COLLEGE APPLICATIONS:

College Applications: www.commonapp.org

Contact information for applications:

Jill Bender, Counselor, benderjr@vancecharter.org

Amine Seifert, Advisor,  seiferta@vancecharter.org

Residency Determination Services: www.ncresidency.org

College Foundation of NC: https://www.cfnc.org/ Has tools for researching 2- and 4- year colleges in NC, and information about how to apply to and pay for your college education.

College Test Scores: College Admissions Test Scores are optional again this year for the 16 University System.  For more information, read the Test Waiver memorandum.

College Application Timeline Goals for March/April/May
  • Evaluate financial aid offers from schools. Continue applying to scholarship opportunities.

  • Accept/decline offers of acceptance by May 1 (or your college's designated date).

  • Pay fees & accept aid packages.

  • Inform Mrs. Seifert of which college you will attend so final transcripts can be sent.

  • Check email and your college portals regularly so that you don't miss important communication! Watch for instructions to sign up for housing, dining, new student orientation, etc.

How to Pay for College

1. Fill out your FASFA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at www.studentaid.gov. This is necessary to determine your eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Even if you don't anticipate qualifying for federal aid, you oftentimes must complete the FAFSA to be considered for scholarships through the school. All students should complete the FAFSA.

2. Apply for scholarships. This is money that does not have to be repaid. There are many scholarship opportunities available - awarded for academics, special activities, financial need, demographics, etc. Each school has their own scholarships, so be sure to check individual college websites. Then use the links below to explore additional opportunities! Also check the block below with regional scholarship postings that have been sent directly to Vance Charter School.

Recommended Scholarship Websites These websites are only some of the ones that have scholarship information.  Remember that scholarship searches and applications should never cost money.

www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx

www.cfnc.org

www.chegg.com

www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org

www.collegeboard.org

www.fastweb.com

https://www.northcarolina.edu/future-students/nc-promise/

www.niche.com

www.nshssfoundation.org

www.petersons.com

www.salliemae.com/college-planning/tools/scholarship-search/

www.scholarships.com

https://studentscholarships.org/

www.unigo.com

www.uncf.org

Individual colleges also have their own scholarships and financial aid.  Please check their websites for more information.

Regional Scholarship Postings

These are scholarship postings that were sent directly to Vance Charter School. They are always emailed to students. A shorter version of the listing is included on this page for reference. National scholarships can be researched using links shared under "How to Pay for College". Be sure to check your college for school-specific scholarships as well!

Kiwanis Club of Henderson awards one senior from each high school in Vance County a $500 scholarship. Applications are available from Mrs. Seifert and are due by May 12, 2023.

NC Community Foundation manages 150 scholarship funds across the state. Search those listings at https://www.nccommunityfoundation.org/apply/scholarships. One example is the Cody Blue Pilkington Scholarship! This is for students heading to NCSU to study engineering, science or math. Deadline is April 30. https://www.nccommunityfoundation.org/scholarships/cody-blue-pilkington-scholarship-fund

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated ®, Nu Chi Omega Chapter is offering three scholarships for graduating seniors. Applications are due on April 17, 2023.  Application packets for all 3 scholarships are available from Mrs. Seifert.

Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation is offering nine $500 scholarships to seniors in Bertie, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Hertford, Nash, Northampton, Vance, and Warren counties. Applicants must have evidence of plans to attend college, and must follow the application guidelines provided. All documents must be received or postmarked by April 17, 2023 in order to be considered. See Mrs. Seifert for an application packet.

Alpha Delta Kappa, Rho Chapter is offering a scholarship to students in Granville and Vance counties. Preference will be given to students who plan to pursue a career in education, but applications are welcome from all career paths. Application forms are available from Mrs. Nowell and are due by April 12, 2023.

Nash Community College is offering a scholarship to one FFA member in the East Central Region and will award the scholarship at this year's Regional Rally. The scholarship will cover the full cost of tuition, fees, and books for one semester. All majors will be considered for this scholarship. Students can apply by submitting the scholarship application (available from Mrs. Seifert) and supporting documents to allison_jennings@ncsu.edu by April 4, 2023. A selection committee will review applications and notify applicants of their choice prior to Regional Rally.

Rotary Club of Henderson - Seniors are invited to apply for one of three $2,500 scholarships available to students graduating from high schools in Henderson. Applications are due by noon on Friday, May 5, 2023. Applications are available from Mrs. Seifert.

