Seniors

Welcome Class of 2024

Senior Grandparent Mass is April 11; RSVP is open

Grandparents and grandchildren alike enjoy this special Mass and light reception following. Parents: Please RSVP for your student's grandparents so we know they are coming!
Details and RSVP


Seniors: March To-Do List

FAFSA Application Update

The FAFSA Application is required for ALL Indiana seniors by April 15, 2024. This is new this year! If you choose not to fill out the FAFSA application, you will need to sign THIS WAIVER and return to Ms. Saurine. This is the first year the State of Indiana is requiring this. We strongly encourage families to fill out the FAFSA! FAFSA delays continue to cause possible changes in the college timeline. The ability to add or edit information on an already submitted FAFSA should be open "in the first half of March". May 1 is usually the enrollment deadline for students to put a deposit down at a school to hold their spot. In the last two weeks, the National Association for College Admission Counseling published a Enrollment Deadline Directory for many colleges who have adjusted their enrollment deadlines due to the FAFSA delay. This is a great resource, but always reach out to the admissions office with additional questions. FAFSA Checklist & Record Sheet

Reporting Scholarships and College Acceptances

On February 8, seniors had a meeting with the college counselor, Abbey Saurine, to talk about reporting of scholarships and college acceptances. View Feb 8 Presentation by Mrs. Saurine
  • Students need to update their admissions decisions in Scoir. View how-to video. This needs to be done as soon as possible!
  • Students should submit any scholarship awards from any college or organization through the scholarship reporting form.
  • Students: please screenshot or take photos of all acceptance letters, and send them to the college counselor via email. Students are asked to send acceptance notifications for all schools they were accepted to, not just the one they are attending.
Please reach out to Abbey Saurine at asaurine@bishopchatard.org with any questions!
Scholarship Opportunity - Lilly Scholars at Ivy Tech
  • Full tuition, experiential opportunities, work/study
  • At least 60% of the scholarships are intended to be given to students who live in Marion County, Indiana, Hendricks County, Indiana, or Boone County, Indiana.
  • Open to students pursuing certificates or degrees at Ivy Tech in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry and wanting to work in that field.
Details and Application
Summer Science Research PAID Internship This new program for high school seniors and undergrads who belong to a population underrepresented in medicine gives a $3500 stipend (for seniors) for the 10 week program (May 20 - July 26, 2024). Details and Application at Exploradoor
Paying for College & Career Training View our Summer Programs

December To Do List

Update your Admissions Decisions & Scholarships awarded Setup College Computing Accounts

Students should be receiving emails from the colleges they applied to prompting them to create computing accounts so they can view their application checklist. Some schools have additional forms for them to complete in their portal. If they have schools that have not sent them emails or prompted them to do that, please let Mrs. Saurine know. It is important that they complete whatever tasks are listed in their portals. Some students have already started to receive admission decisions, but most will come in December and January if they applied early action.

Send a 'Mid-Year Report' to those colleges who requested it

Many colleges will start to send your student notifications to send a "mid-year report" with their semester's grades. Mrs. Saurine automatically does that for every student once grades are finalized and transcripts are updated (but ONLY for the schools indicated in their "applied" column in Scoir). On the student's end, it is important to have the schools they have applied to in their "applied" column in Scoir. Mrs. Saurine will send reports on the first day of Spring semester (January 8). Please allow 7-10 days for the documents to process, and then let Mrs. Saurine know if you are seeing any issues in the student's application portals.

Keep your 'My Colleges' Tab updated in SCOIR

Your application is not complete until colleges receive documents from BCHS and if you submit applications to schools but don’t have your Scoir “My Colleges” tab updated, Ms. Saurine will not know where to send your application documents.

  • If you plan to apply to schools over Christmas Break, students need to notify Mrs. Saurine by December 15 via Scoir so she has enough time to send their documents.

Go to the “my colleges” tab and add the schools you are applying to in Common App to the “applying” column in Scoir. You move them to the “applied” column once you submit your application through the Common App, and that tells me you are ready for me to send your documents.

  • If you have admission decisions already (congrats!), you should indicate that in Scoir too.
  • If you don’t know what I am talking about, please come see me, read the “college counseling updates” email I sent last week, check the @BCHSCollege Instagram or Twitter, or send me an email so I know to pull you out of class to chat. I want to help you succeed!
Scoir is NOT your college application. It is just how you communicate with me. Common App is the actual college application.
Explore scholarship opportunities.
Visit our College Application FAQs

Information there includes:

  • Sending Test Scores
  • Requesting Letters of Recommendation
  • Early decision, early, action, deferrals, wait list -- what are these?
  • FAFSA Information
Remember to send a 'Thank You' to your recommenders Your thank you notes to teachers, employers, and coaches who wrote letters of recommendation are always a appreciated.

