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Supporting Native Students on their College Bound Journey

Alarming statistics surround Native American youth and communities.  Currently, 1 in 3 Native American families live below the poverty level.  Only 74% of Native American students graduate high school on time, and nationally only 24% of those students’ matriculate.  The cycle of poverty among our Native American communities can begin to be addressed though access and opportunity of some type of a post-secondary education.

Valerie Arnault-Pelletier was quoted, “There’s the saying, ‘Education is the new buffalo,’ because historically the buffalo gave us food, clothing, and shelter…we need to look to education to give us those things.”  CollegeBound Journey is a new platform that links Native American students to colleges, programs of study, and opportunities to ultimately build, sustain, and impact Native communities.  It also provides a tool of equity for school counselors to begin the process of culturally responsive college counseling.

Popular college planning platforms used in most schools omit cultural considerations in their system features.  Our Native American students’ cultural needs are often overlooked and are often invisible in curriculum and educational products.  CollegeBound Journey emphasizes Native American culture as a central focus on the college journey.  College search includes criteria not found in any other college planning platform: Native American specific programs of study (over 70), Indigenous language course opportunities, Native American student center identification, Elder-in-Residence programs, Native American Living and Learning Community options, and cultural club/organizations availability. The scholarship search platform only lists opportunities based on Native American status.  These include tribe sponsored scholarships, private foundation scholarships, state-specific aid for Native American students, tuition waiver programs, and in-state tuition options for Native American students. The pre-college program search contains a database of both pre-college experiences and summer cultural enrichment programs to support in preparing Native youth toward college.

Here is a nice video that should be of interest as well: Culturally Responsive College Counseling with Native American Students: Become an Agent of Systemic Change (here is the video link).

Do you have any Native American students? If so, please share information about this platform with them.

School and Career Counselors and Advisors: Updated Bureau of Labor Statistics Data

The BLM publishes data for many careers. According to their data:

2021 Median Pay for Counselors was $60,510 per year ($29.09 per hour)

Typical Entry Level Education: Master’s Degree

Number of jobs (2020) – 322,000

Job Outlook (2020-2030) – 11% growth

Employment Change (2020-2030) – +37,000

National Data Link:https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm#tab-7

State and Area Data Link: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211012.htm#st

College 101: Everything your students need to know – 2 page PDF

Karen Elizabeth, a Counselor in the Walton Central School District in New York, has created a 2-page PDF she uses for her seniors as they plan the transition from HS to College. It is a great list of things for students to think about as they plan to take that next step in life. Here is a link to the PDF that you can download or customize and share with your students: https://www.linkforcounselors.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/College-101-Everything-you-need-to-know1-1.pdf

3 Upcoming Free Webinars for Counselors from NCWIT Counselors for Computing

NCWIT Counselors for Computing provides some great free resources for Counselors. They have 3 upcoming webinars being offered to view free (and not all their prior webinars are available on-demand). Here are the details with a link to register for each:

Future Ready Careers: CS + Health Services, featuring Chief Information and Digital Officer of Merck, Dave Williams

Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. CT / 3:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 p.m. PT 

Hear from Merck Chief Information and Digital Officer Dave Williams as he shares about his experience at the intersection of computer science and health services. How does Merck use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world? By using research and technology to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in people and animals. Computer science skills and computational thinking skills are important in solving problems and delivering health service to all. Hear how students can utilize these skills for a fulfilling and meaningful career after graduation. Register here

Department of Defense Career Pathways Webinar

May 25 | 5-6pm PT/8-9pm ET

Are you interested in leveraging your technical skills to launch a career with the Department of Defense (DoD)? If so, this webinar is an amazing opportunity for you to learn more about DoD career pathways and start to build your network with the DoD community. 

Webinar participants will hear the pathway story for four current DoD employees and have the opportunity to ask questions about the multiple STEM career pathways available. Register here.