Granville Health System Foundation 2023 Sam Perry Memorial Scholarship- $1000 (Deadline: April 28, 2023 at 5:00pm) Awarded to a Granville county resident who has been accepted to a 2- or 4-year allied health program at an accredited school and who intends to pursue a career in the allied health care field. Programs eligible include clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiological science, pharmacy, RN, BSN, ADN, LPN, dentistry and related careers, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner.  Applications are available at www.ghsFoundation.org/ScholarshipApplication.

Lord Granville Agricultural Heritage Association Scholarship (Must be postmarked by May 1, 2023) This scholarship is for post-high school study in the fields of Agriculture, Family & Consumer Science (Home Economics) or related subjects. Awarded to high school seniors who are residents of Granville County or a relative of a member of the Lord Granville Agricultural Heritage Association. The number of scholarships and the amount of each is based on funds available and the number of qualified applicants and may vary from year to year. Application is available from Mrs. Seifert, or online here -https://lgaha.com/scholarships.

Wake Electric Webb Technology Scholarship-$1,500 (Deadline: May 1, 2023) This scholarship was established to provide an opportunity for local high school students to discover and explore technologies that are transforming our world!  To apply, students must live in one of the seven (7) counties Wake Electric serves (Vance, Granville, Franklin, Wake, Durham, Nash and Johnston), fill out an application and write an essay based on the prompt located here.  For more information about James E. Webb and the Scholarship visit:https://wemc.com/community/​webb-scholarship/

The Henderson Optimist Club Scholarships - $4000 - 2 awards (Deadline: June 7 at 5:00 pm) This scholarship is for seniors who live in Vance County. Applications must be turned in to the Henderson YMCA in person in a specific format. To make things easier, Mrs. Seifert will collect applications from students until April 28 (before exams and graduation), and turn them in as a group. Applications available at https://www.henderson-​optimist.org/scholarships, or stop by my office for a printed copy.

Couch Oil Cares Scholarship- $1000 - 6 awards (Deadline: Friday, May 5th) For students who have been accepted into a 2-year or 4-year accredited college and reside in the 16-county area surrounding the Triangle. https://couchoilcares.org/​scholarship/

Brent Strong Foundation Scholarship - Three $500 scholarships will be given to local high school seniors that are continuing their education and pursuing a career in health care/criminal justice.  Applicants must have intentions to continue their education and pursue a health care/criminal justice career directly after high school.  See Mrs. Seifert for a application packet. Applications must be postmarked by April 1, 2023.

Henderson Institute - Robert Bogan Scholarship This is for deserving students attending high school in Henderson, NC or students able to establish a legacy to a graduate of "Henderson Institute". The award may be used at any accredited institution of their choice. The award is for $1000, and will be given annually up to $4000 if a 2.5 or higher GPA is maintained. See Mrs. Seifert for an application form. Applications are due by Tuesday, March 3 at 12:00 noon. Students will be selected based on the following criteria: 1. Academic achievement (at least 2.5 unweighted GPA 2. Financial Need 3. Contribution to school and community 4. Acceptance to a degree-granting accredited institution 5. 3 letters of recommendation 6. Interview with committee

Warren County Cattlemen's Association Scholarship - You must be a resident of Warren County. See Mrs. Seifert for a copy of their application. The deadline is Monday, April 24th.

AgCarolina Scholarship - Their 2023 application period is now open. Applications close on April 15. AgCarolina offers scholarships for 4-H members, FFA members, students attending HBCU's, and students who have a parent/grandparent that is a member of AgCarolina Farm Credit. For more details of all these opportunities and links to the scholarship application, go to https://www.agcarolina.com/​resources/community-support/​scholarships

National Farmers Union has several scholarships available for high school seniors. Visit nfu.org/scholarships for more info on eligibility requirements and how to apply. Deadlines are April 1, 2023. 1. Stanley Moore Scholarship- $1500 2. Hubert K. and JoAnn Seymour Scholarship- $1000-$2000 Both of these scholarships are for students seeking to attend a 2 or 4-year accredited college or university or technical school for any area of study. Must be a Farmers Union member. 3. Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) Scholarship - $1500 For students seeking to attend a 2 or 4-year accredited college or university or technical school for any area of study. Must be a MANRRS member.

