College & Career Counseling
College & Career Counseling
SJCP is committed to providing our families with the most comprehensive college planning available. One of the main goals of our department is to encourage students to prepare early for their college plans after high school. We work closely with students considering their academic, personal, vocational, social and financial needs. We also provide resources, programming, and serve as the liaison to college admission officers.
Our staff meets with students both individually and in a classroom setting throughout their four years at SJCP. Formal introduction to the college search, selection, and application process begins in the fall of the junior year. During this time, students and parents meet individually with the college counselor to develop a personal plan for the student's college and career journey .
If you have any questions regarding the College Planning Process, please contact our College & Career Counseling staff.
- College and Career Planning
- What Seniors Need to Know
- SJCP Campus College Visits
- Guaranteed College Acceptance and Scholarship Program Partners
- The Mount/SJCP Senior Year Experience
College and Career Planning
Searching fo the right college and career path is a process that should be enjoyed! It is a time to explore, grow, and learn. As with many things in life, it is the journey- not the destination- where we discover who we are and what is most important to us. This process takes time, but with planning, guidance, and an open mind, students and families will navigate the journey successfully. The choice of a college is all about finding the BEST FIT for YOU. To that end, the SJCP Student Support Center builds trusting and supportive relationships with our students to best guide them while encouraging them to take the reins on their future.
- Career Exploration
- College Exploration
- SAT/ACT
- Financial Aid & Scholarships Tools
- Scholarships
- Pre-College Programs & Events
Career Exploration
College Exploration
SAT/ACT
Financial Aid & Scholarships Tools
Scholarships
- AMVETS Post 9 Ladies Auxiliary Scholarship
- Bill of Rights Institute - My Impact Challenge
- Cardinal Newman Society’s Scholarship
- Catholic College Info
- Community Foundation of Frederick County Scholarships
- Coolidge Scholarship
- Dunkin’ Scholarship
- Foundation for Fraternal Excellence Men's College Scholarship
- Frederick Health Auxiliary Scholarship
- Hagan Scholarship
- Horatio Alger Scholarship
- Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
- Knott Scholarship Funds
- Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarship
- Navy Family Scholarships
- Nymeo Federal Credit Union Scholarship
- Optimist Club of Frederick
- Student Scholarships - The Largest Collection of Scholarships on the Web
- UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship
- University of Mary in Bismarck North Dakota Nursing Program
- Woodsboro Bank Community Champion Scholarship
AMVETS Post 9 Ladies Auxiliary Scholarship
Bill of Rights Institute - My Impact Challenge
My Impact Challenge scholarship application is open until May 18th. If you are already involved in service or leadership groups, you can likely repackage your existing service as contest entries.
Cardinal Newman Society’s Scholarship
The Cardinal Newman Society’s Ninth Annual Scholarship Contest is open for applications! This contest seeks to award one lucky recipient a potential $20,000 off college tuition at a Newman Guide Recommended College and is expanding the contest to include Catholic high school juniors and seniors this year. The application is quick and easy! No essay is required, but applications are due by February 18, 2025.
Catholic College Info
Catholic College Info is offering a chance to win a $2000 scholarship. By entering the drawing, students will also receive valuable information from Catholic colleges to help in making their final college decisions. Drawing takes place May 1, 2025.
Community Foundation of Frederick County Scholarships
Community Foundation Scholarships will open on March 1st. All students who are Frederick County residents should apply.
Coolidge Scholarship
The Coolidge Scholarship is open for applications to any current junior. The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride, 4 year scholarship that can be used at any accredited college or university in the USA.
Dunkin’ Scholarship
Dunkin’ Scholarship is now accepting applications from March 1-April 15, 2025. Dunkin’ is offering fifty $2500 scholarships to seniors in the Baltimore and Washington DC area.
Foundation for Fraternal Excellence Men's College Scholarship
Foundation for Fraternal Excellence application is now open. This scholarship is designed to identify and reward outstanding high school seniors who have demonstrated an ability to excel in the fields of academics, extra-curricular school activities and community involvement. The application deadline is April 1, 2025.
Frederick Health Auxiliary Scholarship
The Frederick Health Auxiliary awards scholarships to qualified graduating seniors who will be attending a college or university in the fall after their graduation. Last year we awarded four students a total of $13,000. Applications must be received by March 14, 2025.