Future Ready Careers: Twenty-one Jobs of The Future with Cognizant

Wednesday, June 1, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. CT / 4:00 p.m. MT / 3:00 p.m. PT 

Work is changing due to automation and AI, but it’s not going away. Based on the major macroeconomic, political, demographic, societal, cultural, business and technology trends observable today, Cognizant proposes new jobs that will emerge over the next ten years and will become cornerstones of the future of work. Prepare your students for these growing career fields and learn about the importance of computing skills! Register here

Users frustrated, confused, skeptical about today’s Internet, Britannica survey finds

Having trouble finding what you need on the worldwide web? Do you trust all the information that is found when you do a search? You are not alone according to a new study conducted by Britannica site Procon.org.

Most also say, with varying degrees of conviction, that they often can’t tell if the information they find on the Internet is true or false. 

Among the most significant findings were the following:

●  Only 25% of respondents (mostly students) believed the Internet has not caused a decline in their attention span or ability to concentrate.

●  Nearly 60% of respondents admitted difficulty in determining if information online was truthful; a whopping 43% believed much of the content on the Internet was outright false; and only 19% believed online information was true.

●  An overwhelming 77% desired a more effective way of managing and filtering information on the Internet to differentiate among fact, opinion, and overt disinformation.

The survey was conducted in conjunction with an article on the effects of the Internet, both good and bad, on Britannica’s nonpartisan website ProCon.org, which researches and highlights the major arguments, pro and con, of contentious public issues. The site asked readers for their thoughts on how the Internet affects their brains and whether online information is reliable and trustworthy. The article and survey were a follow-up of sorts to Nicholas Carr’s now-classic article in The Atlantic (2008), “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” which raised troubling questions about what the Internet was doing to our intellects. 

“So much has changed in the Internet ecosystem since Nick’s article more than a decade ago that we wanted to see how people were faring online today, in the era of bot farms, deep fakes and mass disinformation in general,” said Theodore Pappas, executive editor at Britannica. He said that the results are being released now for Internet Day, which is observed on May 17.

Given that fake information is a large and growing problem, Britannica recommends that publishers, media companies and content providers redouble their efforts to maintain high editorial standards and build reputations for trustworthiness with which consumers, educators, and students will feel comfortable.

The survey was conducted on the ProCon.org website between April 2021 and April 2022 with 13,403 respondents. To see the complete results, visit ProCon.org. The survey is ongoing, so users may still contribute their own responses by completing it at the site.

New Scholarship Opportunity for your Students – RentHop Scholarship

Here is a new Scholarship available to your students. There are 2 scholarships given away per year.
– Scholarship: RentHop: College & University Scholarship Program
– There are two deadlines for the scholarship: 4/30 and 8/31 (These two deadlines reoccur each year)
– The value of each scholarship is $1000 per chosen student. Only one award is available per deadline
– Applicants must be a current student in an eligible undergraduate program or a graduating high school senior, working towards a bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree. Applicants must submit an essay through their website:

Here are the links to the scholarships along with a list of past winners:
RentHop: https://www.renthop.com/resources/college-scholarship

Success Story – This student was rejected from 15 medical schools – now he runs a $1.5 million business

CNBC recently profiled a 29-year-old entrepreneur that started several online businesses and is now making more than $1.5 million per year. There are lots of career paths your students can embark on and the traditional path of going to college, getting a great job and working it throughout retirement is no longer the only option for many students. This student, Charlie Chang, tried many different businesses and now has 4 different income streams from the various online businesses he set up. This is a great story to share with your students. Here is the link – https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/12/how-this-29-year-old-built-a-million-dollar-business-after-getting-rejected-from-15-medical-schools.html

Scholarships Galore Available to your Students

Many of your students have been accepted to the college of their choice and in many cases multiple schools. Now how are they going to pay for that education? Scholarships are one of their best options as the money doesn’t have to be paid back.

Access Scholarships published a list of 66 different scholarships available for students. Here is the list you can share with your students with a link to each one:

Scholarship Points $10,000 Scholarship

Award Amount: $10,000

Scholarship Deadline: Expires every quarter

Details: Each quarter of the year, Scholarship Points awards one $10,000 scholarship to a lucky student – enter each quarter for a greater chance at winning!