SECU "People Helping People" Scholarship - Three NC seniors graduating from charter schools will receive this scholarship, valued at $10,000 per year, to attend one of the 16 constituent campuses of the University of NC System.  Although the SECU Foundation Scholarship program recognizes academic achievement, the People Helping People Scholarship has a much broader purpose - recognizing leadership, integrity and community involvement. The SECU Foundation PHP Scholarship is available only to graduating public high school seniors who are either current members of State Employees’ Credit Union (“SECU”) or the child of a parent/guardian who is a member of SECU at the time of application. Membership eligibility does not include Local Government Federal Credit Union or NC Press Association Credit Union members. Preference will be given to students whose parents or guardians and family members are public sector employees (state, local or federal government; public health; public education) who live and work in NC. Additionally, preference will be given to those majoring in public service degree programs (such as Public Health, Education, Public Administration, and Public Policy). More details are available at links below:

2023 NC PHP Charter School student Eligibility Criteria 2023 PHP FAQs 2023 PHP Membership Verification process

See Mrs. Seifert for application form. The application form is due to the Vance Charter Scholarship Committee on February 24. We are allowed to select 1 school nominee to advance in the SECU scholarship selection process.

The Woodward-Gholson Endowment Scholarship is a local scholarship opportunity that provides scholarships for post-secondary education for students from this area in need of financial support, with strong academics, and a commitment to community service.  An individual is eligible to apply for a 1-year scholarship for education-related expenses if the student meets established criteria.  Awarded scholarships may be renewed.  The committee currently limits scholarships to $7,500 annually ($3,750 per semester), but amounts granted may vary depending on individual need. To apply, contact Mrs. Seifert for the application form and instructions. Applications are due to the Vance Charter Scholarship committee by February 24. We are allowed to select 2 nominees to advance to the Woodward-Gholson scholarship selection committee.

Henderson Junior Woman's Club is offering 3 scholarships this year. All are open to both male and female applicants. Applications are due by January 25, 2023. Application forms are available from Mrs. Seifert (and were emailed to students in December). 1.The Sallie Southall Cotton scholarship worth $500 is offered to a senior planning to attend a four-year college/university. 2.The Linda Weaver scholarship worth $300 is offered to a senior planning to attend a community college. 3.The Stack K. Barnett scholarship worth $300 is more specified.  It is offered to a senior planning to attend Vance Granville Community College in health related fields.

Delta Kappa Gamma International Society for Women Educators - Gamma Chi Chapter is offering a $500 scholarship, renewable annually, for females living in Warren or Vance county who plan to pursue a degree in education. Students who plan to attend a 4-year college, or who plan to start at a community college and then transfer to a 4-year college, are eligible. Applications are available from Mrs. Seifert. Deadline to apply is January 18, 2023.

Florence Kidder Memorial Scholarship- The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the state of NC will award scholarships to NC high school seniors to be used at any NC college or university. 1st place - $3000, 2nd place - $1000, 3rd place - $800 and 3 4th places - $400, plus local committees may provide smaller scholarships to local finalists. Details can be found online atwww.ncdames.org/florence-kidder-memorial-scholarship. The application must be completed and supporting materials uploaded online no later than 11:59pm on February 5, 2023.

NC Golden LEAF Scholarships- These are open to high school seniors who reside in a qualifying NC county, demonstrate financial need, and plan to attend a participating NC public or private university or community college. The application deadline for college/university scholarships is March 1, 2023. The deadlines for community college scholarships are set by each school.

Henderson Optimist Club is sponsoring the 2022-23 Optimist International Essay Scholarship Competition. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, February 7. The Optimist Club will judge student's essays, based on the theme of "Who is an Everyday Hero that Brings Out the Optimism in You?". A flyer with more details is available from Mrs. Seifert, and was also emailed to students on Jan 13.

NCHSAA Scholarship Opportunities for Student-Athletes - Some of their deadlines coming up:

  • Charlie Adams Endowed Scholarship: 02/20/23| Awarded to two senior male high school athletes participating on a varsity wrestling team and two senior female high school athletes participating on a varsity cross-country team at an NCHSAA member school. Each recipient receives a one-time $2,500 scholarship.

