Guidance News

RoadMap to College – February 6th from 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. This is an evening event to help parents and students prepare for the college experience. This is a required event for all juniors and at least one parent. Seniors, sophomores, and freshmen and their parents are also invited. We are excited to have:

  • Dr. Derek Halvorson, the President at Covenant College, presenting on “Selecting a College”,
  • Apologist and author, Mr. Jonathan Morrow from Impact 360, presenting on “Owning Your Faith After High School”,
  • Mr. Tyler Peterson, the Executive Director of Admissions, Financial Aid and Scholarships from UAB, presenting on “Scholarship and Financial Aid”,
  • Mrs. Tara McNeal (Director of Guidance at BCS) and Mrs. Karin Bell (School Counselor at BCS) presenting on “College Admissions 201.”

BCS College Fair – February 7In addition to our Roadmap to College presentation, we will also host our annual Junior College Fair the following day from 2:00-3:30pm. We currently have 29 colleges and universities committed to participate. All Juniors will be released at 2:00pm to visit the fair. We encourage all parents, regardless of grade level, to also attend the fair. All other students are welcome to attend at the end of the school day. This college fair will provide you and your student an opportunity to begin the college exploration process armed with the information shared during the evening event.

Virginia Military Institute Informational Night A VMI information night will be held onMonday, February 20, 2017 at 7 pm at the Birmingham Marriott, 3590 Grandview Parkway, Birmingham, AL. This event might be of particular interest to any students with interest in applying to any of the Federal Military academies or those students who wish to pursue ROTC in college.Anyone is welcome to attend and registration can be completed online at

*University of Montevallo ACT Prep Camp University of Montevallo is hosting an ACT prep camp onFebruary 4th from8:30am-4:30pm.The cost will be $100, and students of UM employees willreceive a 20% scholarship.To date, UM has offered the ACT Prep Camp twice, serving more than 125 high school students. The majority of students that have participated in this camp have increased their ACT score by at least two points, with many increasing by as much as five to seven points.

Register today at/

*Just a reminder for parents - you should have received a College Preparation Checklist Booklet from your high school student.. It is very useful in finding money for college, taking the right courses, and looking at different careers. It is a good resource as an overall planning guide for college. We have extra copies in the Guidance office if you need one.

*FAFSA is the application for Federal Student Aid for students entering college in Fall 2017. To complete a FAFSA application, visit:

Avoid common mistakes on your FAFSA application by reading this:

Financial aid begins with the FAFSA, yet in 2013an estimated 47% of high school graduates neglected to submit theirs, resulting in 2.9 billion dollars in Pell Grants going unclaimed. No student can afford to miss out on financial aid opportunities, which is why we createdour guide to the FAFSA.

*Just a reminder that it is the law that men turning 18 must register with the Selective Service. It keeps students eligible for federal loans and grants, state student aid and even admission to some state schools, jobs and training, and, in most states, a driver’s license. Also, college scholarships can be affected if a student has not registered. Register at sss.gov.

College Events

*Auburn Engineering E-Day 2017- This year’s Auburn University’s Engineering Day (E-Day) is scheduled for Friday, February 24 from 8 am to 1 pm. E-Day is an excellent opportunity for students in grades seventh through twelfth to explore a wide range of engineering disciplines. Students can view exhibits, talk with faculty and departmental representatives, and meet with other students who know first-hand what it is like to study engineering. You can pre-register for E-Day at Please come by the Guidance office if you have any other questions.

*We have copies of the 2016-2017 edition of “Apply: The Guide to the Online Application for Clemson University” in the Guidance office. Students may come by the guidance office and pick one up if they are interested in Clemson University.

*University of Montevallo President’s Outdoor Scholars Program This program includes conservation and game management, lectures and activities related to hunting and fishing techniques and strategies, internships related to the outdoor industry, guided hunting and fishing trips. Scholarships are available. For more information or to apply, contact William Crawford, 205-665-6216 or

*Covenant College Campus Preview Weekends These preview weekends are unique opportunities for participants to explore the vibrant community we enjoy on our mountaintop campus. Students spend two nights in the residence halls with current students, sit in on classes, worship with us in chapel, tour the campus and much more. The cost of attendance for the weekend is $40 per student. Students may register online at covenant.edu/eps. The next date for the 2016-2017 preview weekend is March 30-April 1, 2017.