Smart Owl No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $7,000

Scholarship Deadline: 28th or 29th of each month

Details: The Smart Owl Scholarship by Scholarship Owl is a monthly scholarship open to all high school and college students ages 16+. Must be a US citizen/permanent resident to apply!

SmarterCollege $2,500 Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,500

Scholarship Deadline: Last day of each month

Details: Open to all US high school and college students ages 17 and older. 

Scholly’s $1,000 Tuition Relief Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: May 31

Details: Open to high school students ages 18 and older. No essay or minimum GPA required to apply!

Nitro College Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,000

Scholarship Deadline: End of every month

Details: In addition to their $1,000 scholarship through Bold, Nitro also offers a $2,000 scholarship every month, open to high school seniors and current college students. To be considered, all you need to do is fill out the application form on their website.

Tallo Monthly Scholarship

Award Amount: generally $1,000, but it varies! 

Scholarship Deadline: Expires on the last day of each month

STEM Works for Me $2,500 Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,500

Scholarship Deadline: April 30

Details: Open to ALL students in the US, ages 26 and under! No specific major requirements are necessary to apply. 

CollegExpress Monthly Scholarship

Award Amount: Varies, but usually $1,000 – $2,500

Scholarship Deadline: Last day of each month

Details: CollegExpress offers a monthly scholarship for high school seniors and students of other years in school. What’s great is that when you enter for their monthly scholarship, you will also be automatically entered for their $10,000 scholarship!

Be Bold Scholarship

Award Amount: $25,000

Scholarship Deadline: Rolling monthly

Details: The $25,000 “Be Bold” Scholarship is a no-essay scholarship that will be awarded to the applicant with the boldest profile.

Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: Quarterly (Last day of the month in September, December, March, and June)

Details: The Too Cool to Pay for School Scholarship is our own contribution to helping students fund their higher education. Simply fill in some easy info about yourself and you’re entered to win!

Cappex Easy Money Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: Rolling

Details: The Cappex Easy Money Scholarship is open to all students – no minimum GPA or essay required.

Juno No Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: Beginning of every month

Details: The Juno $1,000 Scholarship does not require an essay! All you need to do to be entered is to fill out your name and email, and share the scholarship with your friends!

Niche No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,000

Scholarship Deadline: Rolling monthly

Details: The Niche No Essay Scholarship is awarded monthly and all you have to do to enter is sign up on their website.

Next College Athlete No-Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: Rolling monthly

Details: This scholarship is designed for high school athletes who are looking to compete at the next level.

Semper Solaris Scholarship

Award Amount: $500

Scholarship Deadline: Rolling

Details: This scholarship is open to high school seniors who are US citizens with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program

Award Amount: $10,000 – renewable for up to 4 years

Scholarship Deadline: January 5

Details: The GE Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program honors the legacy and character of our nation’s 40th President. It rewards college-bound students who demonstrate exemplary leadership (in their community and through extracurricular activities), drive, integrity, and citizenship with financial assistance to pursue higher education

Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program

Award Amount: $20,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 8

Details: The Foot Locker Scholar Athletes program honors student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and strong leadership skills in sports, in their schools, and within their communities.

Ron Brown Scholars Program

Award Amount: $40,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 9

Details: RBSP competitively awards 45 – 50 four-year $40,000 scholarships ($10,000 each year) to the most talented and economically-challenged high school seniors who demonstrate a keen interest in public service, community engagement, business entrepreneurship and global citizenship.

Applicants for the Ron Brown Scholarship MUST be Black/African American, US citizens or permanent residents, and a current high school senior at the time of their application.

Live Más Scholarship

Award Amount: $5,000 – $25,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 11

Details: The Live Más Scholarship is Taco Bell’s contribution to helping students achieve their higher education goals. To apply, students must submit a video telling the story of their real, true passion. 

Profile in Courage Essay Contest

Award Amount: $500 – $3,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 15

Details: The Profile in Courage Essay Contest is open to all high school students. Essays will be judged on the overall originality of the topic and the clear communication of ideas through language.