Qualifying applicants must be:
- a high school graduate in the class of 2025.
- planning a career in a health related field.
- enrolling full-time in a college or university in the Fall, 2025.
Any questions should be emailed directly to Bonnie Walters at bwalters@frederick.health.
Hagan Scholarship
Hagan Scholarship is now accepting applications. Applications are due by March 15, 2025.
Horatio Alger Scholarship
Horatio Alger Scholarship application is open now until March 1st. Eligible students should:
- Be enrolled full time as a high school junior in the United States
- Exhibit a strong commitment to complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
- Demonstrate financial need ($65,000 or lower household income)
- Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
- Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
- Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; and
- Be a United States citizen
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
The Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship is now accepting applications. Deadline is January 9, 2025.
Knott Scholarship Funds
Knott Scholarships are available for the three Catholic Universities in Maryland: Notre Dame of Maryland University, Loyola University Maryland, and Mount Saint Mary’s University.
Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarship
The Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarship Programs - DC/VA/MD, apply now the first 250 applications accepted.
Navy Family Scholarships
Navy Family Scholarships by NOSCDC application deadline is April 1, 2025. Each year NOSCDC awards merit-based scholarships to those high-school seniors living in the National Capital Region that are: dependent high school graduating seniors of an active duty, activated reservists, retired from active duty, or deceased USN service member.
Nymeo Federal Credit Union Scholarship
Nymeo Federal Credit Union is excited to announce that once again we will be offering two $1,500 college scholarships to deserving high school seniors in Frederick or Montgomery Counties. It is not necessary to be a credit union member to apply for this scholarship. Deadline for applications is midnight, April 15th, 2025. Awards will be announced in May 2025.
Optimist Club of Frederick
The Optimist Club of Frederick Youth Appreciation Week Scholarship contest is limited to high school juniors and seniors and the deadline for application is March 7, 2025. The Counseling office also has an application on file.
Student Scholarships - The Largest Collection of Scholarships on the Web
Visit Student Scholarships for the largest collection ofsScholarships on the web.
UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship
UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program's application deadline is March 15, 2025. Potential applicants may obtain program information and apply online by creating an account.
University of Mary in Bismarck North Dakota Nursing Program
University of Mary in Bismarck North Dakota is seeking a total of 30 candidates for Fall of 2025 admission to their tuition free Nursing Program. For more information stop by the counseling office or visit their website.
Woodsboro Bank Community Champion Scholarship
Woodsboro Bank Community Champion Scholarship of $1,500 is awarded to four students to apply to their in-person college, trade school, or certification program of choice. The application deadline is April 1, 2025.
Pre-College Programs & Events
Badger Precollege at UW–Madison is now accepting applications for summer 2025. Students may select courses ranging from writing, law and psychology to forensics, health science and computer science. They also offer music and art programs for students of all levels.
Ball State Interior Design Workshop is offered online and three in person sessions for the summer of 2025.
Boston University Summer Journalism Academy offers students hands-on experience in reporting, writing, and storytelling. Taught by award-winning journalists, it’s a great opportunity for students to build valuable skills for college and beyond.
Brown Pre-College Programs are designed for high school students to explore the challenges and opportunities of the college experience. You’ll enjoy the excitement and responsibility that comes from balancing rigorous academics and enriching social activities—without the pressure of formal grades.
Clark University is offering a two-week immersive, hands-on pre-college game development camp led by Clark’s Becker School of Design & Technology. Learn professional game development from the experts. Create an original, playable game to take home and play with family and friends.
EcoPath College Connections & The GREENVISION Virtual Summit is now accepting applications for March 2025. Highlights:
- paid virtual program for high school juniors, seniors, and recent graduates
- program explores green careers
- build skills to prepare for college
- hear from guest speakers and experts in green fields
- develop professional skills such as resume building
- receive a weekly stipend of $75 for the 3-week program
- weekly lessons are hosted on Wednesdays, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm EST and Saturdays, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm EST from March 31 - April 19, 2025.
Fashion Institute of Technology State University of New York FIT Portfolio Preview Day: Saturday, December 14, 2024 is a great opportunity for those interested in an education in the visual and related arts to meet with FIT faculty and staff. Representatives will be available to review your artwork and give helpful feedback on how to strengthen your portfolio.
