PARENTS! Please take the time to dig into the links and buttons below, and check them weekly for updates. The information will help you navigate your student’s college application process.

• SENIOR PARENT news
• JUNIOR PARENT news
• SOPHOMORE PARENT news
• FRESHMEN PARENT news
• View Summer and Pre-College Programs.
• View upcoming Virtual College Events.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER FOR CURRENT INFO @TampaPrep_CC

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

Where to Find Scholarships

Scoir Seniors and second semester juniors can access a list of scholarships and conduct a national scholarship search powered by Sallie Mae, through their SCOIR account. Scholarships are always based on specific criteria, so make sure you read carefully! Read about College Scholarship Strategy.

• Florida Bright Futures Scholarship – Seniors Only
• 8 Steps to Filling Out the FAFSA Form – For STUDENTS (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• Guide to Filling Out the FAFSA Form – For PARENTS

• Fastweb
• GoCollege
• Scholarships.com
• RaiseMe
• Sallie Mae
• Peerlift
• Coca-Cola Scholarship
• Hispanic Scholarship Fund
• Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.

** NEVER pay for a scholarship search or application.

COLLEGE RESOURCES

College Search

• Scoir, Tampa Prep’s online college search and application tool for students, has a powerful college search engine. We recommend our families begin their search in Scoir.
• There are 12 public universities in the state of Florida. State University System of Florida (SUS)
• Private Colleges and Universities of Florida
• Colleges That Change Lives
• GradReports has compared the salaries of over 4.6 million college graduates to determine Salary Scores for over 2,281 schools and 885 degrees. See how colleges stack up.

College Rep Contacts

• Contact Information for 100+ College Reps
• Messages for Tampa Prep Students form College Reps
• Top 5 Questions to Ask a College Recruiter

Applications & Transcripts

• Coalition Application
• Common Application
• Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR) – The SSAR allows students to enter, track, and submit their academic record electronically to participating colleges and universities. Several Florida public and private universities utilize SSAR instead of sending transcripts.

Recommended Reading

BOOKS

• The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together (Barnard & Clark)
• College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step  (Mamlet & VanDeVelde)
• Where You Go is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admission Mania (Frank Bruni)
• There is Life After College: What Parents and Students Should Know About Navigating School to Prepare for the Jobs of Tomorrow (Jeffrey Selingo)
• Colleges that Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges (Loren Pope)
• Fiske Guide to Colleges

TWITTER ACCOUNTS

• @TampaPrep_CC – Facilitated by Tampa Prep College Counseling
• @gtadmission – Facilitated by the Director of Admission from Georgia Tech
• @grownandflown – All about Parenting Teens and College Kids

BLOGS & ARTICLES 

• College Counseling Advice for Freshman Students and Parents by Jody Rodriguez, Tampa Prep Middle School and 9th Grade College Counselor
• Advice for College Freshman from a Tampa Prep Alum by Will Black, Tampa Prep Class of 2013
• Advice to New Graduates from a Recent Alum by Andrew Wright, Tampa Prep Class of 2006
• The Six Words About College That Disappoint Parents Most – What do college admission officers want parents to know about the application process? Let the child drive the bus, writes NACAC Past President Patrick O’Conner.
• Study: Helicopter Parenting – New research backs up what many college counselors and admission officers have witnessed firsthand: Overbearing parents can spur student distress.
• The 14 College Interview Questions You Must Prepare For – The college interview process can be nerve-racking. This interview gives the college you’re applying to another opportunity to evaluate you and help determine whether or not to offer you admission. However, your college interviews won’t be nearly as scary if you know what to expect.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER FOR CURRENT INFO @TampaPrep_CC

COLLEGE TESTING (PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP)

PSAT:

A practice PSAT will be held on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and is mandatory for all students in grades 9-11.

9th and 10th grade students will take the test online.

• Materials will be emailed to students one week prior to the event. Every family has the option to schedule a free 30-minute score report review with Revolution Prep’s testing expert to assess specific strengths and areas of improvement. Schedule your consultation to review the score report with our school’s dedicated liaison, Dina Radovic.

11th grade students will take the test on campus. Juniors should register in the College Counseling office. Students should watch their emails for more details.

ACT: 

• We are testing the ACT here at Tampa Prep throughout the fall. If you do not see the testing date you want, email Rosa Harwell at rharwell@tampaprep.org.
• The MyACT is open for registration and is continually being updated as changes arise. Common questions are answered here.
• ACT will send updates to registrants about cancellations, but you can also view them here.

SAT:

• Updated every 3 hours, this page will list the SAT Test Center Closures.
• The late registration fee has been waived for the September 26 and October 3 SAT test dates.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College Board has expanded its distribution of electronic fee waiver codes to school counselors, test coordinators, and community-based organizations to make it easier for students to access SAT fee waivers.
• SAT and SAT Subject Test Administration Updates

For the very latest up-to-date information about the ACT and SAT, keep an eye on updates posted by the ACT and the College Board.

Test-Optional Colleges & Universities

Colleges and Universities Going Test-Optional this Summer

Test-optional information can also be found at the National Center for Fair and Open Testing (FairTest)
FairTest list from June 28, 2020

Scoir houses a ton of resources and up-to-date information on the many schools going test-optional. Scoir also provides PSAT, SAT, and ACT information and testing advice. 

Test Prep

• FREE Test Prep – More than 9 hours of ACT® and SAT® prep from Method Test Prep
• KHAN Academy – Official SAT Practice  |  3 Best Practices for Success Using Official SAT Practice
• SAT and ACT Test Prep Resource Guide from Scoir

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER FOR CURRENT INFO @TampaPrep_CC

COVID COLLEGE UPDATES

Scoir Tips

Student Tip Guide for using SCOIR

For Seniors

• The Bright Futures Scholarship ACT, SAT, PERT testing deadline for 2019-20 high school graduates has been extended to December 1, 2020. Visit the Florida Department of Education COVID response page for more information
• Colleges Accepting 2020 AP Credits
• Colleges that have Announced Changes in Testing Policies for the Class of 2021 and Beyond
• Test-Optional Colleges and Universities
• Florida Bright Futures Emergency Order
• NACAC’s College Admission Status Update Tool
• NCAA Eligibility Center COVID-19 Response FAQs

SAT/ACT Testing Updates

• Click the ACT / SAT / AP Testing tab in this section for updates and FREE test prep info.
• ACT.org COVID Updates

Virtual College Visits & Information

• Interviews with Admissions Deans
• Strive Virtual College Exploration
• More Virtual Events
• eCampus Tours
• YouVisit: virtually tour campuses

Virtual Volunteer Opportunities

• Volunteer Match
• Volunteer from Home links
• Service Opportunities from Home
• COVID Era College Prep 
• How Your Teen Can Find a Virtual Volunteer Opportunity

Scholarship Information

• Florida seniors get leeway for Bright Futures scholarships

COVID-related Articles

• How Parents Can Support Teenagers in the Pandemic College Process A New York Times article
• Is it Time to Rethink Standardized Testing in College Admission? By Jayne Caflin Fonash, NACAC President
• Colleges and Universities are Dropping SAT/ACT Requirements A Washington Post article
• Virtually Possible: Locking Down The College Search In A Global Pandemic A Forbes article

For Juniors

• Being Seen — This One is for the JUNIORS By Katie Mattli, Senior Assistant Director of Admission at Georgia Tech

College Counseling Events Calendar