Sierra Nevada Corporation Women in STEM Scholarship

Award Amount: $7,500

Scholarship Deadline: January 18

Details: Open to female-identifying high school seniors, undergraduate, and graduate school students pursuing non-medical

STEM-related degrees.Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship Program

Award Amount: $40,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 25

Details: A serious 2-for-1 scholarship for high school students interested in computer science. Win $40,000 for college AND a paid programming internship at Amazon. 

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic performance, experience with computer science, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, short answer responses, unusual personal or family circumstances, financial need, racial/ethnic/gender diversity, and an educator appraisal, preferred to be completed by a computer science teacher.

College Monk Short Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,500

Scholarship Deadline: January 31

Details: The purpose of the scholarship is to provide financial assistance to graduating high school seniors and college students pursuing undergraduate degrees who are planning to attend or currently attending accredited institutions in the US.

Jet Future Business Leaders Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 31

Details: This scholarship is for graduating high school seniors and currently enrolled college students who are interested in pursuing a career in business.T

echnology Addiction Awareness Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: January 31

Details: The Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship is designed to help you understand the negative effects that technology and too much screen time can have on our lives. Open to high school students of all years.

 EngineerGirl Essay Contest

Award Amount: $500

Scholarship Deadline: February 1

Details: The EngineerGirl Essay Contest is open to all high school students (not just women!), and asks for an essay discussing the vital contribution of engineers in responding to the pandemic.

Columbus Citizens Foundation College Scholarship Program

Award Amount: Varies

Scholarship Deadline: February 1

Details: The Columbus Citizens Foundation administers scholarship programs that help hundreds of students every year in elementary school, high school, college, and medical school, and graduate programs in the arts.  

Jackie Robinson Scholars Program

Award Amount: Up to $30,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 1

Details: Scholarship for students accepted to accredited four-year colleges or universities. Must be a minority student, United States citizen, involved in community service and demonstrate leadership potential and financial need.

McDonald’s HACER Scholarship

Award Amount: Up to $25,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 3

Details: Open to high school seniors who have at least one parent with Hispanic heritage. Must be a US resident planning to attend a two or four-year college or university. Minimum 2.8 GPA.

Elks National Foundation Legacy Awards Scholarship

Award Amount: $4,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 5

Details: $4,000 four-year scholarships available for children and grandchildren of Elks in good standing. Parent or grandparent must have been an Elk for two years and continue to be a member in good standing. Must be high school senior and apply through the related member’s Elks Lodge.

Americanism Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $100 – $1,200

Scholarship Deadline: First Friday in February

Details: The Americanism Essay Scholarship is open to Illinois high school students and requires an essay on Americanism and good citizenship.

AFA Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship

Award Amount: $5,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 15

Details: AFA’s Teens for Alzheimer’s Awareness College Scholarship Essay Contest is an annual competition for college-bound students.  Applicants are asked to write a 1,200 to 1,500-word essay that describes the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on themselves, their families or their communities, and what they have learned in light of coping with the brain disorder.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship

Award Amount: up to $5,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 14

Details: Merit-based awards for U.S. citizens, permanent residents, eligible non-citizens, or DACA students of Hispanic heritage with plans to enroll full time in an accredited U.S. 4-year university in the upcoming academic year (can be a high school senior, current undergraduate student, community college transfer, or graduate student). 

The Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship

Award Amount: $10,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 20

Details: Three scholarships (one $10,000; two $5,000) will be awarded to graduating U.S. high school students who promoted vegetarianism (includes veganism) in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Applicants will be judged on a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle.

Bridging the Dream Scholarship Program

Award Amount: $10,000

Scholarship Deadline: February 28

Details: The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and The Sallie Mae Fund are proud to offer financial assistance to outstanding students. Twenty-five (25) students completing a two-year, four-year, or trade/vocational certificate/certification program will be selected to receive a scholarship of up to $10,000.

Scholars Helping Collars Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,500

Scholarship Deadline: February 28

Details: P.L.A.Y knows there are plenty of young minds out there that are passionate about helping animals in need. In an effort to encourage students and promote this cause, P.L.A.Y. will be awarding a $1,500 scholarship to a graduating high school student who best exemplifies their core beliefs.

