Grade 11 & 12
Juniors & Seniors - 2 years to Explore, Prepare & Apply for College & Beyond
Welcome to the Crosby Scholars Jr/Sr Program!
Combining the program for juniors and seniors provides flexibility in meeting not only the Crosby Scholars requirements, but achieving your goals for after high school. You don't have to wait until 12th grade to start taking specialized classes or to work one-on-one with an advisor. We have the tools and the resources. You control when you participate.
The first step for 11th graders is to attend a Jr/Sr Program Orientation. Check the student portal for days and times.
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Academy Sessions
Juniors and Seniors are required to attend a total of three Crosby Jr/Sr Academies (CSA), prior to January 31 of their senior year. Each student must complete at least one (1) during junior year, however, if the student chooses to complete four (4) academies during their junior year, they will be complete their senior year requirement. This gives students the flexibility to attend the sessions they think will be most valuable based on their post-secondary path.
Crosby Scholars offers Jr/Sr Academies year round. Virtual and in-person options are available. Students who use more than one session tend to be more successful in achieving their goals. All Academies are free to the student. However, Crosby Scholars expends resources providing sessions.
Suggested Topics for Junior Year
- Test Prep (ACT & SAT)
- Career Exploration
- YouScience Apptitude Evaluation
- College 101 - What you want from College and how to create your list.
- Resume Writing - Crafting an Activities List
- Essay Writing
Suggested Topics for Senior Year
- CommonApp Workshop
- Essay Writing
- Understanding Financial Aid
- How to Read a Financial Aid Award Letter
- FAFSA
- Registering for College Classes
Online registration is required through the Crosby Scholars Student Portal. Students can check their Academy status through their student portal. Please note it may take a few days to update following an Academy session.
- Plan wisely in order to complete this requirement. Students must complete three (3) sessions by January 31st of the students senior year.
- To receive credit for attending an academy, scholars must: arrive on time, sign in, stay for the entire academy, and submit a confirmation of attendance at the end. Scholars who skip any of the steps to this process DO NOT receive academy credit.
- Students who register for an academy but do not attend and do not cancel their registration prior to the event will jeopardize their status in the program and their ability to attend more exclusive events.
- Read the special instructions listed in the Crosby Scholars Student Portal on accessing a webinar academy.
Watch your Student Portal for opportunities to complete the Senior Academy requirement. We will offer a variety of online, self-paced, recorded and live zoom meetings.
When attending virtual sessions please follow Zoom Meeting Guidelines.
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Community Service
Click to complete an online community service form for the 2023-24 school year!
2023-24 Deadline:
Grades 11 - 12: January 31, 2024
Crosby Scholars are required to complete two (2) hours of community service, although five (5) are recommended. Scholars must submit a form documenting their hours.
Scholars who completed the Crosby Scholars Program during the previous school year may count hours volunteered after the previous year's deadline, including summer volunteer hours, toward the following school year's requirement.
Community service must be performed with a non-profit agency or be an activity that benefits a non-profit agency. The volunteer commitment can be fulfilled through scouts, school clubs, civic organizations, and/or certain church activities. While membership in a club or organization does not count as service, volunteering in the community in a club-sponsored activity does. For example, being a member of a youth choir doesn't count, but singing at a nursing home with the choir qualifies as service hours.
If you have questions about whether your community service idea meets the requirement for the Program, please contact Crosby Scholars at 704.873.5005. Crosby Scholars Program staff reserves the right to determine if a community service activity fulfills our requirement.
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College Fair/Visit
List & Links to Spring College Fairs 2023-2024
College Fair/College Visit Requirement:
It is important to research your list of colleges. Students are required to explore four (4) colleges. We encourage you to participate in in-person or virtual college tours offered by most colleges and universities. Colleges also offer Zoom, Instagram, Facebook and other virtual sessions to learn about the school. Click here to complete the college visit form.
When you have completed your visits and research into four (4) schools, please complete this google form to get credit for this requirement.
Due by August 30, 2024, for the Class of 2025.
To fulfill the college fair/college visit requirement, Crosby Scholars must speak with four (4) college admission reps about their respective schools. Students typically fulfill this requirement by attending a college fair and submitting a college fair form during their sophomore, junior or senior year; however, juniors and seniors may also fulfill this requirement by visiting four (4) college campuses.
The most popular way to fulfill this requirement is to attend the local college fair.
CACRAO is offers a college fair in Iredell County during the month of October each year. Crosby Scholars and your guidance team can provide information.
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Newsletter
The JR/Sr Program publishes 2 monthly newsletters, destinationcollege2024 & the Jr Newsletter. They are published monthly for Crosby Scholars in the class of 2023/24 to keep them informed of activities, deadlines and announcements. Each newsletter offers appropriate advice and assistance for a specific month. Newsletters are posted on this website and in the Crosby Scholars student portal. The newsletter link is e-mailed to senior parents and senior advisors.
Jr Newsletter - August destinationcollege2024-- August
Jr Newsletter - September destinationcollege2024 -- September "Scholarships"
Jr Newsletter - October
Jr Newsletter - November destinationcollege2024 - November
Jr Newsletter - December destinationcollege2024 - December
Jr Newsletter - January destinationcollege2024-- January
Jr Newsletter - February destinationcollege2024 - February -
Jr Newsletter - March destinationcollege2024 -- March - "Making a Decision"
Jr Newsletter - April destinationcollege2024-- April - "Senior Celebration Info/
Jr Newsletter - May destinationcollege2023--
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Scholarships & Financial Aid
Scholarships: The Crosby Scholars Program offers several scholarships and awards. As each scholarship application becomes available, it is posted in the Crosby Scholars senior portal. Read each description carefully for instructions on applying, including what documents to upload.
