General News and Information on College

  

• College Board's Big Future
• Curious about which schools require SAT or ACT?  Always confirm the current situation via any school's own website, but this is a useful link.  
• College Majors 101 to explore career paths and majors.
• WOIS: Most students were given their WOIS log in info before leaving for the COVID-19 break.  Site key required, contact counselor if need yours.  Great resource!  Spend some time learning your strengths, interests, and options!  
• College Scorecard is a great comparison tool. 
• Check out this website featuring student-made videos at colleges across the country: Campus Reel

Opportunities Abound!

• Frenchtown Rural Fire District Resident Firefighter Program:  Live and work alongside professionally trained career and volunteer firefighters while earning nationally recognized certifications and an associates degree in fire and emergency services.  100% tuition reimbursement available.  Website is under construction, but visit frenchtownfire.org, email recruiting@frenchtownfire.org, call 406-626-5791, or see the poster in senior hall for more information, application due 3/31/23.  
• National Diplomacy Matters High School Essay Contest:  Win $2500 and a trip to DC and a full scholarship to Semester at Sea!  Impressive prizes for the runner-up as well.  Deadline is April 3, 2023.  Details at www.afsa.org/essaycontest

Tough to Make a College Visit?  Virtual Fair!

PNACAC has moved its annual fall fairs online!  Washington Student Week is October 19-23, and you can register now by clicking the button on this site.  Free!  

NCAA or NAIA

Click  HERE to find information or to create your profile to become eligible.for NCAA.
Click HERE for information or to create your profile to become eligible for NAIA
 

Tips for College Visits

WWCS School Counseling enthusiastically recommends high school students of all levels making official visits to as many campuses as possible!  The link below has some tips for focusing on what is important; the academic and career tips are especially helpful and too easily overlooked on any "tour," so you may have to ask!

 

At DeSales 

• PSAT/NMSQT:  A preliminary SAT and scholarship contest, in October of junior year. Wednesday, October 12, 2022.  $18 fee
  • Video, How to access PSAT scores online, click here
  • Video, understanding your PSAT score report, click here
  • Video, How to link your College Board account to Khan Academy, click here
• PSAT 8 and 9:  January 18, 2023
• PSAT 10: March 1, 2023  

Click here for a useful guide for understanding your test scores

• ASVAB: For Juniors, March 2023, Date TBD
• ASVAB Follow Up/Career Exploratory:  TBD
• NWEA MAP- 7th and 8th grade participate in MAP testing, a tool used by the school to follow the progress of students and meet their individualized growth needs.
• SAT:  Free full-length test and free KHAN ACADEMY prep accessible HERE; register HERE

To Search for SAT Test Centers on any date: HERE
SAT Dates and Deadlines
 

• Career Services:  WOIS is a great way to learn about careers.  Visit www.wois.org and use the site key available from the school counselor.  

At Assumption 

• NWEA MAP- All Assumption students participate in MAP testing three (3) times per year. This tool is used by teachers and parents to track progress and meet the individualized learning needs of each student
• DIBELS ASSEMSSEMENT (The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)- This tool is used to track the literacy progress of our early grades, and insure the all students are mastering these fundamental skills.

 

Test Scheduling

• Updates from the College Board (SAT'S) HERE.
• Updates from ACT on testing HERE. 
• Updates on AP testing HERE
• ACT :
  • *Note: Until further notice, ACT testing at WWCC has been discontinued.  Therefore, testing in Walla Walla will take place on SUNDAYS, so the day after the mainstream test dates below.  WWVA is hosting these sessions, but they are open to our students.  Other tests sites like Mac-Hi and Tri-Cities are available on the Saturday dates below.
  • Register HERE
  • Free full-length ACT practice tests and information booklets available in the office and online. ACT fee waivers for financial need available in the counseling office!

Scholarship Documents and Information, Class of 2024! 

