Counseling

Naviance, a comprehensive portal for college planning, provides a central location for everything associated with self-assessment, goal setting, building a resume, college research, standardized tests, and the college application process, including electronic submission of transcripts and recommendations from teachers and counselors. Naviance also serves communication tool for counselors, students, and parents.  Each CBHS student has a personal account, which can be accessed through a computer, tablet, or smartphone app. Junior and senior parents have the opportunity to access Naviance as well as the college planning tools provided.  Emails will be sent to all junior and senior parents with account access.

If you are a COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE:

Please utilize RepVisits to schedule a visit to CBHS. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact James Callicott at jcallicott@cbhs.org or 901-261-4915. 

The Counseling Department at CBHS has created a College Planning Curriculum which begins in the ninth grade with academic advising and standardized testing and continues with both individual and group college counseling through the senior year.

College Planning Guide by Grade

Freshman Year:

• Review 4-year course plan with academic counselor & discuss future plans.
• Take academically challenging courses and get good grades.
• Get involved in activities at school and in the community.  Keep a record of activities and awards/honors.
• All freshman will take the PSAT (Preliminary SAT).
• Plan to visit two college campuses this year.

Sophomore Year:

• Meet with academic counselor to review academic record for freshman year.
• Take academically challenging courses and get good grades.
• Participate in the Sophomore Mini-Workshop.  Begin discussing academic & career goals with counselor & parents.
• All sophomores will take the PSAT (Preliminary SAT).
• Begin exploring college opportunities.  Attend local college fairs in fall and spring (Memphis Area College Night and NACAC College Fair). Use Internet resources.  Go to http://connection.naviance.com/cbhsmemphis. On the homepage, you will see a links to websites for college exploration. Also click on the “Colleges” tab and check out the middle section, “College Research.”
• Begin talking to college and university representatives during college lunch room visits.
• Discuss test scores, grades, and course registration for junior year with counselor and parents.
• Make a serious commitment to school and community activities. Update record of activities and awards/honors.
• Investigate summer programs that fit your interests & abilities -- sports camps, academic programs on college campuses, programs in the arts, volunteer work.
• Plan to visit three college campuses this year.

Junior Year - 1st Semester:

• Review your high school courses and plans for the future with your counselor.
• Continue taking academically challenging courses and get good grades.
• Begin talking to your parents about financing your college education.
• All juniors will take the PSAT (Preliminary SAT).
• If you haven't already, go to ACT.org and sign up to take the ACT or collegboard.org to take the SAT.
• Seek leadership positions in school and community activities.
• Complete your Naviance registration and begin completing assessment tasks and your resume in the Junior College Knowledge course.
• Continue gathering information about colleges of interest -- college fairs, the internet, lunchroom visits with college representatives.
• Plan to visit 4 college campuses this year.

Junior Year - 2nd Semester:

• Sign up for challenging senior courses that will prepare you for college.
• Continue to participate in the Junior College Knowledge for college planning.
• Discuss college and career plans with your parents and counselor.
• Investigate scholarships and other financial aid opportunities through your Naviance portal.
• If you are interested in ROTC scholarships or military academies, speak with your counselor.
• Continue to take the ACT or SAT spring semester.
• Take SAT Subject Tests if required by colleges.
• Consider special summer programs, volunteer work, or a part-time job.
• Update activities and awards/honors record in Naviance.

Summer following Junior Year:

• Update your Naviance Account.
• Make a list of deadlines for senior year, including college applications, scholarships, and test registrations.
• Review college application essay topics.
• Continue campus visits.
• Continue scholarship research.

Senior Year - 1st Semester:

• Continue taking academically challenging courses and get good grades.
• Update your Naviance account and resume.
• Review your courses, test scores, college admission criteria, and career plans with your counselor.
• Narrow down your list of colleges and discuss the costs and other pertinent factors with your parents by October 1.
• All transcripts must be requested through Naviance.  Digital submission of transcripts begins the week of Sept 1.
• Send your ACT or SAT scores to your chosen colleges through your ACT or SAT account.
• Continue gathering information about colleges -- college fairs, the internet, meetings with college representatives, campus visits.
• Take the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests (if required).
• Stay involved in school and community activities.  Update your Naviance account.
• Complete applications for military academies and/or ROTC scholarships if applicable.
• Begin applications for college admissions and for scholarships.
• Ask your counselor and teachers for letters of recommendation, if needed, at least one month before your first deadline.
• File the FAFSA and CSS Profile (if needed).

