senior Parent/ Student Meeting: Thurs., 8/28/25 6:30- 7:30 PM | Posted 6/3/25
Senior year is a big year for students and guardians. Mrs. Ahearn will be presenting a Senior Parent Meeting to help make sure you have the information you need to make this a successful year. Graduation requirements, college/ postsecondary planning and scholarships are the main topics for the night.
Senior Year Planning Guide: College, Career, and Graduation Essentials
College-Bound Seniors
If you're attending a four-year university, confirm your admission by May 1. This includes paying your deposit, submitting required forms, selecting housing and meal plans, and registering for orientation. Also notify colleges you’re not attending—it helps open spots for waitlisted students.
Still applying? Don’t wait. College seats and scholarships fill up early. Delaying your application could cost you money—or admission. File your FAFSA as soon as possible. Financial aid is limited, and Illinois requires FAFSA completion (or a waiver) to graduate. See the School Counselor for help filing or to request a waiver.
Community College
Begin registration now. You may need to complete online orientation and placement testing if your SAT scores are below 480 in Reading/Writing or 530 in Math. Meet with an admissions counselor to choose the right classes, and contact disability services if you have an IEP.
College Visits
Seniors and juniors may take two excused visit days per year (full or half-day). Submit the proper documentation per your school’s handbook. Visit days can include:
Testing: SAT & ACT
All juniors take the SAT in April, but you should also register for a national SAT or ACT earlier for the best chance at a higher score. Most students improve on their second attempt.
Earned an A or B in a qualifying class? You may receive articulated credit at Waubonsee, Joliet Junior College, or Kishwaukee. Pay a $10 per credit fee to VALEES to add the credit to your transcript. Credit is only valid if you enroll at one of these schools within two years of graduation. Learn more at valees.org → Early College Credit.
Planning to Attend a Technical or Trade School?
You should be following the same guidelines as those who are applying to a four-year university. The time to file an application is now. You will need to fill out the FAFSA and any other forms required by the school in order to receive financial aid. You may need to reserve housing. Talk to your admissions representative and the financial aid office to learn more about scholarships and other opportunities to fund your education.
Union Apprenticeships
Thinking of applying to a union apprenticeship? You’ll need to know:
Military & ROTC Programs
Interested in the military? Research each branch at its official .mil or .com website. Recruiters can meet during lunch, Academic Enrichment, or SRT (with parent permission if under 18).
Planning to attend college and serve? Consider ROTC programs at many colleges. You can earn:
Selective Service
All males must register within 30 days of turning 18 at sss.gov or when filing the FAFSA. Failure to register is a felony and can impact eligibility for:
Are you considering playing sports at the college level? What schools and sports are you considering? If any of those schools are NCAA Division I or II or an NAIA school, you MUST register with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse or NAIA website in order to be eligible to play sports at the college level.
For the NCAA:
Senior Packet
In June, the School Counselor will mail you a white packet with:
Mrs. Ahearn is hosting a representative from JJC’s financial aid office for a presentation on understanding financial aid options and resources for college-bound families. This information is applicable to any college bound student, not just those planning to attend JJC. Come learn about the types of financial aid available. Any grade level is welcome to attend.
October 15 at 6:30 PM- FAFSA Help Night at Newark | Posted 9/24/25
Seniors & senior parents, please start the process to fill out the FAFSA form. Information about how to complete the FAFSA can be found at the Federal Student Aid website: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out Attend our FAFSA Workshop at Newark High School if you need assistance. A representative from the JJC Financial Aid office will help 12th grade students and their guardians complete the FAFSA form for free. Please RSVP for this event by emailing wahearn@nchs18.org.
Senior Parent/ Student Meeting: Thurs., 8/28/25 6:30- 7:30 PM | Posted 6/3/25
Senior year is a big year for students and guardians. Mrs. Ahearn will be presenting a Senior Parent Meeting to help make sure you have the information you need to make this a successful year. Graduation requirements, college/ postsecondary planning and scholarships are the main topics for the night.