Some of this information is historical. It will be updated when available.  Some never changes.  If you find a broken link, let me know and I will get you the information.  This is adaptive and changes with student patterns and requests, so help me help you best!
--Mrs. Ruthven :) 

 

• Abbot and Fenner Essay Scholarship:  Write an essay, win $1000. Due June 7.  
• WSSRA (Washington State School Retirees Association): This is an excellent source of funding for students who wish to be teachers or work in other capacities within schools (admin, counseling).  Need a 3.0 or higher GPA.  Remember this when student teaching, too!  Due March 1, 2024, notification by May 17!    
• WSOS: This is a WA state award that funds STEM and high-demand careers and supports Career and Technical Eduation.  See if you pass the "eligiblity check" and see all deadlines on the site for all versions of this WA state award!  
• Scholarships.com December: December Deadlines!
• Scholarships.com Calendar with Links
• Columbia REA:  This local scholarship requires a transcript and letters of recommendation, opens Jan. 1 and is due Feb. 29. (For Columbia REA members/family)
• Columbia REA Jeff Meredith:  Supports people starting or continuing studies in an Electrical Lineworker Program (ELP). For anyone!  
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) link to offical site here.  FAFSA 2024-24 will use prior-prior year taxes (2022) and the application will open in December 2023!  
• National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) represents 26 national/international sororities and offers scholarships to women.  Check it out!  
• If this is a family's FIRST time using FAFSA, both student and parent need an account.  Start here any time. If parents already have an account, only student needs to create one.  
• ELKS MVS:  This is an early one!  Due in November each year, so don't miss out. 
• P1FCU Scholarship:  15 awards annually.  You need to be affiliated (a customer), but it's simple to open an account if you don't already have one.  Fillable PDF at the link; worth a look! 
• Blue Mountain Community Foundation: We should ALL do this one, 100%!  Opens January 1, closes March 18 2024, the most important local scholarship to apply for.  This one application covers numerous local awards!  
• Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed, April. See here.  
• Northwest Grain Growers:  Many students request this, but it's included in the BMCF, see above, opening Jan. 1 annually. 
• Far West Agribusiness, opens Jan, due April. 
• Washington State 4-H: Due March 15 annually. 
• Walla Walla Cattlemen's Association:  Paper form must be picked up at WSU Extension, see this link, due March 31, 2024
• Anderson Perry Local STEM Scholarship:  Look for updates with a code to sign in, but this is a local award for anyone going into a STEM field. As of 1/16/24, pending permisson from AP to open app for new season. 
• Kiwanis Service/Merit, Walla Walla:  This is a paper form due in April each year.  Watch for updates. 