Senior Year - 2nd Semester:

• Update your Naviance account and resume.
• Continue completing college and scholarship applications.
• Discuss offers from colleges with your parents and counselor and notify colleges of your decision.
• Submit all scholarship offers to Mrs. Orians in the Counseling office by deadline.
• Request your final transcript through Naviance for the college you will attend.
• Contact CBU and request that your transcript for your Dual Enrollment classes be sent to your chosen college.

Career Day

In March of each school year students will participate in a school-wide Brothers at Work Career Day. Distinguished alumni, parents, and special guests will discuss their job and educational and career paths in small group settings.  Each year students will have the opportunity to connect with three different professionals and will be exposed to at least nine different careers by the time they graduate.    

College and Career Prep Course

Starting freshman year students will participate in college and career prep course sessions.  By the end of their Junior year students will have:

• A greater understanding of college possibilities
• Researched college admissions stats
• Completed a college super search to find best-fit-colleges
• Compiled a diverse list of colleges they are interested in applying
• Identified ideal college majors and careers based on their personalities and interests
• Researched scholarship opportunities and requirements
• Completed a national scholarship search

Colleges Visiting CBHS

Lunchroom Visits: Representatives from many colleges and universities visit CBHS throughout the school year. Colleges will primarily be visiting during lunch and will have a table set up in the lobby of Heffernan Hall. All students are encouraged to stop by and learn more about different higher education institutions and talk with admission representatives.

Small college meetings: Some representatives may choose to visit with a smaller group of students during the school day.  These meetings are open to all seniors. Juniors with a 3.0 or higher gpa may attend college meetings during the first semester; all juniors may attend meetings during second semester. In order to attend a small college meeting with a college representative during class, a student must print the college meeting form from Naviance, get the appropriate teacher's signature, and then submit the form to Mr. Callicott at least one day prior to the meeting.  Colleges and universities also host evening presentations and special programs for Memphis area students at central locations throughout the city. All events will be posted in Naviance.

College Representatives

Please utilize RepVisits to schedule a visit to CBHS. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact James Callicott at jcallicott@cbhs.org or 901-261-4915.

College Visits for Seniors

Students are encouraged to use school holidays for college visits: Fall Break, Martin Luther King Day, Presidents’ Day, Spring Break, and Easter Break.  Students and their parents are encouraged to contact college admission offices to set up tours of college campuses, to attend college classes, and to schedule interviews with admission and financial aid officers.

If a senior visits a college on a school day other than a school holiday, the absence will be counted as a College Visit Day. There are three types of College Visit Days: Excused, Unexcused, and Official. The number of days of each type used will be tracked by the Attendance Officer.

Excused: Seniors have two Excused College Visit Days per school year that will be treated as an Excused Absence (see above). For a visit to be counted as an Excused College Visit Day, the student must provide proof upon return that he visited the college/university Admissions Office on the day in question.

Unexcused: Any visits over the two allowed days in a school year will be counted as an Unexcused College Visit Day and will be treated as a Common Absence (see above).

Official: In response to official invitations from colleges for special scholarship consideration, such as interviews, exams, auditions, and try-outs that are scheduled on specific dates, an Official College Visit Day will be granted. Official College Visit Days will be treated as an Excused Absence. To request an Official College Visit Day, the student must present a copy of his invitation (on college letterhead) to his counselor and then to the attendance officer prior to his absence from school for approval. Please give five days’ notice for a request of this type. There is no limit to the number of Official College Visit Days.

Area College Fairs

Memphis Area College Night: http://memphiscollegenight.com/ is always held during September.

The Greater Memphis College Fair, sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, will be held during the spring semester.

CBHS College Trips

CBHS college trips are an opportunity for a student to visit a range of colleges and universities around the country. These trips include campus visits and exposure to local culture to help students discover what is interesting, exciting and important to them for their future. Students return home more engaged in their college search and with a better understanding of what types of schools to visit with their families. These trips occur during the summer and students must have a 3.75 GPA to participate.