Engebretson Foundation Scholarship

Award Amount: $5,000/semester

Scholarship Deadline: March 1

Details:This need-based scholarship is pretty straightforward: it’s awarded to one student each year who demonstrates not only financial need but also impressive academic performance and leadership ability.

Horatio Alger National Scholarships

Award Amount: $25,000

Scholarship Deadline: March 8

Details: The Horatio Alger National Scholarship Program is one of the major scholarship programs nationally that specifically assists high school students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. Open to US high school students with critical financial need. Minimum 2.0 GPA.

Executive Women International Scholarship Program

Award Amount: Varies

Scholarship Deadline: March 26

Details: To qualify for the scholarship, a student must be nominated by his/her school counselor or administrator. Students apply and compete at the local Chapter for up to $10,000 in scholarships. The first-place winner from each Chapter will then be submitted to the Corporate level for the opportunity to win the Corporate Scholarship.

AFSA High School Scholarship Contest

Award Amount: $2,000

Scholarship Deadline: April 1

Details: Open to current high school seniors who want to pursue a college degree or trade school education. Enter for the chance to win one of ten college scholarships.

Fountainhead Essay Contest

Award Amount: $500 – $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: April 29

Details: The Fountainhead Essay Contest is for high school juniors and seniors and has three essay prompt options.

E-Waste Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: April 30

Details: The E-Waste Scholarship, sponsored by Digital Responsibility, challenges students to learn about the impact of e-waste and what can be done to minimize it

RealtyHop Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,000

Scholarship Deadlines: April 30, August 31

The RealtyHop Scholarship awards up to $2,000 a year to eligible undergraduate students and high school seniors working towards a bachelor and/or associate degree program in the US who demonstrate the ambition, diligence, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit that is central to our company culture.

Rover Scholarship Contest

Award Amount: $2,500

Scholarship Deadline: May 1

Details: Higher education: that magical time when deadlines are tight and budgets are tighter. Rover would like to help fund your education. Just write a 400-500 word essay for your chance to win $2,500!

Visionary Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000 – $5,000

Scholarship Deadline: May 1

Details: The American College Foundation (ACF) offers the annual Visionary Scholarship program to financially support students in every grade level of high school.

Countdown to College Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: May 5

Details: This scholarship is for college-bound teens in grades 9th-12th. The scholarship does not require specific test scores, GPA, or class ranking.

In order to be awarded the scholarship, you must be a current C2C eNews subscriber at the time of the drawing.

Christian Connector Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,500

Scholarship Deadline: May 31

Details: The Christian Connector Scholarship is a scholarship for high school seniors (and juniors!) who are interested in or planning to enroll in a Christian college or university. 

Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: July 31

Details: The Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship is a merit-based program that helps students fulfill their dreams of a higher education. To apply, students must simply answer one of three essay questions (“feel free to re-use an essay that you wrote in class, for college admission or another scholarship competition.”)!

Grademiners Essay Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: August 1

Details: To encourage bright young minds to SPEAK UP, Grademiners offers this essay scholarship for the best original essay (see application page for essay topic options).

Alex Austin’s Overcoming Adversity Scholarship

Award Amount: $500 – $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: September 1

Details: Open to all high school and college students in the US, including DACA recipients. Students who identify as part of a minority or who will be first-generation college students are encouraged to apply.

Cameron Impact Scholarship

Award Amount: Full-ride! 

Scholarship Deadline: September 10

Details: The Cameron Impact Scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition, merit-based undergraduate scholarship awarded annually to 10-15 exceptional high school students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, leadership, and community service. 

Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.7 to apply.

One Step At A Time Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: September 30

Details: This scholarship was created to encourage students who have faced adversity to reflect on their experience and discuss the steps they took to pull themselves through a difficult situation. Minimum 3.0 GPA to apply.

Supporting the Community Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: September 30

Details: Rastin Gluckstein Lawyers is offering The Supporting the Community Scholarship to recognize students who have particularly creative ideas for how they can do their best to give back to their community.

Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship

Award Amount: $40,000 per year 

Scholarship Deadline: November 18 

Details:The Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities. Minimum 3.5 GPA. 

Heisman High School Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000 – $10,000

Scholarship Deadline: October 19

Details: Open to high-achieving high school seniors in the US with at least a 3.0 GPA who participate in a wide range of sports as well as school and community activities.

Imagine America High School Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: December 1

Details: Imagine America, sponsored by the Imagine America Foundation (IAF), is a $1,000 career education award that is available to recent high school graduates who are pursuing postsecondary education at participating career colleges across the United States.

10x Digital Marketing Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: December 1

Details: 10x digital awards a $2,000 scholarship each year to one talented student (twice a year) who is majoring in (or planning on majoring in) a field related to digital marketing. 

Undocumented students and international students studying in the US are eligible to apply.

National Honor Society Scholarship Program

Award Amount: Varies

Scholarship Deadline: December 1

Details: The National Honor Society is committed to helping students achieve their secondary education goals, and provides the following resources to students and their families to help with the planning process. 600 scholarships are awarded each year to high school seniors who are members of the NHS.

Edison Scholars Program

Award Amount: $40,000

Scholarship Deadline: December 14

Details: The Edison Scholars Program offers $40,000 scholarships to 30 high school seniors planning on pursuing STEM degrees at 4-year colleges and universities. Must live in Edison’s service territory in Southern California. 

Burger King Scholars Program

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: December 15

Details: Open to high school seniors in the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. 

Equitable Excellence Scholarship

Award Amount: up to $20,000 over four years

Scholarship Deadline: December 17

Details: Open to current high school seniors who plan to enroll full-time in an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year. 

Around the Corner from College Scholarship

Award Amount: $1,000

Scholarship Deadline: December 31 (and June 30)

Details: This scholarship is Access Scholarship’s opportunity created just for high school students! Open to high school seniors, but also to students in grades 9-11. DACA/undocumented and international students are also eligible to apply. 

Cirkledin’s No Sweat Scholarship

Award Amount: $2,500

Scholarship Deadline: December 31

Details: Apply in 4 easy steps: Go to www.cirkledin.com, create a free Cirkledin account, hit the “Apply Now” button, and tell us “What is one thing that, if it were in the Olympics, you would win gold in?”

Careers Through Culinary Arts Program Cooking Competition for Scholarships

Award Amount: Varies (up to full-tuition)

Scholarship Deadline: Varies 

Details: Applicants must be a senior in a C-CAP designated partner high school in Arizona; Prince George’s County, Maryland; Tidewater, Virginia; or the cities of Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, or Washington, DC. Applicants must be accepted into the cooking competition for scholarships. Check the CCAP website for local coordinator’s contact information. 

United States Senate Youth Program

Award Amount: $10,000

Scholarship Deadline: Varies by state

Details: The United States Senate Youth Program is a scholarship for high school seniors (and juniors!) holding elected student offices. Two students are selected from each state.

You will note many of these have deadlines which have passed so these should be shared with your juniors so they can apply for next year.

Here 15 College Majors being offered by U.S. Colleges Today that are Outside the Norm

Fox News published a list of 15 of the wildest and wackiest courses offered today or recently at U.S. institutions across our country. These might be fun to discuss with your students to show there are many paths they can take with their educations.

Course descriptions are based on publicly available information on school websites. 

  1. Introduction to Surfing:

Students at Pepperdine University can take an introduction to surfing class right on the beach in Malibu, California.  

The one-credit course conveys a general understanding of surfing and ocean safety. “Classes fill almost instantly when registration begins!” reads a course description. Also, students are told to “bring a towel and warm clothing.”

Just another perk, it seems, of attending college on the coast of sunny California. 

2. Nature of Society: Beyoncé and Intersectionality:

Any class mentioning Beyoncé is bound to be a hit among today’s college kids.

For three credits, students at Texas Christian University are taught the characteristics of the Houston-born pop queen. 