Sign Your FERPA Waiver in Scoir/Common App

This waives your right to view your letters of recommendation, which shows colleges you have nothing to hide. It is on your profile page.

  • Follow @BCHSCollegeCounselor on 'X' (Twitter) for updates or Instagram at @BCHSCollege
  • Check the the College & Career Roadmap on the BCHS website for a timeline of college/career items
  • Update your 'my colleges' tab in SCOIR as you apply to schools
  • Email asaurine@bishopchatard.org with any questions!
Visit the College & Career Roadmap
Students should observe modesty when dressing up for Senior Masses (that take place during the school day), including Grandparents Mass. The following guidelines are posted:
Boys

  • Shirt and tie, collared shirt, polo shirt or sweater (no t-shirts) are acceptable. Students who choose to wear a shirt and tie must wear their shirt tucked-in and a belt.
  • Dress pants or khakis are appropriate. Pants should not have holes or rips. Jeans are not
    acceptable.
  • Dress shoes are preferred

Girls

  • Shirts or sweaters must not be sheer, low-cut or form-fitting. Please do not expose bare
    shoulders.
  • Skirts and dresses must be no shorter than two inches above the top of the knee.
  • Colored jeans (not denim blue) with no holes or rips are acceptable, but must be worn with a modest length shirt. Yoga pants are not acceptable.
  • Low-heeled shoes are suggested
  • View Living Rosary Dress Code
  • View Graduation Dress Code

If you are in doubt about what is appropriate or acceptable, please consult with an administrator or a teacher before Mass. Students who do not follow this outline run the risk of losing future dress up privileges. Administration will be holding separate meetings for senior girls and senior boys to discuss expectations.

Meningococcal Vaccine Requirements for Seniors

Timely attention to senior vaccines is important, especially the Meningococcal vaccines. There are 2 different meningococcal vaccines (MCV4 and Meningococcal B).

  • Students are REQUIRED to have the 2 MCV4 vaccines (Meningococcal) vaccine prior to the start of his/her Senior year at BCHS. Please Note: individuals who receive dose 1 on or after the 16th birthday only need 1 dose of MCV4, per the Indiana State guidelines.
  • Meningococcal B vaccinations are “recommended” for Senior year, however most colleges and universities require the 2 shot series prior to admission.
  • Proof of immunization records may be faxed to 317-251-3648 or emailed to the school nurses, via nurses@bishopchatard.org
  • Further immunization information can be found on the Parent page>>Resources tab

List of required vaccinations from IN.gov

  • Visit your school counselor often to keep her up-to-date with your plans.
  • Check our College and Career Roadmap webpage and the websites of those colleges that interest you throughout the year for information on deadlines, scholarship opportunities, visit days, open houses, etc.
  • Complete all scholarship and college applications online and in a timely manner. Allow 10 full working days for processing of e-Transcripts, Electronic Secondary School Reports (ESSR) and recommendations.
  • Know your deadlines and be courteous! Always request letters of recommendation from teachers in advance, at least 10 full working days.
  • Bring documentation of scholarships and college acceptances to the School Counseling office for publication
  • Visit the School Counseling Office for helpful information on colleges, majors, careers and college reps visits to BCHS.
  • Read every BCHS Weekly Parent Newsletter.
  • Visit this senior page often for up-to-date BCHS information for your senior student. Visit the the College & Career Roadmap for action plans throughout the year.
  • Ask your child to add you on Scoir so that you receive scholarship notifications, communications from the college counselor and college visit notifications
  • Remind your senior of approaching deadlines. Help your student keep track of college and scholarship applications. Do not complete applications for them.
  • Provide credit card information, if needed, for online applications
  • Encourage your senior to write ‘thank you’ notes to teachers who provide recommendations
  • Remind your senior to bring documentation of scholarships and college acceptances to the guidance office.
  • Provide advice and direction on post-secondary options.
  • Post and update information on college reps visits, colleges, scholarships, and deadlines on the College & Career Roadmap and the School Counseling area
  • Process transcripts, ESSR (Electronic Secondary School Report), and letters of recommendation when requested by the student. Process within 10 full working days.
  • Post all scholarship and college acceptance information at the end of each grading period.
Abbey Saurine Abbey Saurine

Go to the new College and Career Roadmap
The roadmap page gives a timeline of action items and helpful links by class year. It replaces the College Counseling website. Consult it and the links below often.

