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You got into college. Now what?

Check out these final steps for college enrollment. Once you have made your final college enrollment decision, you should:

  • Submit an enrollment deposit to notify the college that you will enroll.
  • Submit housing and medical forms.
  • Plan to attend orientation sessions.
  • Share your enrollment decision with your school counselor and request that your final official transcript be forwarded to that college.
  • Update the college name field in your Crosby Scholars Student Portal.
  • Notify any other colleges that admitted you of your decision. These colleges might offer admission to a student who has been wait-listed.
  • Write thank you letters to the individuals who wrote letters of recommendation for you and let them know where you’ll be enrolling.
  • Review your college catalog to become familiar with student services and course offerings.
  • CHECK YOUR EMAIL OFTEN — Some colleges have freshmen register for classes prior to orientation. Be sure you read all emails from your college of choice and take action on a timely basis. Not responding might affect your funding, class registration or housing.

Finishing the school year STRONG!

TWO MONTHS TO GO! How to finish the school year strong!

For a deeper dive on this article from School Habits, click here. 

1. What is your current situation?

Know where you stand. Are your grades in a good place? Are you struggling? It’s not too late to make things better. And we know it might be tough, but talk to your teachers or your counselor. If you’re willing to help yourself, they’ll help you do it.

  • If you have one class that’s an issue, you know where to focus. 
  • If you’re struggling in more than one class, figure out where you should focus to make the most improvement. 
  • Are you missing assignments? Ask if you can get partial credit. 

2. Pick a goal. 

If you don’t have a target, you don’t know where to aim. 

  • Do you want to go from a C to a B in science? Find out what you can do, like turning in missing work or going above and beyond on a final project.
  • Is your goal to maintain your grades, but do really well on finals? Create a study plan and stick to it. 

3. Prepare for finals and final projects – NOW! 

Do you want to finish on a good note? Start prepping now! 

  • Two months may seem like a long time, but it’s not. Taking 20 minutes of study each weekday can pay off in a big way.
  • If you have a final project, start now. Figure out obstacles you’ll face, while you still have time to overcome them. You’ll thank yourself later when other students are stressing over that deadline. 

4. Show up. 

We get it. The sun is out. The weather is warm. There are a lot of things you’d rather be doing. But don’t get distracted now. Show up to class, physically and mentally. Remember, this is your last chance to:

  • Pull up your grades 
  • Earn class participation points 
  • Strengthen your connections with teachers

Plus, you DON’T want to miss assignments and deadlines that could tank your grade at the last minute. 

5. Work WITH your teachers. 

Keep a good relationship with your teachers, especially as the year finishes up. Teachers can be really helpful in your future. They can provide letters of recommendation for college applications, job applications, or internship opportunities. And they might even be talking to the teachers you’ll have next year. Having a good relationship with your teacher now might result in getting off to a great start with next year’s teachers in the fall. 🙂

Essential Tips For High School


We spoke to recent Virginia Tech graduate Maranda Patterson, who provided some great advice and guidance to our Crosby Scholars. Listen to those who were (recently) in your shoes!

What a Year!

We don’t know about you, but 2024 gave us a lot to celebrate. Student success is our goal, and as this photo retrospective shows, Iredell Crosby Scholars were engaged and taking charge of their future! Thanks to everyone who made 2024 a great year.

…and now, onto 2025!

FAFSA: Open for Submissions!

Here’s great news for students planning to apply for college. The FAFSA form is now open!

See the details below regarding completion of your FAFSA. Keep in mind, it starts with setting up an FSA ID first. Then, you’ll need to wait a few days until the ID syncs with the system before completing the full FAFSA form. See below for a step-by-step guide to the process!

A few things to know:

• Students and parent(s) will need their own FSA IDs. Each contributor to your FAFSA will need a unique FSA ID. Students and parents cannot use the same email address when creating individual accounts. (See FSA ID creation below.)
• This is still technically a Beta version of the FAFSA! As the FAFSA is still in a Beta testing stage, there are unknowns surrounding any future steps a student/parent will need to take after the Dec. 1st official open date. It is also possible that any information out there at this time may change. Once the FAFSA has its official release, a student/parent who completed the Beta version may have nothing more to do or may be advised to take additional steps.
• You need to complete a Residency Determination Status. To receive in-state tuition and state funded financial aid, you will need to complete a NC RDS. If you already have a CFNC login, you will need it to log in. If you don’t have a CNFC login, you can create one for residency determination.
• If residency is an issue, it’s best to wait until Dec. 1. If you are a student who has had issues with their RDS or if you have a parent without a social security number, it may be best for you to wait until the full release on Dec. 1st before completing your FAFSA.

Creating Your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID

Your Federal Student Aid ID, or FSA ID, is an account created at www.studentaid.gov, and is required to complete your FAFSA form. It takes one to three days after an FSA ID is created for the account to become verified. Filling out your FAFSA before your FSA ID is verified will result in additional questions and possibly errors. With that in mind, visit www.studentaid.gov to create your account. This video will walk you through the process, step-by-step:

Apply for Scholarships!

Now that you’ve completed your FSA ID, waited a few days, and filled out your FAFSA application, it’s time to apply for scholarships! You’ll need to do this through Submittable. This video will show you, step-by-step, how to proceed:

Financial Aid Education

Check out these video resources to better educate yourself on the ins and outs of financial aid!

Financial Aid Award Letters – Part 1

Iredell Crosby Senior Program Coordinator, Jenniffer Jamison, explains what to look for in your financial aid award letter. (Part 1 of 2)

Financial Aid Award Letters – Part 2

Iredell Crosby Senior Program Coordinator, Jenniffer Jamison, explains what to look for in your financial aid award letter. (Part 2 of 2)

Scholarships!