Open discussions in class also cover such bold topics as racism, classism and sexism. 

3. Tree Climbing:

This course taught at Cornell University in upstate New York is for the kid at heart — maybe even Tarzan himself.

The Outdoor Education Department at the Ithaca-based university offers this one-credit course. 

It covers how to get up into any tree, how to move around — even how to climb to another tree. 

4. Arguing with Judge Judy: Popular ‘Logic’ on TV Judge Shows:

First-year students at the University of California, Berkeley, take a deep dive into TV “judge” shows in this one-credit course. 

Students specifically examine “Judge Judy” and “The People’s Court” — and discuss why certain practices in the courtroom are common. “Are these shows presenting a perversion of our legal system or a look into that system?” says a course description, in part. 

“A fascinating aspect of TV judge shows from a rhetorical point of view is the number of arguments made by litigants that are utterly illogical, or are perversions of standard logic, and yet are used over and over again,” the description also says. 

“For example, when asked ‘Did you hit the plaintiff?’ respondents often say, ‘If I woulda hit him, he woulda been dead!’ This reply avoids answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ … and offers a perverted form of the logical strategy called an ‘a fortiori’ argument …”

5. Nip, Tuck, Perm, Pierce, Tattoo, Embalm: Adventures with Embodied Cultures:

People can alter their bodies in more ways than one — and the inclination to do so may well be culturally influenced. 

This eight-credit class taught at Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y., discusses how different cultures across the globe influence appearance changes, no matter how extreme those changes may be. 

6. Harry Potter: Understanding Good & Evil:

This first-year 4-credit seminar course taught at High Point University in High Point, N.C., examines the fine line between good and evil among historic figures — but with a swish-and-flick twist.

Through the lens of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, students at High Point University are challenged in this class with defining the discrepancy between the two forces.

7. Going Viral:

Ever wonder how to go viral on the internet? This three-credit class for communications and media majors at Montclair State in Montclair, N.J., will explain exactly how.

“In this course we will explore media concepts and theories and contemporary viral phenomena,” the course description explains. “We will investigate the evolution of different media and the impact of emerging media on society. Our focus will be on the contemporary scene of technological innovations and how social media are transforming the way we do business, politics, entertainment and activism.”

8. Dealing Tactfully with Difficult People:

This extension seminar at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) teaches the critical skills needed to handle people who don’t make life easy for the rest of us.

The management course discusses ways to build trust, recognize patterns of behavior and foster self-esteem in times of doubt.

The course description declares, “Participants learn specific strategies for dealing with behaviors such as verbal attacks and put-downs, complaining, thoughtlessness, manipulation, attention-seeking, excessive talking, withdrawal, rule-breaking, excuses and feigned helplessness.”

9. Cow to Cone:

Learn the ins and outs of ice cream manufacturing at Penn State University. This one-of-a-kind lecture is a 129-year tradition at the university.

As the university’s College of Agricultural Science program explains, “There’s more than meets the eye, or the mouth for that matter. Every cone of ‘Peachy Paterno’ or cup of ‘Death by Chocolate’ begins with the cream provided by the cows at Penn State’s dairy barns only a short mile north of the Creamery Store.”

10. Clap for Credit (aka Music 113):

A round of applause for this one! 

The one-credit class — officially known as Music 113: Music in Performance — is offered at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Students can take the class as many as three times. 

It asks this of enrolled students: Show up to one 50-minute lecture each week, listen to a musical performance for each class — then clap when those performances conclude.

“Usually students in the music department use the captive audience to practice performing,” said a recent graduate of the university who took the course. 

11. Failure:

Trying for a career in the arts often means learning how to fail.

A course called Topics: Failure — taught at the Clive Davis Institute at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts — explores major failures among artists, as well as “memorable” pop culture moments.

It includes case studies on Britney Spears’ 2000s meltdown, Kanye West’s award-show speeches and William Hung’s “American Idol” 2004 audition (after which Simon Cowell famously commented, “You can’t sing, you can’t dance, so what do you want me to say?”). 

