Counselor's Corner

Loey Mills

High School

Guidance Couselor

Our high school counselor, Loey Mills, takes a great interest in the future success of our students, and has served for 25 years. Beginning in August, she meets with each senior to discuss their college and career goals. Then the search begins to find the top colleges that best fit each individual student's needs. Mrs. Mills works diligently throughout the school year to help secure scholarships and funding to help our students reach their goals. We incorporate the latest technology available to help us gain the greatest resources. Annually our students collectively receive on average between $800,000 - $2,800,000 in scholarships, and over a million in 2025. We are proud to say that our graduating seniors have been accepted to many of Alabama's prestigious colleges such as, the University of Alabama, Auburn, Samford University, Birmingham Southern and many others across the country.

Applying for Financial Aid

Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov

To be considered for most types of financial aid and even scholarships for post-secondary education, you must first complete a form called the “Free Application for Federal Student Aid," also known as the FAFSA form. Financial aid is money to help you and your family cover educational expenses. It is intended to supplement (not replace) the amount you and your family can afford. Grants, scholarships, and work-study programs are the main types of aid available to you. Seniors may apply for financial aid by filling out the FAFSA form online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA form may be filled out with your parent's social security number if they have completed the previous year's income taxes. It is important that you complete the FAFSA application as soon as possible.

Types of Aid

Grants and Scholarships
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- TEACH Grant
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
- Aid for Military Families

Loans
- Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
- Plus Loan
- Perkins Loan

Work-Study Jobs
Aid for International Study

Counselor's Corner

High School

College Application Week

Nov 4-8

Many colleges in Alabama and nearby states will waive their application fees during this time. Every Alabama high school senior can apply for free to more than 40 colleges during College Application Week. To apply to participating schools, visit the schools’ website and locate their “Apply” page.

Financial Aid Profile

www.collegeboard.com

College Board, a nonprofit association of schools and school systems, colleges and universities. Many institutions use the information collected on PROFILE to help them award non-federal student aid funds. College Board does not award scholarship money or other financial aid. By completing PROFILE, you are able to give a complete picture of your family's financial circumstances, including explanations about special circumstances, on a single application.

College Scorecard

www.collegescorecard.ed.gov

Find the college that's the best fit for you! The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard has the most reliable data on college costs, graduation, and post-college earnings.

Common Application

www.commonapp.org

Students can complete one Common Application, photocopy it and send the form to any of the 232 participating colleges and universities. Visit commonapp.org to access the application and view the participating colleges.

Search Engines

FREE Scholarship Database Specifically for Alabama Students All seniors seeking scholarships should register at the following website for scholarship informaton.
www.achievealabama.org