SCHOOL COUNSELING
IN-SCHOOL EVENTS
Junior Post-Secondary Planning
Counselors presented in junior history classrooms March 5-7th on the post-secondary planning process. All materials shared will be shared here, in the Class of 2026 Google Classroom, and in a School Counseling Newsletter shortly.
Maynard Local Scholarships
Counselors will be presenting to seniors in senior project regarding financial aid, scholarships, and loans on March 18th. The local scholarship application will be shared at this time.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
SERF College & Career Fair - March 16
The Sudbury Education Resource Fund (SERF) is hosting their annual College & Gap Year Fair, that consists of a series of webinars culminating with an in-person College & Gap Year Fair held at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School.
This year the webinars will be held on March 10th-13th in the evening from 7pm-8pm and the in person fair with over 80 College Representatives in attendance will be on Sunday, March 16th from 12pm-3pm.
Please see their website for more information.
NACAC National College Fair Boston - March 27-28
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) invites families to explore the college search process at the NACAC National College Fair in Boston held on Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Friday, March 28, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. The fair will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Complete information about the fair, including free student registration, can be found here.
College and Your Mental Health Webinar presented by NAMI - March 31, 7-8:30pm
NAMI Central Massachusetts' annual College and Your Mental Health program prepares students and parents for transition and success in a college environment for those living with a mental health condition.
Families are invited to join the webinar, where your identity is private, for information on topics such as: disclosing a diagnosis, life skills to master before the 1st term, privacy laws surrounding adult students, communicating with the support services office, types of support on campus, managing a daily college schedule, and more.
When: Monday, March 31, 2025, 7-8:30pm
More information can be found here. Please register here.
NEACAC College Fairs
The New England Association of College Admission Counselors will hold college fairs throughout New England during the month of May. The closest fairs will be held in the following locations:
Merrimack College (N. Andover) - Sunday, May 4, 6-8pm
Assumption University (Worcester) - Wednesday, May 14, 5:30-7:30pm
Bridgewater State University (Bridgewater) - Thursday, May 29, 9am-12pm
For more information about the NEACAC fairs in general, please check out their website.
bryt Parents Supporting Parents Conversations
bryt Parents Supporting Parents Conversations offer a safe environment for parents of children dealing with mental health challenges to support one another.
The Middle/High School Parents conversations are scheduled for the third Tuesday of the month, from 7-8pm. Upcoming dates include March 18, April 15, and May 20th. Use this link to join.
The BIPOC Parents conversations are scheduled for the 4th Tuesday of the month from 7-8pm. Upcoming dates include March 25, April 22 and May 27. Use this link to join.
Free Parent Workshop Series
The Concord Center's Parent Workshop Series is an ongoing opportunity for parents to receive guidance and education around mental health challenges and treatment options for their children and adolescents. These workshops are offered virtually on select Wednesdays from 12-1pm, and are free of charge.
April 2: Coping Ahead for Summer
May 21: Intro to MATCH
July 16: Collaborative Problem Solving
Registration for these events can be found here.
POST-SECONDARY PLANNING
Class of 2025: As you apply to colleges and scholarships, please make sure you are completing the transcript release form if you need us to submit a transcript.
FINANCIAL AID
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which all colleges require for financial aid (and sometimes merit aid, as well) is available.
Step 1: create your FSA ID (username and password) here. You should complete this at least one week ahead of starting the FAFSA.
Step 2: complete the FAFSA here.
MEFA has created a handy checklist for what you need and the steps to complete the FAFSA.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts also provides resources for supporting families completing the FAFSA. Additional resources are available here and here is a list of events and one-on-one support for completing the FAFSA.
Mass State Financial Aid Programs
Other resources available to help students afford a college degree include:
MassEducate: provides free tuition and fees at the state’s community colleges for all eligible Massachusetts students.
MASSGrant Plus: can provide significant discounts (up to free tuition and fees) at the state’s four-year universities depending on family income.
Eligible, non-U.S. citizens can apply for state financial aid through the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA).
MEFA Financial Aid Webinars
The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) is hosting two virtual Financial Aid Offer Hotline events from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19 and Wednesday, April 16 to help college-bound students and their families understand financial aid offers. Each student/family will meet with a financial aid expert to walk through college financial aid offers the student has received, calculate the estimated balance due at each school, and consider their options for paying the remaining college costs. Families can drop in virtually to either event. Interested students and families can register online.
2025 FAFSA Days
Financial aid professionals from colleges and organizations across Massachusetts
will be ready and available to answer questions and walk families through the application process on specific dates in early 2025. Click here for more information. Click the specific dates below to register for each event. (Links will be added here when they are available.)
Monday, April 14, 6-7pm
Tuesday, April 29, 6-7pm
Scholarships
It's never too early to think about applying for scholarships. The counselors have created this document with tips and links for where to find information. Bentley University has also compiled this informative list.
All scholarships that counselors hear about are posted in Google Classroom, so be sure to check there often.
STUDENTS WITH 504s OR IEPs
The process to receive accommodations at college is not the same as in high school. Students need to disclose their disability and request accommodations through the office of disability services (sometimes also called accessibility services). For more information about the transition to college with a disability, check out these resources.
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Mental Health/Crisis Hotlines
Advocates 24/7 Mobile Crisis Line: 800-540-5806
MA Behavioral Health Help Line: 833-773-2445
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Crisis Text Line: Text ACT to 741741
theTrevorProject.org 1-866-488-7386
Trans Lifeline 1-877-565-8860
Community and Mental Health Resources (Webpage)
Mental Health Resources List (Google Doc)