College Road Tour: Alternates every year between:

• Texas and Louisiana,
• Missouri, Illinois and Indiana,
• North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C.  

FAFSA

https://fafsa.ed.gov/  Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Opens each year on October 1st.  Students/parents interested in the TN Hope Lottery Scholarship or any type of institutional financial aid should complete the FAFSA by early February of their student’s senior year.

TN Education Lottery Programs

Please visit the following websites for details.

Tennessee Hope Scholarship: 
http://tn.gov/collegepays/article/tennessee-hope-scholarship

General Assembly Merit Scholarship:
http://tn.gov/collegepays/article/general-assembly-merit-scholarship

Aspire Award: 
http://tn.gov/collegepays/article/aspire-award

Tennessee Hope Access Grant: 
http://tn.gov/collegepays/article/tennessee-hope-access-grant1

Tennessee Student Assistance: 
http://tn.gov/collegepays/article/tennessee-student-assistance-award

The Tennessee Student Assistance Award Program (TSAA) was established to provide non-repayable financial assistance to financially-needy undergraduate students who are residents of Tennessee. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment, at least half time, at a public or an eligible non-public postsecondary institution in Tennessee. The TSAA is a state-funded grant program and includes funds from the Tennessee Education Lottery.

Tennessee Promise Scholarship: 
http://tn.gov/collegepays/article/tennessee-promise-scholarship

Tennessee resident/U.S. citizen/eligible non-citizen/students who graduate from an eligible high School, homeschool, or earn a GED/HISET (prior to 19th birthday) can receive an award at an eligible postsecondary institution toward tuition and mandatory fees after all other gift aid has been first applied.  Students must attend mandatory meetings and participate in a mentoring program.  College students must attend full-time, continue to participate in the mentoring program, and perform community service prior to each term the award is received.  This scholarship program began in the 2015-16 academic year.

Additional scholarship and financial aid tools and websites are available on your Naviance account.

Many students choose to take part in special summer learning programs to:

• Explore their interests

• Develop new skills

• Get hands-on experience that a classroom doesn't offer

• Meet other students with similar interests

• Get a taste of college life

• Try out college classes

• Earn college credit, if available

Taking part in a summer program is also a plus on college applications; it shows colleges that you’re committed to learning.

Summer learning opportunities are available in just about every area of study, from the arts and sciences to languages and athletics. They may be offered at colleges, museums, performing-arts centers and recreation centers.

You can find residential programs, where you live in housing with other students, as well as classes you can commute to. So if you don’t want to leave home, you can still take part in a summer program.

Here are examples of summer programs for high school students:

• A five-day creative-writing program on a college campus

• A weeklong program in 3-D game design at a computer camp

• A three-week language-immersion class at a school in another country

• A six-week program on a college campus with college-level courses in subjects such as engineering, psychology and environmental studies

• A summer-semester math class at a community college

For an updated list of potential summer programs, visit your naviance page.

Dual Enrollment

What is Dual Enrollment?
Honors Spanish III, Honors Spanish IV, Honors U.S. History, Facing History, Computer Science and Computers in Engineering are all taught by CBHS teachers who are approved CBU educators and have had their class syllabus approved by CBU administration.  Students who enroll in these courses have the option to apply for college credit for these classes through CBU.  The class year is divided into two college semesters. For example, one year of Honors Spanish III will be divided into Spanish 101, taught in the Fall, and Spanish 102, taught in the Spring.  For each semester of college work the student will receive 3 college credits from CBU.

Are CBU Dual Enrollment courses taught at CBHS?
Yes.

If I am enrolling in more than one Dual Enrollment course do I need to fill out a separate application for each course?
No.  Each student should only complete one application and indicate in the box the DE course(s) for which he wishes to apply on page one of the packet.

Do I really have to include my son’s social security number on the application?
Yes.  Your son will be utilizing a state grant so the social security number must be included and correct as well as ALL parent and student signatures.  Incomplete applications will not be processed by CBU.

Is the course material same for the honors and dual enrollment students?
Yes, with the exception of Facing History and Ourselves. The course is the same for all students in the class.  The only difference is whether or not the student is taking the course for college credit through CBU.  Honors credit is reflected in the grade point average for either course.  Facing History and Ourselves is a standard course so to bring it up to the college level students enrolled in DE Facing History will be required to complete additional coursework.