  • Wilburn Clary Medal Award: 02/20/23| Awarded to one male and one female graduating senior student-athlete participating on a sanctioned varsity sports team during their senior year at an NCHSAA member school. The athlete must have participated in at least two sanctioned varsity sports during their high school career. Each recipient receives a one-time $3,000 scholarship.

  • The Mark Dreibelbis Scholarship: 03/17/23| Awarded to four student-athletes participating on a sanctioned varsity team at an NCHSAA member school who have displayed exceptional leadership. Recipients each receive a one-time $2,500 scholarship.

  • Jerry McGee Endowed Scholarship: 03/17/23| Awarded to four senior high school student-athletes from NCHSAA member schools. This award is unique because it honors both male and female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves by overcoming adversity and returned to excel beyond expectations in their scholastic athletic sport(s).

  • Pat Gainey Student Award: 03/24/23| Awarded to two student-athletes with a focus on need-based applicants. Applicants must be either a senior, male high school student-athlete participating on a varsity baseball team, or a senior, female high school student-athlete participating on a varsity sports team at an NCHSAA member school within a county of limited financial resources (more details within application). Each recipient receives a one-time $5,000 scholarship.

  • Willie Bradshaw Memorial Endowed Scholarship: 03/24/23| Awarded to an outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Native and/or Asian Pacific Islander American, or Hispanic American student-athlete participating on a sanctioned varsity team at an NCHSAA member school. Award Process: one male and one female from each of the eight regions will be selected to receive a one-time $750 scholarship to further their education. If applications are not submitted from all eight regions, other submitted applications may be considered to complete the pool of sixteen regional recipients. From the pool of 16 regional recipients, one male and one female will be selected as overall state winners and receive an additional $1,000 each.

  • Tony Cullen Memorial Scholarship: 04/14/23| Awarded to two senior male and two senior female high school student-athletes participating on the varsity level lacrosse team at an NCHSAA member school, planning to attend a college or university in pursuit of higher education. Each recipient receives a one-time award of $1,000.

  • FloSports Track & Field Scholarship: 04/14/23| Through partnership with the NCHSAA, FloSports has designated funds to be used towards scholarship support of one male and one female track and field student-athlete at NCHSAA member schools. Each recipient will receive a one-time $1,000 scholarship.

National Scholarships

A sampling of state & national scholarships with upcoming deadlines are listed below. You can find more opportunities like this by researching scholarship websites! A list of recommended websites is listed in another block on this page.

Rural Technology Fund Cyber Security Scholarship- 3 awards, $1000 each, Deadline: April 14, 2023 https://studentscholarships.​org/scholarship/10146/rural-​technology-fund-cyber-​security-scholarship

Porch Skilled Trade & Technology Scholarship- 4 awards, $2000 each, Deadline: April 16, 2023 https://studentscholarships.​org/scholarship/16170/porch-​skilled-trade-and-technology-​scholarship

Mike Rowe Works Scholarship - This scholarship is for high school seniors who are enrolling in an approved trade program at an accredited 2-year college, vocational or technical school, or other approved technical institute in the US. The application is due by April 12 at 11:59pm PT. For more info, see https://www.mikeroweworks.org/scholarship

NC Community Foundation manages 150 scholarship funds across the state. Search those listings at https://www.nccommunityfoundation.org/apply/scholarships.  One example is the Cody Blue Pilkington Scholarship! This is for students heading to NCSU to study engineering, science or math. Deadline is April 30. https://www.nccommunityfoundation.org/scholarships/cody-blue-pilkington-scholarship-fund

Intertech Foundation STEM scholarship ($2500, 1 award, Deadline: April 15) This scholarship is for students heading to college to study computer science. Minimum GPA of 3.3 required. More info available at https://studentscholarships.org/scholarship/10816/intertech-foundation-stem-scholarship

Scott & Kim Verplank Foundation Scholarship ($10,000, 1 award, Deadline: April 15) This is a renewable scholarship for college-bound seniors who had a childhood diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. For more info see https://verplankfoundation.com/scholarships/

Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes ($10,000, 25 awards, Deadline: April 15) This scholarship is for students ages 8-18 who are working on an inspiring service project, or have done so within the last 12 months. You must be working as an individual to lead your service work. More info can be found at https://barronprize.org/apply/

UNIGO All About Education Scholarship ($3000, Deadline: April 30) Open to US students. Submit an answer to this question in 250 words or less: "How will a $3,000 scholarship for education make a difference in your life?" For more info visithttps://www.unigo.com/scholarships/our-scholarships/all-about-education-scholarship