Schedule an appointment with Mrs. Saurine

College Reps at BCHS — Visiting a College Campus — College Fairs

College Reps at BCHS
College reps are visiting Bishop Chatard this fall. You can access the calendar of events through your Scoir account. Please register for the college visit in advance through Scoir so we can choose a space that will accommodate everyone.

College Visits

Nothing helps students and families more in the college search process than making an official college visit to schools of interest. Many college visits can take place on non-BCHS school days, but there are times when it is necessary to take a day off of school.

Colleges have admission counselors assigned to work with Bishop Chatard students; you should be able to determine our rep by going to the college’s website and clicking a link similar to “Find My Counselor.” This person is your resource and your advocate; utilize them! There are also opportunities to visit colleges through their virtual programs, which can be found on their websites.

Every senior should try to take advantage of the opportunity to visit a college when the underclassmen take the PSAT exam, in mid October. Seniors may choose to use additional days for college visits as needed.

College Visit Procedure
To make a physical visit to a college during a school day:

  1. Register in advance for the college on their website.
  2. Parents need to report the student’s absence on the day of the college visit via SafeArrival software.
  3. In order for the absence to be considered excused, upon return, the student must provide verification or your itinerary to the main office (Mrs. Fagan or Mr. Reilly), including the date, time and duration of the college visit that he or she has made.
  4. Students must be in good standing with a satisfactory attendance record and adhere to the guidelines regarding visits.
  5. If you need a pre-arranged absence form for an extended absence, see Mr. Reilly.

Why take advantage of these opportunities?

  1. Many colleges track students’ demonstrated interest. (If a student shows up at the high school meeting, it goes into the application record and can help chances of admission or scholarship. It is a reality of the admissions process these days.)
  2. This is a great chance for you to find out whether schools are a good fit for your academic statistics (GPA and test scores) and desired majors.
  3. These meetings help to make you aware of deadlines, special scholarships, and important information regarding your applications to your top choice schools.
  4. You will be able to expand your horizons to hear about some schools that you may not have previously considered.

College Fairs
There are several area College Fairs that will be helpful in learning more information about your colleges and universities of interest. Check the calendar on the School Counseling page.

October 11, 2023 is Campus Visit Day / SAT at BCHS day for seniors.
Admissions offices tend to receive many requests for campus visits on this day, so schedule your student’s visit early. (It is PSAT testing day for all other students.) The SAT will also be available to seniors who have yet to take the exam or wish to improve their score. (Another visit day is after the Living Rosary on Oct. 3, 2023.

College Financial Aid: FAFSA

FAFSA application, required by Indiana for all families of seniors is scheduled to open in December 2023. It’s best to complete as soon as possible.

College Financial Aid Information Night: October 10, 2023
All parents/guardians are encouraged to attend this presentation during Progress Report Night, October 10, 2023 at BCHS.

FAFSA Filing Night: Jan. 24, 2024
Join INvestED at BCHS for help with the new FAFSA form from 6-8 p.m. in the cafeteria!
Read more about the event here


Common Application

Common Application

Many colleges, but not all, accept the common application. Specific college websites will let you know; there is also a list of schools on the common app website. You complete the common application online, then send to as many schools as you like.

Application Dates

  • August 1, 2023: first day that seniors can submit applications and request transcripts.
  • August – October: watch for priority deadlines for university applications very carefully. Almost all universities, including IU and Purdue, have priority deadlines in the fall.
  • October 18, 2023: final request date for all E-transcripts, ESSR, and scholarship applications to be processed prior to November 1. You must also request test scores to be sent to each school directly from ACT/College Board.
  • May 1, 2023: National College Decision Day. You must submit a deposit to your school of choice to hold your spot in the incoming class.

SAT/ACT Tests & Score Submissions


Transcripts

All transcripts will be sent by BCHS through SCOIR. It is important that students move the college into the ‘Applying’ or ‘Applied’ column in the SCOIR ‘My Colleges’ list, so Mrs. Saurine will know to send a transcript.

Request Deadlines
October 18, 2023 is final request deadline for all E-transcripts, ESSR (Electronic Secondary School Report), and scholarship applications to be processed before November 1 deadlines. You must also request test scores to be sent to each school directly from ACT/College Board.

College Athletics Information

All athletes interested in playing sports in college need to register with the appropriate organizations.


Letters of Recommendation

After you contact your teacher about a letter of recommendation, request your letter of recommendation through SCOIR. Even though you are submitting your applications through Commom App, your letter of recommendation needs to processed through SCOIR.

Give those you’ve asked AT LEAST 2-3 WEEKS to write the letter of recommendation.