Should my student take Dual Enrollment rather than the honors course?
If you are taking either of the computer science courses, your son must be enrolled in dual enrollment.  For Honors Spanish II, III, French III, Facing History and Honors U.S. History your son has the option of applying for the dual enrollment credits through CBU.  Since these will be the start of their college transcript, only students who are serious about achieving at the A or B level should apply for CBU dual enrollment.  This is the beginning of their college transcript and these courses and grades will follow them to the college they choose to attend after graduation.

What happens if my student does not make an A or B?
Students must qualify for the dual enrollment grant each semester.  Students with a CBU grade point average lower than a 2.75 will not receive the dual enrollment grant and may not be permitted by CBU to take the second semester of the dual enrollment course.  If a student is not accepted into the second semester of the dual enrollment class, the student’s schedule will be changed to the honors course.

Do all colleges and universities accept the CBU Dual Enrollment credits?
It is the responsibility of your son to have his CBU transcript sent to his chosen college or university after high school graduation through CBU.  It will be up to the individual college to utilize the credits for course requirements or general electives.

Visit: https://www.cbu.edu/cbu-transcript-request to find out how to have your transcript sent from CBU.

Will receiving the TN Dual Enrollment Grant affect my TN Hope Lottery Scholarship?
Semester hours attempted under the Dual Enrollment Grant program grant shall not count toward the total semester hours attempted at postsecondary institutions for purposes of Tennessee HOPE Scholarship eligibility. The corresponding grades for the postsecondary credit hours taken as a dual enrollment credits shall not be included in the postsecondary cumulative grade average for purposes of the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship program. Visit: http://www.tn.gov/collegepays/article/dual-enrollment-grant for more information.

How does my son apply for the Dual Enrollment Grant?
Either the dual enrollment coordinator or the dual enrollment teacher will assist the students in applying for the TN Dual Enrollment Grant in August. Students who live outside the state of Tennessee can enroll in dual enrollment classes but will not be eligible for the TN Dual Enrollment Grant.

I am confused about payment.  How much will it cost and how do I pay?  Distribution of grant money and cost to parents will be as follows:

DE fees will be added to the family’s CBHS invoice in November and April each year.

For questions contact pmistretta@cbhs.org

Advanced Placement - The College Board

AP examinations for all courses will be administered at CBHS on the dates designated by the College Board. All students enrolled in an AP course are required to sit for the corresponding exams.  The fee for each AP examination is $97.00. Each family will receive a letter in early February stating their total fees as well as instructions and deadlines for payment. Advanced Placement Services (http://aptestservice.com/cbhs) will again handle the AP online payment process for Christian Brothers High School.  Advanced Placement Services accepts payment by credit card, debit card, PayPal, or mail.  A card processing fee will be added to all online payments.  The regular payment deadline is March 15.  A late fee will be charged after March 15.  All payments must be received by April 1. Failure to pay will result in a hold on all records as well as caps and gowns for seniors.  Test fees are non-refundable or transferable.  Fee reductions may be available to qualifying families.

Letters of Recommendation

Competitive colleges, military academies, scholarship applications and summer programs may require a student to attain letters of recommendation from a counselor or teachers.  If you are in need of a recommendation students should:

1. Personally ask a teacher or counselor to write them a letter of recommendation at least ONE MONTH before the recommendation is due.  Students SHOULD NOT send an email to a teacher asking them to write a recommendation.  

2. For a college recommendation, add that teacher to your Naviance account - Colleges I am applying to page- as a recommender to ALL colleges.

3. For a college or Common Application counselor recommendation, students should complete the Student Information Page, located on your Naviance account or from your college counselor.  Detailed answers to the Student Information Page should be emailed to their counselor in a Microsoft Word document no less than ONE MONTH prior to their first college deadline.

4. Follow up with a thank you card to your teacher and counselors.

The NCAA also oversees the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly NCAA Clearinghouse) which exists to ensure that prospective college athletes meet certain academic standards.  All Division I and Division II recruits must register with the Eligibility Center.  You do not need to register with the Eligibility Center to participate in athletics at a Division III school.  If there is any possibility that you might be bound for a D-I or D-II program, then register by visiting the following website: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/. This site also has the most up to date information and regulations.