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Southern Tennis Scholarship All high school seniors who live in the Southern section should apply for the scholarship, which provides $1,000 a year for four years. This scholarship is for students who are well-rounded students, who also play tennis. The application is online and takes 30 minutes to submit. The direct link for the application is here:

The Coolidge – A Scholarship for America – We want to share a major scholarship opportunity, the Coolidge Scholarship. “The Coolidge” is a full-ride scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study. One of its main distinctions is that it can be used by recipients an any accredited U.S. college or university. The main criterion for the Coolidge is academic merit.

Any high school junior who plans to enroll in college in the fall of 2018 and is an American citizen is eligible to apply (unfortunately current high school seniors are not eligible to apply).

All applications must be received by 7:00 pm EST, February 22, 2017.

For more information, including the application, is available at Coolidgescholars.org.

*Robert O. Finley, III Foundation Scholarship – The Robert O. Finley, III Foundation Scholarship of $5,000 was established by former athletes of Coach Bob Finley to provide financial aid to a high school graduating senior. Coach Finley believed that participation in athletics was an excellent way to build character. Therefore, the applicant must meet the following criteria:

  1. Any child of a Berry High School graduate,
  2. Participating in any athletic endeavor as a player, manager, trainer, or cheerleader
  3. An overall acceptable grade point average
  4. Has been accepted into a school of higher learning beyond high school
  5. Exhibited character traits in a life which were so prevalent in the life of Coach Finley, e.g., character above reproach, outstanding citizenship, unselfish service to the community, school and faith
  6. Completion of all requirements of the application

If you are interested in applying for this scholarship, please come by the Guidance office for an application. The deadline is May 1, 2017.

*The aim of the Junior League of Birmingham’s Academic Scholarships is to recognize and assist female students in the Birmingham area who have exemplified characteristics that complement the vision of the Junior League of Birmingham. Considerations for the scholarship include community service and/or other extracurricular activities, financial need, and academic excellence.
The application process for The Junior League of Birmingham Academic Scholarships opens January 1, 2017. The scholarship committee will grant one-year scholarships to qualified female applicants in the minimum amount of $1,000.00 per student for the 2017-2018 academic year (the number and value of scholarships granted varies from year to year).
Students must:

  • Reside in Jefferson or Shelby Counties while not living on campus.
  • Enroll as a full-time or part-time student in any private or public accredited two or four-year school for the 2017-2018 school year.
  • Submit their application and supporting documentation byMarch 1, 2017.

Students should apply on the Junior League of Birmingham website,jlbonline.com.

Summer Opportunities

University of Alabama has two residential summer programs for exceptionally talented high school students who are typically underrepresented in the College of Commerce: Culverhouse Majors Awareness Program (CMAP) and Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP).

Culverhouse Majors Awareness Program

Who:11thor 12thGrade in Fall 2017

When:June 11-16, 2017

Cost: FREE (excludes transportation to/from Tuscaloosa, AL)

This is a program of the College of Commerce whose objective is to showcase each of the business disciplines – accounting, finance, economics, marketing, management, management science, and information systems – in an interactive formats designed for in-depth exploration. Students also participate in skill, career, and relationship development opportunities throughout the week. Students who will be first generation college graduates, students from low income households, and students of underrepresented groups are invited to apply.

Accounting Career Awareness Program

Who:10th, 11thor 12thGrade in Fall 2017

When:June 25-30, 2017

Cost: FREE (excludes transportation to/from Tuscaloosa, AL)

We are excited to host this nationwide program of the National Association of Black Accountants. This program introduces high school students of underrepresented groups to career opportunities in accounting through a carefully tailored curriculum involving local university faculty and guest lecturers from business and government. Students also participate in a group business case for the chance to win a $1,000 scholarship and enjoy fun extracurricular activities throughout the week.

As the Spring semester begins, we would encourage students to participate in these programs in Summer 2017. The application window for both programsbegins onFebruary 1, 2017and will close onApril 15, 2017. More information about each camp and a link to apply can be found on the website:.

*OxBridge Academic Programs Discover the world’s greatest classrooms through the Academic Summer Programs for OxBridge Academic. Their programs are located in Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, Paris, Montpellier, Barcelona, Salamanca, Los Angeles, New York, and Boston. Students are offered challenging programs in the following disciplines: Art History, Literature, Politics, Economics, Drama, Creative Writing, Speech, Debate, Medicine, Law, Business, Architecture, Filmmaking, and intensive Spanish and French language classes.

These programs are open to students aged 13 to 18 for the summer of 2017. For more information, contact or 1-800-828-8349. We also have information in the Guidance Office.