For two credits, students in this course consider “failure as it relates to the contemporary popular arts,” notes the description. “What is it exactly that we think we can learn from failure? And more to the point, what does our amplified 21st century interest and obsession with failure say about us?”

12. Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame:

As music star Lady Gaga once said, “Doin’ it for the fame!”

University of South Carolina students have the opportunity to explore the sociology of pop culture through the rise of music icon Lady Gaga.

The course aims to relate the roles of business, law, media, sexuality and fandom to the making of a modern superstar.

13. Introduction to Puppetry:

As part of the University of Connecticut’s plethora of puppet art courses, this class introduces students to puppetry production around the world.

Global puppet performances are studied for the visual artistry they offer — plus the performances’ social, political and religious contexts.

14. How the ‘Simpson’ Saved American Literature:

The longest-running scripted primetime series in American TV history has gotten its own three-credit college course.

At Long Island’s Hofstra University, students can study how the cartoon series “The Simpsons” has parodied classic literature for 33 seasons. Common themes such as family values, heroes and role models and American ingenuity are also examined.

15. Serial Murder:

Why is the public so infatuated with serial murderers? High Point University — in High Point, N.C. — gives first-year students the upper hand in answering this question.

For four credits, students at this university study the origin of serial killers — including people such as Jeffrey Dahmer and Ted Bundy — and exactly what makes their gruesome acts so fascinating.

These “outside the box” majors may be a great way to open the discussion with your students about what major they might want to pursue in College. Check out the original post here: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/wild-wacky-college-classes-america

Are any of your students unhappy with their choices…? No reason to panic; there is SPACE AVAILABLE

If your stack of responses from colleges included nothing but rejections, you’ll probably want to read further. The first thing to know is that there’s no reason to despair, there are still options.

NACAC’S FALL 2022 COLLEGE OPENINGS UPDATE

There are more than 200 colleges and universities nationwide still accepting applications from students seeking openings, housing, or financial aid this fall, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). This is the 35th year of the “Space Availability List” from NACAC. The online link provides counselors, teachers, and families with a comprehensive list of colleges and universities that are still accepting applications from qualified first-year and transfer students and also indicates if the institutions still have financial aid or housing available. Both public and private institutions are listed.

“The NACAC College Openings Update provides options and assurances for students who have not yet found a college to attend this fall,” said Melissa E. Clinedinst, director of research and grants. “Many terrific institutions are still seeking students for fall enrollment, due to ongoing COVID-related disruptions, as well as typical fluctuations in application and enrollment patterns.”

Many colleges accept applications well after May 1 as a matter of policy, while others will continue to have openings available due to fluctuations that occur each year in the college admission process. The College Openings Update is updated regularly as institutions submit information. The update will remain on NACAC’s website through the end of July.

The process is straightforward. Students review the list and contact any of the colleges or universities of interest for application information. Admission to each institution is dependent on the completion of an application and a review by the admissions staff. To search the NACAC 2022 College Openings Update, go to nacacnet.org/openings.

Some surprises on this year’s list include:

New York: Adelphi University and Ithaca College

Pennsylvania: Allegheny College and Susquehanna College

Massachusetts: Simmons College and University of Massachusetts/Lowell.

California: University of Redlands, Whittier College

The list is likely to initially grow and then change daily as colleges tally their freshman class yield (the number of students who have deposited), so it makes sense to check-in regularly. Additionally, in case you know any students who are less than enthusiastic about where they’ve spent their freshman or sophomore year, the list also tracks openings for transfers.

Things may not have worked out the way you planned, but there are definitely options available to the resourceful family.  The “space availability” list is really a “win-win” for students and colleges. Many colleges operate with a “rolling admissions” process which means that they are constantly accepting applications on a year-round basis until their class is filled.

If you can’t find a good academic, social and financial fit, you may want to consider taking a year off and reapplying to colleges in the fall. If you are looking for some creative ways to spend the time off, you should investigate some possibilities at www.americangap.org.

Lee Bierer is an independent educational consultant based in Charlotte. Send questions to: leesbierer@gmail.com and visit www.leebierer.com. 

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