Senior Year Planning Guide: College, Career, and Graduation Essentials
College-Bound Seniors
If you're attending a four-year university, confirm your admission by May 1. This includes paying your deposit, submitting required forms, selecting housing and meal plans, and registering for orientation. Also notify colleges you’re not attending—it helps open spots for waitlisted students.
Still applying? Don’t wait. College seats and scholarships fill up early. Delaying your application could cost you money—or admission. File your FAFSA as soon as possible. Financial aid is limited, and Illinois requires FAFSA completion (or a waiver) to graduate. See the School Counselor for help filing or to request a waiver.
Community College
Begin registration now. You may need to complete online orientation and placement testing if your SAT scores are below 480 in Reading/Writing or 530 in Math. Meet with an admissions counselor to choose the right classes, and contact disability services if you have an IEP.
College Visits
Seniors and juniors may take two excused visit days per year (full or half-day). Submit the proper documentation per your school’s handbook. Visit days can include:
- Admissions meetings
- Campus tours
- Dining hall experiences
- Classroom visits
Testing: SAT & ACT
All juniors take the SAT in April, but you should also register for a national SAT or ACT earlier for the best chance at a higher score. Most students improve on their second attempt.
- Register at:
- collegeboard.org (SAT)
- actstudent.org (ACT)
- Test Details:
- SAT: English/Reading + Math (calculator & no calculator)
- ACT: English, Math, Reading, Science (all multiple choice)
- Planning to be a teacher? You must take the optional writing section and score at least 22 ACT (or SAT equivalent) and 6 in writing.
- Test Prep Practice is essential! Use Khan Academy for free SAT prep or borrow books with practice tests from the School Counselor .
- Waubonsee – February
- Joliet Junior College – April 1
Earned an A or B in a qualifying class? You may receive articulated credit at Waubonsee, Joliet Junior College, or Kishwaukee. Pay a $10 per credit fee to VALEES to add the credit to your transcript. Credit is only valid if you enroll at one of these schools within two years of graduation. Learn more at valees.org → Early College Credit.
Planning to Attend a Technical or Trade School?
You should be following the same guidelines as those who are applying to a four-year university. The time to file an application is now. You will need to fill out the FAFSA and any other forms required by the school in order to receive financial aid. You may need to reserve housing. Talk to your admissions representative and the financial aid office to learn more about scholarships and other opportunities to fund your education.
Union Apprenticeships
Thinking of applying to a union apprenticeship? You’ll need to know:
- Application timelines
- Required documents
- How to earn points to move up the call list
Military & ROTC Programs
Interested in the military? Research each branch at its official .mil or .com website. Recruiters can meet during lunch, Academic Enrichment, or SRT (with parent permission if under 18).
Planning to attend college and serve? Consider ROTC programs at many colleges. You can earn:
- Full tuition and fees
- Room and board (in some cases)
- A monthly stipend (up to 10 months/year)
Selective Service
All males must register within 30 days of turning 18 at sss.gov or when filing the FAFSA. Failure to register is a felony and can impact eligibility for:
- Federal student aid
- Workforce programs
- Government jobs
- U.S. citizenship (for immigrants)
Are you considering playing sports at the college level? What schools and sports are you considering? If any of those schools are NCAA Division I or II or an NAIA school, you MUST register with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse or NAIA website in order to be eligible to play sports at the college level.
For the NCAA:
- You must have 16 approved core courses on your transcript by graduation
- 10 of those must be completed by the end of junior year
- 7 must be in English, Math, or Science (for Division I)
- You must meet minimum ACT/SAT + GPA index scores
- It costs $80.00 to register
- You must have at least a 3.0 GPA and an 18 ACT or 940 SAT
- Registration costs $75 in high school, or $100 after graduation
Senior Packet
In June, the School Counselor will mail you a white packet with:
- Health immunizations
- Unofficial transcript
- Two sealed official transcripts
- Articulated credit form
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