Conference Note 4: College Applying & Funding Plans Put Into Action
College Applying & Funding Plans Put Into Action
Thank you for choosing to be here! This session will begin at noon and will be recorded. Today's Presenters: Mary Allen Conforti, Asst Director of Advising & Jr/Sr Program Ashly Wilson, Assitant Director of Financial Aid and Advising Cindy Zimmerman, Student-Selected Advising Coordinator Please display your full name and plan to stay for the session. If you are having connectivity issues please contact us at (336) 825-2411. Questions or suggestions can be entered into the chat box or addressed at the end of the session.
Crosby Scholars Staff for Assistance Cindy Zimmerman Student-Selected Advising Coordinator czimmerman@crosbyscholars.org
Mary Allen Conforti Assistant Director of Advising & Jr/Sr Program maconforti@crosbyscholars.org
Lirisbeth Clemente-Marin Advising and JR/SR Program Specialist I lmarin@crosbyscholars.org
Ashly Wilson Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Advising awilson@crosbyscholars.org
CROSBY SCHOLARS OFFICE www.crosbyscholars.org (336) 725-5371 | (336) 725-1321 (fax) advising@crosbyscholars.org seniorprogram@crosbyscholars.org
Revisiting Important Topics & Resources RDS Senior Program Roadmap Advising Calendar Scholarship Announcements in high schools Testing Tuesday emails from Senior Program Smart Money Moves newsletter Weekly emails
Reminders Transcript accuracy Confirming graduation date On Demand Academies Senior Academy - December 1 College Fair/College Visit - December 1 Community Service - January 31, 2027 CFNC’s College Application Week Participating Colleges for October 2026
Activities Section and/or Résumé Tips: quality over quantity clubs/activities; positions/leadership; hobbies; employment list in order of importance use abbreviations that are understood i.e. MVP, NHS don’t have to complete all available spaces (10 maximum on Common App) be sure to include activities that are not found elsewhere in the application
Helpful resources: Common App: Guide for First-Year Applicants How to Write a College Application Résumé that Stands Out
Mary Allen Conforti Assistant Director of Advising & Junior + Senior Program maconforti@crosbyscholars.org
Essay Services Essay Review Service until November 17th Essay Coaching available until December 1st Senior Academy Credit is awarded for participating!
Confirming Application Types Having a solid strategy for application season is key. If you or your scholar needs help determining the best plan, please reach out to us. Early Decision - binding (ED I and ED II) Early Action Regular Decision Rolling
Conference Note 4
This meeting cycle is putting into action: College applications Crosby requirements - Overview for Advisor Reference, Class of 2027 Begin creating college funding plans (ex: FAFSA, merit aid scholarships, etc.) Find in CrosbyConnect under “Meeting Notes.” CN4 Meeting Outline Complete by November 30, 2026. This cycle aligns with the Dec. 1 deadlines for both Community Service & CF/V. Reach out if you have questions.
Direct Admissions
Direct Admission: A college admissions process in which institutions proactively offer qualifying students admission based on academic achievements, such as GPA, before a formal application is submitted. Read your Tuesday emails for pertinent links and articles regarding NC College Connect.
Conference Note 4 Summaries CN summaries should give the most accurate snapshot of how the student is doing and their progress and needs. These are specific to the scholar and provide valuable insight. These summaries are viewable by Admin, Advisors, scholars and parents. That’s everybody! Please take extra care to make these summaries thorough. We have some Summary Samples to guide you!
Receiving Admissions Decisions Accepted: student is granted admission, must confirm by May 1 and pay enrollment deposit Denied: student is denied admission for this year's cycle but could reapply for Fall 2027; this decision is final Deferred: decision has not been made; decision has been "deferred" to later in this application cycle (ex: deferred from Early Action round to Regular Decision round)
Rolling decisions are likely to be the first news that a scholar receives but it will vary by school. While most decisions won’t be released during the CN4 cycle, note that both UNC Chapel Hill + NC State Early Action will be released before the winter holidays.
Ashly Wilson Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Advising awilson@crosbyscholars.org
Class of 2027 Crosby Scholarships Crosby Scholarships will open November 2, 2026 Students will apply using Scholarships Handbook Scholarships Handbook will be released November 2 How to Apply for Crosby Scholarships Webinar: November 11
Other Scholarship Resources Available Now CollegeBoard | BigFuture Scholarships for Seniors Scholarships360.org Fastweb.com School Counselor Newsletters
Available Later NC Community Foundation (Dec 15) Thurgood Marshall College Fund (Nov 1) Winston Salem Foundation (Jan 2027)
2027-28 FAFSA: Open Now 27-28 FAFSA requires 2025 Tax Return information Parents are considered Contributors and will need to provide information on the FAFSA form Students and Parent Contributors need own, separate StudentAid.gov accounts Parents without Social Security Numbers are still able to obtain a StudentAid.gov account and can Contribute to their students FAFSA Look out for our FAFSA Friday Email Series on Fridays in October Need help with FAFSA? Contact our Financial Aid Team, and we will reach out to student to schedule a virtual financial aid advising appointment.
StudentAid.gov
2027-28 CSS Profile CSS Profile opens October 1 Financial Aid form establishing eligibility for non-federal financial aid. Find which schools require it at CSSProfile.CollegeBoard.org Elon University no longer requires CSS Profile for Class of 2027 and onward $25 for first application and $16 for all subsequent applications Many schools have specific CSS PROFILE deadlines. Make sure to meet those deadlines. CSS PROFILE has automatic fee waviers built into form for families with an Adjusted Gross Income of less than 100k
CSSProfile.Collegeboard.org
Using Net Price Calculators to Estimate College Expenses Net Price Calculators: Net Price calculators can estimate your Net Price (cost to you after anticipated financial aid is applied) of hundreds of schools. It's important for Parents to understand how much they may realistically pay each year for college costs. CollegeCosts.Ed.gov BigFuture.CollegeBoard.org
Questions or Suggestions
Thank You For Being With Us! Cindy Zimmerman Student-Selected Advising Coordinator czimmerman@crosbyscholars.org
Mary Allen Conforti Assistant Director of Advising and JR/SR Program maconforti@crosbyscholars.org
Lirisbeth Clemente-Marin Ashly Wilson Advising and JR/SR Program Specialist I Assistant Director of Financial Aid and Advising lmarin@crosbyscholars.org awilson@crosbyscholars.org
Senior Program seniorprogram@crosbyscholars.org
Advising Program advising@crosbyscholars.org
This resource was developed by Crosby Scholars and reflects the organization's unique programs, practices, and expertise. It is intended for use within the organization and may not be duplicated without permission.