WATCH THIS SCHOLARSHIP VIDEO & FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLY
Newsletter with list of Available Scholarships for Class of 2024
Last Dollar Grants: The Crosby Scholars Last Dollar Grant is need-based financial aid. Scholars must demonstrate both general financial need and remaining financial hardship after the school of choice has awarded aid. For more information, go to the Last Dollar Grant tab below.
Other scholarships. Students can begin by researching institutional scholarships offered at the colleges where they plan to apply. The financial aid web page of every college lists scholarships unique to their school and the qualifications necessary for consideration. Crosby Scholars sends out a link to the scholarship page of all colleges in North Carolina. This list can also be found in the senior portal. Students applying to out-of-state schools can locate this information on each schools' web page.
Every high school in Iredell-Statesville Schools has a school counselor designated to serve as the scholarship coordinator. Seniors should make sure they know who is in charge of scholarships and how to access their high school's scholarship newsletter. High schools provide information on local, state, and national scholarships.
FINANCIAL AID
The first step to applying for financial aid is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which opens online October 1 annually. It is important to submit the FAFSA as early as possible. Every college has a priority filing deadline for filing the FAFSA, and students who meet the deadline receive first consideration for aid. Follow these steps to the financial aid process and then review these Helpful Hints.
While all colleges require the FAFSA, some schools also request the College Scholarship Service (CSS) PROFILE, which is the institution's analysis of the family's financial circumstances. Unlike FAFSA, the PROFILE costs $25 for the first application and $16 for each additional application.
College costs vary widely. The sticker price at some schools can discourage students from applying, convinced they can't afford to attend. However, the only way to discover the true cost of attendance is to submit the FAFSA and review the school's financial aid package upon receipt. Private colleges with large price tags frequently provide merit aid that makes their overall cost comparable to, or in some instances, more affordable than, public universities.
Outside scholarships can further reduce the cost, depending on how they are factored into the aid package. Students should ALWAYS check with the financial aid office to determine how private scholarship funds will affect any other aid offered. Ultimately, students and families are best served by waiting until they compare all financial aid packages before deciding which college is the best financial choice.
HELPFUL LINKS
- Line by line demo - How to complete the FAFSA
- When completing the FAFSA online, use the "live help" button or the online chat feature
- Call the FAFSA hotline at 800.433.3243 or 800.730.8913
- The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is up and running. Learn more about this tool here.
- #AskFAFSA Office Hours—the last Wednesday of each month on Twitter or watch the stream live at http://bit.ly/AskFAFSA2
- Differences between Federal v.s. Private Student Loans Infographic
- Need help comparing your Financial Aid Award Letters? Check out this Compare your Aid Award tool from College Board & Big Future.
Have a financial aid question? Contact Jenniffer Jamison, Crosby Scholars Senior Program Coordinator at 704/873-5005 ext 11407 or jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org
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Last Dollar Grant
Applications are open for 2024 now!
Submittable Link to apply for LDG
The Crosby Scholars Last Dollar Grant is need-based financial aid.
****A scholar must apply for financial aid by submitting a FAFSA to be considered for a Last Dollar Grant. Link to the line by line demo of how to complete the FAFSA
****A scholar must demonstrate not only financial need but also remaining need after the school of choice has awarded aid.
****To determine eligibility, the Crosby Scholars staff completes a need analysis form on each scholar individually.
Three supporting documents must be uploaded to the application:
- A copy of the scholar’s letter of admission from the institution he/she will attend,
- A copy of the financial aid award letter from the institution he/she will attend, and
- A copy of pages 1 and 2 of the SAR- Student Aid Report
If the scholar does not have the three supporting documents, he/she must submit the application and then upload the supporting documents when they are received. Priority is given to those applications received prior to the deadline. The deadline for grant requests is June 30.
Scholars are notified of our decision by letter posted in their Crosby portal beginning in July. An award is made payable to the institution and is sent directly to the institution to be credited to the scholar's account. The funds are mailed in the summer, to be applied to fall semester costs.
YOU are responsible for submitting your grades at the end of each semester. You do not have to submit an official college transcript. Submitting a copy of your grades printed from your college account is acceptable, provided it includes your cumulative GPA.
Crosby Scholars who complete the program during their senior year with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher are eligible to apply for a Last Dollar Grant for up to 4 years. Even if the Last Dollar Grant is not awarded the first year, the scholar may still reapply 3 times.
A scholar who does not graduate from high school with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher may apply once his/her college cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.
Students must apply for Last Dollar Grant funding within two years of high school graduation. Last Dollar Grants are available for up to four years of undergraduate studies within six years of high school graduation.
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Senior Celebration
On April 23, 2024, we celebrated the students who completed the Crosby Scholars Senior Program. We distributed certificates, graduation cords and a special gift for students who came to the event. Scholarships were also awarded.
You can see the event photos, scholarship winners and senior slides for our students by clicking here.
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Essays & Mock Interviews
Two programs offered exclusively to Crosby Scholars seniors are Essay Review and Mock Interviews. We have some of the best volunteers to review student writing and help students practice their interview skills.
Want to volunteer? Contact Jenniffer Jamison jjamision@crosbyscholarsiredell.org
