Now is the time for high school seniors who are considering postsecondary education to be applying for colleges and seeking financial support; for high school juniors to be getting serious about lining up college plans and preferences; and for everyone else to be thinking about the types of careers they might want to pursue and how to get there, whether it be college or other avenues.
Dr. Cherice Artis is the DPS K-12 School Counseling Coordinator, and she wants students and families to know that October is “Countdown to College” Month, and DPS offers an array of support for college applications, scholarships, and financial aid.
“Because we know that college has become increasingly more competitive, it’s important that students and parents start thinking about college and preparing early,” said Dr. Artis, who oversees and supports counselors across the district.
Planning for the future
“In high school, we hone in more intentionally with college preparation,” said Dr. Artis, who says students complete “career interest inventories,” where they map out courses they would like to take based on possible career interests. Flexibility is key to developing these plans as students learn and grow throughout their high school experience.
“(Students) can revise those plans because they’re students and as such, their career interests might change,” she said. “We line that up with the course registration process.” The district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) and magnet and application programs offer a comprehensive range of instruction around specific careers and career areas.
Dr. Artis said that by their junior year, students should be seriously considering what colleges they might like to attend, and plan to research and visit those colleges. In January 2026, the College Foundation of North Carolina will launch Next Step for Juniors (currently the 2025 edition is posted) to give juniors tips on what they should know, plan, and do as senior year approaches.
Support for college applications and funding opportunities
For seniors, it’s crunch time in terms of college applications and financial support seeking. Following are some of the opportunities that DPS will offer to assist students in applying and paying for college during October and beyond:
The week of Oct. 20-26 will be Free College Application Week, in which schools offer gathering places for students to come and seek help in completing their college applications. During this week, many North Carolina colleges and universities offer waivers for application fees. Schools include several in the UNC system, along with a number of private and community colleges.
“We have a big focus on having our kids complete applications that week,” said Dr. Artis, who added that high school counselors host onsite opportunities.
The “FAFSA Road Show,” in which all high schools host sessions to guide students in seeking financial support and scholarships. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
“We call it the road show because the goal is to have every senior have access to financial aid and completion sessions and because it’s in all of our high schools,” said Dr. Artis. Schools also offer virtual sessions. Students should check with their counselors for dates and times.
The DPS Foundation Scholarship Fund opportunities.
The North Carolina State Employees’ Credit Union “People Helping People” Scholarship, for families who hold at least one account with the NCSECU.
The College Board Big Future, now also an app for easy use, provides a guide for high school students to develop dashboards for their college and career research and planning activities.
College Connect offers direct admission to select NC college campuses for seniors with at least a 2.8 weighted grade point average along with additional requirements. Campuses in this program include 11 UNC system universities and nearly 30 independent and private colleges.
Dr. Artis also encourages students to check with their high school counselors for a list of scholarship opportunities that may be available specifically for their school communities.