• Elks Scholarships and Legacy Awards, For children and grandchildren of Elks only, application due annually in February.  Click here to apply. 
• Elks Vocational Grants: This is a local and WA state scholarship only, available to US Citizens planning on a 2 year terminal degree.  Applications are online and due to the local lodge by March , 2022.  Visit this site and be sure to roll your mouse over "What we do" and then click "Scholarships."  
• Elks Dave Nicholas Memorial Scholarship: Only for students with a GPA between 2.2 and 3.2, not above!  This is a slam dunk for those who apply.  Due annually in Mid March, paper application available from Mrs. Ruthven
• Gillette:  Paper only, local scholarship for scholar athletes, comes out in February, due in April each year.   Last year's app is good starting point
• PEO Scholarship, for Women only, was due June 30 for 23-24 cycle.  
• Trippeer: Local Scholarship with a printable application.  Selected applicants are chosen for interviews in May, application due in April.  Check site for updates.  As of 1/26/24, Candace Clardy (admin) asked us to use last year's applicaton, due April 5, 2024
• Cardinal Newman Society Essay Contest:  Click Here to learn more, but this is a $5000 renewable scholarship (over $20,000 over four years) based on one essay!  It only applies to participating colleges, but some are colleges we have applied to or been recruited by in recent years!  
• WSSRA Scholarship for TEACHERS!  Visit this link and see the Foundation Scholarship tab to apply for awards specific to WA state for those interested in teaching as a career!  Due annually in March.
• This link takes you to a page page from Scholarships.com clearly lists a number of scholarships available only to Hispanic and Latino students.  
• For a WA state scholarship search tool, create a profile here and see what you can access: theWashBoard.org
• Marsden Scholarship:  One of the most generous scholarships rewarding academic potential in the Pacific Northwest.  OPEN now, due March 15.  Full information at the link, including a checklist.  High-achieving students should check this out!  
• College Board's Big Future Scholarship:  It's so easy to qualify for their monthly drawings!  Go here and follow the easy instructions. Side benefit: It will get you studying for your SATs and learning about colleges.  
• Cut Costs on Private Education  Hoping to cut costs on a private school in WA?  Check out this website.  There are awards requiring applications, and some corporate monies available.  Worth a look!    
• Frenchtown Rural Fire District Resident Firefighter Program:  Live and work alongside professionally trained career and volunteer firefighters while earning nationally recognized certifications and an associates degree in fire and emergency services.  100% tuition reimbursement available.  Website is under construction, but visit frenchtownfire.org, email recruiting@frenchtownfire.org, call 406-626-5791, or see the poster in senior hall for more information, application due in March.  
• PB and J Scholarship, dealdine is May 31.  No GPA requirement!  
• McGregor Standing Tall for Northwest Agriculture scholarship, follow the link, up to $1,000 for ag-based or ag-related fields of study.  
• 4-H:  Check out the Burgess or these WA State 4-H awards, March deadlines.
• See this site for a list of "targeted scholarships' that may apply to your school (Montana, Idaho, etc.) 
• Great article on Big Money, Hard Choices  from Cardinal Newman Society.  
• WIAA Smart Choices Scholarship:   This is based in WA state and on participation and leadership in school activities. Jack Lesko earned this one, 2023!  

Search Engines to Try: Create profiles, browse, learn more about national and statewide options 

• Fast Web
• Scholarships.com
• Going Merry
• Washboard.org This one is WWCS School Counseling's favorite; it is run by WA state and inlcudes local, state, national awards by emailing students after they complete a profile.  For any student, any year, any time, a worthwhile exercise.  
• Scholarship Guidance:  The link here is specific for this region and time period (November through January) and worth a look.
• Information on Scholarships for Hispanic Students

College and University Specific Scholarships/Awards

• Applied to EWU?  Go here to apply for scholarships, and submit by their recommended date of January 15
• U of Montana  Consider the options here.
• Info from Oregon State, including WUE, scroll down from link
• U of Idaho  Read this, but no separate application required.  
• Montana State University: montana.edu/scholarships, and their Presidential is due December 1.  
• Gonzaga, look here
• WSU, here, finish by 1/31
• University of Oregon, here

 

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Scholarship Search Engines and Info for Non-Seniors!

• Lux Family Scholarshp Essay Contest:  Open to all current DeSales High School Students returning next year, deadline March 17.  Please download this form or pick one up at school..  $500
• Catholic Daughters of the Americas Scholarship for Freshmen, April.   
• Horatio Alger Scholarship:  The format for  changed for the class of 2023, so it is now a scholarship open only to juniors.  Check it out here. 

 

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General or Interest Specific Scholarships and Awards, Including Scholarships Supporting Diverse Groups!
 

• Pointe Pest: This one is unique!  All online with uploads required, $750 one-time award for paying good deeds forward.  Due in April 2022; check it out HERE
• Haz La U: Hispanic Heritage Foundation, Due Nov. 13
• For Engineers, just an essay, Due October 16, Mechanical One
• Hispanic Fund Scholarshp
• First Generation Scholarships
• Jackie Robinson Foundation, need and diversity based. 
• McDonalds HACER for Latino Students
• College Board Opportunity Scholarships College Board Opportunity Scholarships 
• The Seattle Foundation STEM Scholarships: Just updated!  The Seattle Foundation is a source for STEM scholarships of all types. Check it out! 

 

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