Learn more about scholarships available to you and how to best take advantage of these opportunities!

The Morehead-Cain Scholarship

Learn about the Morehead-Cain scholarship, how to apply and more. The Morehead–Cain challenges emerging leaders to seize their education and positively impact the University, state, nation, and world.

What A Summer!

Now that the 2024-2025 school year is well underway, we’ve taken a moment to look back at everything our students accomplished over the summer break. For students on vacation, they were awfully busy!

Check out our summer review on issuu here!

Our summertime review includes a review of these programs and great photos of our students:

Try It Tuesdays

  • Computer Science/Graphic Design
  • Social Work
  • Healthcare Careers
  • Law and Criminal Justice
  • Business Careers with CINTAS
  • Education Careers
  • Entrepreneurial Skills

Workshop Wednesdays

  • Essay Writing
    • Brainstorming Topics
    • Final Draft Review
  • SAT Test Prep
  • Common App Navigation

College Campus Tours

  • UNC Asheville
  • Western Carolina
  • Lenoir Rhyne
  • NC School of Math & Science/Morganton Campus

Leadership Training

  • Middle School Ambassadors
  • High School Officers
  • Crosby Launch for 6th and 9th Graders

Enjoy!

Student Journeys: Johnny M.

Each student in Iredell County is on their own unique journey.

In the first video in our series, “Student Journeys,” you’ll hear Johnny McLean’s personal story and how Iredell Crosby Scholars contributed to their achievement of being awarded a full-ride QuestBridge Scholarship to attend Duke University this coming fall.

2024 Scholarship Winners

Congratulations to each student who received a scholarship during our Senior Awards Banquet. The event was attended by some 300 people, who were there to witness and applaud the efforts and success of our Crosby Scholars.

Goodwill Willpower Award

  • Caleb Costilow

Goodwill Art Gibel Award

  • Ella Tenke

Art Gibel Community Builder Award

  • Mikaylah Okyer-Boateng

Crosby Impact Scholarship

  • Kora Brightbill
  • Hannah Kraeger

Joyce Kohfeldt Memorial Scholarship

  • Hollis Heckler
  • Adam Moukahl

Community College Book Scholarship

  • Adam Goins
  • Mikhail Likhtenbaum

Mooresville Rescue Squad Scholarship

  • Ella McGlothlin
  • Jocelyn Mills
  • Emma Monroe
  • Nicole Pfefferkorn
  • Abby Pike

Iredell County Opportunity Scholarship

  • Cooper Hall
  • Piper Lewis
  • Peyton Millsaps

Mitchell Community College/ Crosby Scholars Scholarship

  • Ian Raffan

Crosby Scholar Board of Directors Awards

  • Tate Adams – ASEC
  • Karma Hairston – CCTL
  • Ruth Ramirez Hernandez – Crossroads
  • Katelyn Freese – iAcademy
  • Simone Bush – Lake Norman High School
  • Ana Noriega – Langtree Charter Academy
  • Emma Devore- Mooresville High School
  • Grayson Brooks – North Iredell High School
  • Cooper Deschenes – Pine Lake Preparatory
  • Abeer Saleem Naznin – South Iredell High School
  • C’Ashjah Joyner – Statesville High School
  • Ameia Blair-Morrison – Statesville High School
  • Allison Hendrix – West Iredell High School

Frustrated With FAFSA Delays?

Delays and glitches with this year’s new FAFSA roll out have caused enormous frustration for students and parents seeking financial aid for the 2024-2025 school year.

“The already stressful college admissions process was thrown into chaos this year by a botched bureaucratic upgrade,” reads an April 6 CNN report, which refers to the roll out as a fiasco. “Hiccups and delays in the federal financial aid process have kept some high school seniors and current college students from getting aid packages from schools.” 

Knowing the final cost is, obviously, essential to choosing a college, making financial decisions and determining living arrangements. Many feel that they’ve been left in a state of limbo.

Delays and glitches with the new form have also reduced FAFSA submissions. As of April 1, the National College Attainment Network reported that just 35% of high school seniors had submitted a FAFSA. That’s down 27% nationally and 24% in North Carolina, versus last year.

So, what should you do? 

Here are some suggestions that might help you navigate this unusual year in the world of financial aid.

  1. Create your FAFSA account as soon as possible. This way, your application can be verified more quickly and further delays can be avoided.
  2. Stay connected with the latest updates and resources. Our Iredell County Crosby Scholars FAFSA Information page offers a variety of resources. Other organizations to follow include:
    1. NC FAFSA Hub
    2. National College Attainment Network 
    3. Federal Student Aid (via Instagram)
  3. Check the acceptance deadline for your college of choice. Due to FAFSA delays, many colleges have extended their “decision day” from the traditional May 1, but others have not. 

Need in-person help?

Mitchell Community College provides FAFSA Completion Events, hosted by the Financial Aid Department, every Tuesday from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. in the Eason Student Services Building, Room 105. Students should create a studentaid.gov account if they do not already have one by visiting  studentaid.gov/create-account. For more information on planning your visit, click here. 

And finally…

Remember that you aren’t alone. Parents and students nationwide are facing the same FAFSA challenges. Colleges and universities are aware and are making adjustments. Plus, numerous issues with the new form have already been addressed.

Remember, Crosby Scholars staff is available to help answer any questions you might have as well.  Feel free to reach out to Jen Jamison, Jr/Sr Program Manager and Dominic Jones, Financial Aid Coordinator.

In the meantime, do all that you can to prepare for next steps. You’ll be ready to react and take control when the time comes.

Hopefully, that time will come sooner than later.