You will also need to submit your ACT or SAT scores (directly from the testing agency) and request your transcript be sent to the Eligibility Center.  Since the Eligibility Center needs grades through the end of your junior year (and again once you have graduated), there is no need to register any earlier than the summer before your senior year.

For updated information please feel free to visit.

Division I academic eligibility

To be eligible to compete in NCAA sports during your first year at a Division I school, you must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements:

Complete 16 core courses:

• Four years of English
• Three years of math (Algebra 1 or higher)
• Two years of natural/physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it)
• One additional year of English, math or natural/physical science
• Two years of social science
• Four additional years of English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy

Complete 10 core courses, including seven in English, math or natural/physical science, before your seventh semester. Once you begin your seventh semester, you may not repeat or replace any of those 10 courses to improve your core-course GPA.

Earn at least a 2.3 GPA in your core courses.

Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division I sliding scale, which balances your test score and core-course GPA. If you have a low test score, you need a higher core-course GPA to be eligible. If you have a low core-course GPA, you need a higher test score to be eligible.

Division II Academic Eligibility

To be eligible to compete in NCAA sports during your first year at a Division II school, you must meet academic requirements for your core courses, grade-point average (GPA) and test scores. The requirements are changing for students who enroll full-time at a Division II school after August 1, 2018.

You must graduate high school and meet ALL the following requirements:

• Complete 16 core courses:
• Three years of English.
• Two years of math (Algebra 1 or higher).
• Two years of natural or physical science (including one year of lab science if your high school offers it).
• Three additional years of English, math or natural or physical science
• Two years of social science
• Four additional years of English, math, natural or physical science, social science, foreign language, comparative religion or philosophy
• Earn at least a 2.2 GPA in your core courses.

Earn an SAT combined score or ACT sum score matching your core-course GPA on the Division II sliding scale, which balances your test score and core-course GPA. If you have a low test score, you need a higher core-course GPA to be eligible. If you have a low core-course GPA, you need a higher test score to be eligible.

For more information, contact Counselor Jim Pletcher.

Mississippi High School Course Requirements

The State of Mississippi requires that all Mississippi residents, not matter where they attend high school, obtain the following credits to be eligible for admission to universities and colleges in the state of Mississippi. Please visit: http://riseupms.com/apply/#1/ for more information. CBHS’s Software Tools course fulfills the State of Mississippi’s technology requirement.

For admission to Mississippi’s public universities:

Required:

The College Prep Curriculum for students graduating from high school and entering a public institution of higher learning the Fall of 2015 is as follows:

English

• 4 Carnegie Units
• All must require substantial communication skills (i.e., reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Compensatory Reading and Writing may not be included.

Mathematics

• 3 Carnegie Units
• Algebra I or its equivalent
• Math higher than Algebra I (2 units)

Science

• 3 Carnegie Units
• Biology I or its equivalent
• Science higher than Biology I (2 units)

Social Studies

• 3 Carnegie Units
• U.S. History

World History

• U.S. Government (½ unit)
• Economics (½ unit) or Introduction to World Geography (½ unit)

Arts

• 1 Carnegie Unit
• Includes any one Carnegie unit (or two ½ units) of visual and performing arts course(s) meeting the requirements for high school graduation.

Advanced Electives

• 2 Carnegie Units
• Option 1: Foreign Language I and Foreign Language II
• Option 2: Foreign Language I and Advanced World Geography
• Option 3: Any combination of English, Mathematics higher than Algebra I, Science higher than Biology I, Advanced Elective category, any AP course, any IB course

Technology

• ½ Carnegie Unit
• AA course that emphasizes the use of technology as a productivity tool. Instruction should include utilizing various forms of technology to create, collaborate, organize, and publish information. The application of technology as a productivity tool, rather than specific hardware and/or software packages should be the focus of the course.

Mississippi Scholarship Programs

Mississippi residents who choose to attend a college or university in Mississippi have the opportunity to receive state grant and scholarship dollars towards college. Parents and students should visit http://riseupms.com/state-aid/counselors/ to review all processes and timelines specified by the State of Mississippi.