The end of the year is near, and the seniors are leaving Doherty High School. As some may know, a good few of these seniors have been steadily preparing themselves for college through various programs and opportunities that will make the college path easier. Yet the path may seem intimidating to younger students who haven’t seen the path from senior year to college or work themselves yet.
Don’t worry though, since this path is not nearly as bad as it seems.I’m sure many younger students, especially juniors, want to do the same in the coming year. Thankfully, Doherty offers plenty of opportunities for students who want to go to college when they graduate. Hopefully this article will help you in the search for resources!
One of the best resources for up and coming seniors to look into would be the Promise and ASCENT programs, which can pay off a major chunk at least if you are planning to go to Pikes Peak State College. These programs, as long as you follow the guidelines of what you need to do and where you need to be at, can cover as much as 2 entire years of college!
By the time you’re in senior year, the process should be simple; simply contact your counselor about these programs to see if you qualify, and if so, be sure to meet with them to go about signing up for them. These programs are absolutely worth the time, and should not be swept under the rug in case you are going to Pikes Peak, or are simply unsure but looking for the cheapest entry into college.
Counselor Mrs. Strobel stated, “Definitely take advantage of [programs like ASCENT and Promise]. Make sure you keep your grades up and make sure you keep your attendance up so you can qualify for them.” These programs will help you massively on your college journey. “I mean, how amazing is it to go to Pikes Peak for two years and get free education?” Strobel followed.
Be sure to keep your email (personal, not your D11 email) as open as you can to colleges. It’s likely this is something that you don’t even have to worry about if you’re a good student, but colleges will be sure to keep contacting you if this is the case.
Sometimes it will not always be suitable for you, but all the potential opportunities to apply to these colleges or gain scholarships should not be turned up. If you put the time and dedication to applying for these scholarships, they can majorly help you out financially in college. After all, wouldn’t you want to get a college degree for as little money
Many colleges in the state such as Regis University offer huge scholarships to excelling students, alongside guaranteed acceptance. These types of schools should be asked about to your counselor, as they will have the resources you need to apply to these. It’s best to apply to as many different options as you can so you can have a choice in the matter when you eventually graduate.
Finally, on a non-college application note, there will be a few presentations to your senior class about internship opportunities which Doherty offers. Be sure to tune into these, as those who simply are looking for more work experience while they’re here could absolutely benefit from these internships.
Strobel suggested, “I would be working with Mr. Huggins a lot, looking at apprenticeships and internships to find out early to see if the path you were thinking of doing is really for you.”
Doherty offers all kinds of work opportunities to seniors, and the people who present these alongside your counselor will be happy to guide you along the way!
For any extra opportunities not expressly stated in this article, talk to your counselor about more that could suit your potential future path. The sky is the limit for what you can do past high school. This is merely a few of the clearest choices to take in your postsecondary path as a Doherty student!