NEWSLETTERS...2024: DecemberPDF and link; NovemberPDF and link; 

PARENTS: sample of Fall 2024 College Visit Schedule here (students must register for visits themselves in their own Naviance account under Colleges then College Visits). Students and parents can find more resources in our Schoology course for Student Services, GCM College & Career Center folder. See how to read admissions results for GCM grads at most colleges for the last 3 years on Naviance. SAT/ACT free prep and registration with directions and tips. List of local test prep companies compiled by FCPS (FCPS does not endorse any company). Help find colleges that fit your plans with My College Search - a Quick Start. 

Also: Saving Money in the College Process and questions you need for Focusing Your Scholarship Search to maximize your time/chances. Plus an overall guide to Making a Financial Aid Plan to try and close the affordability gap. A general Scholarship Guide on how to search and apply. Look here for colleges that give a lot of aid to "international students" or Scholarships that Don't Require U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency. For college searching: a Quick Guide to Creating Your First Draft List of Colleges that fit your priorities and chances of admission. Examples of Colleges with Better-than-Average Admissions or Financial Aid to GCM (found schools of your own to add to this list? Email them to [email protected]). Are you a GCM graduate? Check these tips that help pay for your undergraduate 4-year, community college or job and career training. 

A great college guide link or PDF for Virginia and for college help in general, with financial aid info and worksheets for searching and comparing schools. Also en Espanol or download PDF.

NOVA: Northern Virginia Community College 

GCM's contact at NOVA for help: Marshall has a staff member at NOVA who is assigned to our school to help with questions, registering, financial aid and getting started. Her name is Ms. Viri Acosta and she is at [email protected].

NOVA Advice and How to Apply https://youtu.be/0go8c7A6UkA - 2 graduates from GCM and current Mason students join Ms. Monica Gomez from NOVA to talk about the benefits of the school, transferring and how to apply. Tip Sheet: Steps and Tips to enrolling at NOVA.

Here is the checklist of things you need to do to enroll at NOVA. It is open admissions - meaning you can enroll if you are on track to get your high school diploma or GED. If you have already taken a "Dual Enrollment" NOVA class at GCM, you will already have an account, so don't make a new one, login with that info. 
Here are the 6 steps to starting at NOVA: https://www.apply.vccs.edu/applications/vccs/apply.html?application_id=4089.

NOVA aid advice: https://blogs.nvcc.edu/financialaid/

NOVA scholarships: https://nvcc.academicworks.com/

FAFSA federal aid form: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

NOVA Information to GCM Students from 10/28/21 slide presentation in English. Audio to listen to with slides is in Schoology, under Marshall Student Services course and College & Career folder, NOVA section. Info in Spanish from 10/27 parent/student session (audio also in Schoology). 

Scholarships in Naviance that you can use at NOVA or any college (make sure the scholarship can be used for a community college before applying). Go to https://www.fcps.edu/naviance (or Naviance link in Schoology under apps icon on homepage). In Naviance, go to Colleges then Scholarships & Money then Scholarship List and Local & Regional Scholarships.

Gap Year - thinking about taking time off before attending college? Check out this sheet of information, tips and resources and the FCPS site https://www.fcps.edu/resources/college-and-career-planning/college-and-post-secondary-planning/gap-year. Colleges handle gap requests in different ways, see an example here https://www.wm.edu/admission/undergraduateadmission/how-to-apply/freshmanapplicants/gap-years/index.php and look at he process for schools you might apply to.