ASHRAE Scholarship for High School Seniors Are you planning to major in engineering at an approved school?*(Check out the link below to find out if your institution meets the criteria for eligibility.)Do you have an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0?  Are you within the top 30% of your class?(Class rank 35 or less)*If you answered "YES" to all of the above, check out the scholarship below for a chance at $3,000 towards your education https://www.ashrae.org/communities/student-zone/scholarships-and-grants/high-school-senior-scholarships

College & Job Fairs

Tuesday, May 9 - Young Adult Hiring Event - This is a job fair planned exclusively for high school seniors in our 5-county area. The registration deadline has been extended to April 21. Register online at https://bit.ly/​hiringevent2023. They anticipate around 40 employers attending.

Virtual College Fairs on 2/19, 3/19, 4/2 We are lucky to have one of the NACAC National College Fairs in our state, but if you cannot make it to Charlotte, check out the Virtual College Fairs that NACAC is offering this spring. Details available here.

Sunday, March 19 - Charlotte NACAC National College Fair Students are invited to attend a college fair in Charlotte at The Park Expo & Conference Center from 12:00 - 3:00 pm. Currently 168 colleges are registered to attend. This is a great opportunity for students who are interested in out of state schools! Students must register to attend. Parents are welcome to attend as well. This page has good tips for attending college fairs. Feel free to come see me if you would like additional information.

Saturday, March 4 - Alpha College Round-UP at Rocky Mount High School from 8:00am - 4:00pm The Rocky Mount Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, INC is sponsoring this event. Vance Charter high school students (9th-12th grade) are invited to register to attend. See Mrs. Seifert for details and registration information - over 80 colleges have been invited to attend and seniors are encouraged to bring their transcripts as some colleges will make on-site admission offers. Registration deadline is 2/22/23, and the event is limited to the first 1,000 registered students.

Tuesday, Feb 28 - R3NC Mini College Fair at Vance Charter School A group of Raleigh-based admission reps has joined together to offer mini college fairs this spring. They will be at Vance Charter School during the lunch block on 2/28. Come speak to the admission representatives from 8 colleges that day

  • Alabama
  • App State
  • East Carolina University
  • Saint Andrews (Laurinburg, NC)
  • Temple
  • University of Alabama @ Birmingham
  • UNC Greensboro
  • West Virginia University
Leadership & Summer Programs

NC House Page Program- 4 day experience This program offers young men and women the opportunity to learn about, and participate in, the legislative process of our state. It is a four day long experience that allows high school students that are currently in grades 10, 11 or 12 to observe firsthand how our laws are made. It provides them the unique privilege of working in the House Chamber in the midst of legislative action. For more info, visit www.ncleg.gov/House/​PageProgram. Applications are accepted until all weeks have been filled.

NC Senate Page Program- 4 day experience This program offers young men and women the opportunity to learn about and participate in the legislative process of our state. It is an experience that allows high school students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade to observe firsthand how our laws are made. It provides them the unique privilege of working on the Senate Chamber floor in the midst of legislative action. For more info, visit https://www.ncleg.gov/​Senate/PageProgram. Applications are accepted until all weeks have been filled.

NC Governor's Page Program- 4 day experience Since 1973, the Governor's Page Program has provided high school students an opportunity to spend a week in Raleigh learning about state government. Each week, Pages are assigned to a state government agency or office to assist employees with daily responsibilities. Pages tour several historic landmarks, including the State Capitol, the Legislative Building and the Executive Mansion. Pages also participate in service projects and have the opportunity to meet elected officials. Applicants must be a junior, senior or recent graduate. For more info visit http://governor.nc.gov/​citizen-services/governors-​page-program

Other Senior Info

For all regular school or counseling issues, Mrs. Bender is available to assist students with their needs.  To see the counselor, please visit the office.  To schedule appointments with the counselor, use this link: https://benderjr.youcanbook.me, email a request to benderjr@vancecharter.org or call the school at 252-431-0440

All seniors should complete a Senior Career Plan form at the beginning of the school year and then make an appointment to meet with Mrs. Seifert, the College & Career Coordinator. To schedule an appointment, visit https://seiferta.youcanbook.me or email a request to seiferta@vancecharter.org.