At Home Learning College Prep Frequently Asked Questions
How will learning at home impact college admissions for students?
Generally speaking, colleges and universities evaluate students within the context of their high school (and school district). DCPS has consulted closely with our college partners, and they have assured us that colleges will be as flexible as they can be in evaluating student transcripts of future applicants. That said, they asked us to be as clear, concise, and consistent as possible in our grading policies and in the presentation of our transcripts.
I am a current college student and need to switch my plans and go to school locally. What should I do?
You should reach out to your Counselor and/or College and Career Coordinator (all are available to connect virtually during learning at home) to explain your situation. They can then help you identify colleges locally that are still accepting applications and help you find a school that will be the right fit. If you are a student participating in the DCPS Persists program you can also reach out to your DCPS Persists Coach.
How can I explore colleges that I was accepted to or might be interested in applying to since campuses are closed?
Many colleges are now offering their on-campus visit programs virtually. This includes virtual campus tours, virtual information sessions and virtual chats with students, professors and admissions counselors. Visit the admissions website of a college you are inserted in learning more about to see details on the specific virtual programs they are offering. A sample list of colleges and their virtual options are also available on the DCPSGoesToCollege website. Students can also use platforms like Naviance to learn more about specific colleges and universities and do a college search. Click here for directions on how to do a college search in Naviance. 360 degree virtual tours of many colleges are also available at You Visit.
Due to my families’ financial situation I am unable to pay the application fee. What should I do?
Do not let the application fee be the one reason you do not apply to college! Students that are unable to pay the application fee should look into getting a fee waiver. Students can reach out to the college they are applying to and/or their counselor/college and career coordinator to obtain a fee waiver The Common Application and College Board also offer fee waivers that students might be able to use. To learn more you should reach out to your counselor and/or college and career coordinator.
When should I begin to apply for financial aid?
Apply for financial aid as soon as possible if you are a high school senior. Submit your college applications by the college’s priority scholarship deadline (often the same as the Early Action deadline). Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after it opens for all students on December 1, 2024. Complete the CSS Profile (if required) as soon as possible after it opens on October 1, 2024. Contact your school counselor or college and career coordinator for assistance submitting your FAFSA and/or other financial aid application materials.
How do I complete the FAFSA?
First, create a StudentAid.gov account (FSA ID). Then, start your FAFSA here. Contact your school counselor or college and career coordinator for assistance with your FAFSA.
Where can I find information on scholarships?
The DCPS Dollars4College financial aid and scholarship newsletter is a great resource for finding local and national scholarships you can apply for. All previous issues of the Dollars4College newsletter can be found here. If you do not already receive the newsletter, you can sign up for it here. New issues go out at the beginning of each month.
Where can students and families go for the most up to date information from College Board?
Students and families can visit the following College Board website for the most up to date information: https://pages.collegeboard.org/natural-disasters
Additionally, students may login to their College Board Student Account for more information: collegeboard.org.
What online resources are available for SAT test prep and practice?
- Students may still access free, individualized SAT test prep, including 8 full-length practice exams via Khan Academy at khanacademy.org/sat.
- Students may also use the College Board Daily Practice app to answer daily questions and receive immediate feedback. Students can download the app via the Apple App Store or Google Play.
- Kaplan is offering Free SAT prep for a month. Please click here to access the SAT Prep.
What are some things I can do during learning at home to prepare for college?
It is never too early to start preparing for college! Students in grades 9-12 can check out our college prep checklists (click here to access them) for activities they can do during learning at home to help prepare for college. Students in grades 9-11 can also review their Guide to Graduation, Career and College that will be available in Aspen and mailed home in April. Resources for understanding your Guide are available on the DCPSGoesToCollege Website.
Where can I find other College Prep resources?
Additional college prep learning at home resources can be found on the DCPS Goes to College website distance learning page (dcpsgoestocollege.org/distance-learning-resources/). Additional non-learning at home specific resources can also be found on the DCPS Goes To College website (dcpsgoestocollege.org/).
How do I login to Naviance?
Students should login to Naviance via Clever. Click here for a one pager with step by step directions. Video directions can be found here.
Login site – https://clever.com
Username – studentIDnumber@students.k12.dc.us
Password – six – digit birthday (mmddyy)
Click on the Naviance icon to be brought to your Naviance page.
Click on the Naviance icon to be brought to your Naviance page.
What should I do if I have additional questions that were not answered here?
If you have additional questions that were not answered here you should reach out to your Counselor and/or College and Career Coordinator (click here for a list of Counselors and College and Career Coordinators and their emails). If you are unsure who this is or still have questions after reaching out to them, please reach out to ccp@k12.dc.gov.
Is there a Twitter account I can follow for other updates from the College and Career Programs Division?
The College and Career Programs division Twitter (@DCCollegeCareer) is a great place to get additional resources on preparing for college and career and to hear more about the great college and career work happening in DCPS.