George Mason University Conflict Resolution Youth Summit will take place June 15-18, 2025. This summit will bring together students from across the world for a 4-day immersive experience focused on conflict resolution and peacebuilding. Stop by the counseling office for the QR code to apply.
Georgetown University’s Pre-College Online Program is the perfect way for your students to explore their interests and passions while they’re still in high school. Get the experience of a top college before you even apply. With online courses designed to develop your unique talents and dreams, you can explore subjects of interest while learning to think like someone in the field.
Lebanon Valley College Actuarial Science Summer Camp is a week-long intensive program for rising high school seniors designed to help them decide if they’re interested in actuarial careers. LVC has had a successful Actuarial Science Program for more than 50 years, and we’ve run this summer camp for more than three decades. Leveraging industry connections and alumni suggestions, we’ve forged an authentic experience that features interaction with actuaries and an introduction to relevant software and content.
Lebanon Valley College Coding Camp is a week-long intensive program for rising high school juniors and seniors designed to help them decide if they’re interested in computer programming and data science careers. During the camp, students will learn and use Python to solve programming and data science problems as part of a team. We’ve forged an authentic experience that features interaction with computer and data science alumni, and an introduction to relevant software and content.
Lebanon Valley College Health and Biomedical Science Summer Program is July 21-26, 2025. Visit their website to learn more and to register.
Manhattan University School of Engineering Residential Engineering Summer Program for high school students is a six-day program running August 3-9, 2025 and will include hands-on activities covering various engineering disciplines.
National Summer Program Fair is the ultimate venue for families to explore a diverse array of summer options, meet program representatives and leave with questions answered. There will be four fairs in January 2025: NYC, Northern NJ, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Each fair will have around 100 different summer opportunities to choose from and thousands of families attending.
Northeastern Summer 2025 Accelerate Pre-College Programs application is open. Residential programs in Boston, Oakland, and London campuses. Programs are taught by our internationally acclaimed faculty, allowing students to gain extensive, hands-on, experiential education in subjects including engineering, health sciences, ethics and emerging technologies, entrepreneurship, and more. Application Deadline, January 15 at 11:59 p.m. EST, will receive a $500 discount on tuition.
Northwestern Pre-College Online Program is rich with valuable insights and dynamic video lessons from subject-matter experts who work at the center of their respective fields. Designed for students 13 and older, the online courses feature interactive tools and a flexible structure that allows students to take multiple courses to discover a variety of academic areas of interest. Students will be guided by mentors, and earn a Certificate of Completion from Northwestern University.
Rice University pre-college program to experience Rice University before college.
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana Get Inked Teen Writing Conference is for young writers. Participants will spend the day connecting with published authors in writing workshops and small-group breakout sessions. Students will experiment with style and form, share ideas, improve their writing skills, and make valuable connections with industry professionals and other young writers.
Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana Summer Programs are designed for motivated young women who are interested in deepening their knowledge in specific academic areas. The summer programs provide students with an immersive, hands-on learning experience, led by experienced faculty and industry professionals. Featured programs include: Healthcare Institute, Forensic Science Institute, Business & Marketing Institute, Sustainable Living Institute, and Dialogue and Democracy Institute.
Stevens Institute of Technology School of Business High School Entrepreneurship and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Video Pitch Competition is an exciting opportunity for young innovators to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit and creative ideas in business and artificial intelligence. Register online by February 1st. Deadline to submit video March 1st.
University of Dayton Explore Engineering on February 22, 2025, to learn more about an engineering career and what makes a UD engineering degree unique. Participate in hands-on activities in our labs, meet our faculty and current students and tour our campus and engineering facilities.
University of Mary Washington Summer Enrichment Program is a one-week, residential program for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. They will stay in newly renovated UMW residence halls, take three engaging courses taught by UMW professors, explore campus and historic Fredericksburg, participate in hands-on activities and exciting field trips, and connect with like-minded peers. The application deadline s March 21.
University of Maryland - Maryland Day on April 26th is a public, campus-wide event that gives you a chance to learn about our outstanding academics and see all that UMD has to offer. Student-led campus walking tours will be offered and depart from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions tent. Registration is not required.
University of Maryland (UMD) Terp Young Scholars is a pre-college summer program for rising sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduating seniors to enroll in an engaging college course, earn three college credits, and explore an exciting new field.
University of Scranton Cyber-AI Investigation Camp, July 8-10, is an opportunity for high school students (rising 10th-12th graders) to enjoy an exciting exploration in cybersecurity and cyber investigation experience in the AI age.
University of Wisconsin Badger Precollege is an opportunity for students finishing grades 9–12 to learn more about college life and academics, gain valuable experience in independence, and pursue new and growing passions.
Wake Forest University’s Pre-College Online Program gives students a way to explore their interests and passions while they’re still in high school.
Washington University in St. Louis Summer Programs offer highly motivated students the chance to explore academics and campus life at WashU.
Villanova University NROTC Summer Seminar is a unique four-day program for rising high school seniors to experience life at Villanova and get a closer look at our highly regarded NROTC program! Participants will gain valuable insight into the rigorous academic and physical fitness expectations required to obtain an NROTC scholarship and learn about Villanova admission requirements.
What Seniors Need to Know
Seniors – What You Need to Know
How to Sign up for College Visits
- Go to the Student Dashboard in SCOIR.
- Scroll down to the Register for Office Hours & Visits title.
- Click the Register button underneath the college visit or office hour you would like to attend. This will then show as Registered if you did this successfully
- You will receive an email, as well as a notification in SCOIR, the day before the visit reminding you of the visit date and time. You can download the SCOIR mobile application (on iOS or Android) to receive a push notification reminding you of the upcoming visit.
Adding Colleges to the Applying column in Scoir
- Once you mark a college as Applying or drag it to the Applying column, you will be instantly prompted to provide additional information including application type and method (Apply with Scoir, Common App, Coalition, directly on college website). SJCP seniors should always apply through Common App or directly to the college. DO NOT APPY THROUGH SCOIR
- To provide an application type, select the type from those available in the Applying window. (Apply with Common App if you are applying to more than one CA school)
- To provide an application method, select the method from those available in the Applying window, then provide additional detail such as Type and Application IDs, if available.
- Once a college is moved to the Applied state, your assigned counselor will be notified in Scoir, and will know to send documents on your behalf.
Requesting Transcripts
- Moving a college to the Applying or Applied column of your My Colleges list is what will alert your counselor that a transcript is required. Your counselor will be notified of what documents are required for this college and will be able to send forward your transcript if it is required.
Send ACT or SAT test scores (if needed) to your colleges
- Students are responsible for sending their scores to their colleges/universities. Scores can take up to 2 weeks to arrive at your scores. Please be mindful of deadlines.
Requesting Teacher Recommendations
Spring of Junior Year
- Politely ask your teacher (in-person) if he or she would be willing to write a college recommendation letter for you.
- Fill out a teacher recommendation request form available on SJCP’s website under the Student Support tab/College and Career Counseling/Important Forms.
- Save completed request form as a pdf.
- Email your teacher the completed request form and your resume.
Fall of Senior Year
- Fill out the Follow up form for Teacher Recommendations and give it to the teachers who are writing your letters.
- Go to the My Colleges page in Scoir
- Click the Application Documents button to open the Application Documents window and then click the Request a Recommendation button.
- Search for the teacher at your high school you are requesting to provide a recommendation by typing their last name in the 'Teacher' box.
- If the person you are requesting to write a recommendation for you is not in your high school as staff, they will not show up as an option and you will need to contact Mrs. Seymour. The recommender will need to send your recommendation to Mrs. Seymour who will send to your college via email.
- Specify whether you’d like the recommendation to be for a specific college. If you do want the recommendation request to be college specific, select the college to which you would like the recommendation to be sent.
- Compose the request by editing the Subject and the Message. Once you’re finished, click Send.
FERPA Release
- The FERPA release needs to be signed in your account in SCOIR.
- Review and Sign links beneath each form from the My Profile page.
- The status of each form will be represented beside the form name after they have been completed.
- Be sure to double check your responses and signature before you sign! You must contact your counselor if you wish to make changes to your FERPA Release Authorization or Waiver of Rights after you complete and sign.
Scholarships
- Scholarship information that the Student Support Center receives can be found on the SJCP website under Academics/College and Career Counseling/look for the scholarship tab.
- Search the web for additional scholarships.
