This is especially true at most of the highly selective institutions.  Some colleges are 'Test Optional,' but students should plan to prepare for the SAT or ACT as needed. You can visit fairtest.org for a complete and most up-to-date list of 'Test Optional' schools. 

In preparation for the SAT, Columbus requires all students to take the PSAT 8/9 their freshman year and the PSAT/NMSQT in both sophomore and junior years. The PSAT usually takes place in October of every year.

• You can find information on the SAT exam, including upcoming exam dates, registering for an official exam date, preparing for the exam, and accessing your scores here.

For the ACT, students take the PreACT in freshman and sophomore years, while all juniors are required to take the ACT during school on a special exam day as part of their graduation requirement. The Pre-ACT and official ACT usually take place in March of every year.

• You can find information on the ACT exam, including upcoming exam dates, registering for an official exam date, preparing for the exam, and accessing your scores here.

The School Counseling Department administers and monitors a series of testing tools to prepare Explorers. Test results and their interpretations are made available to students and their parents/guardians through individualized and group presentations.

The College & Career Guidance Department has an NCAA Coordinator, who advises prospective student-athletes through college recruiting and selection, offering insights, accountability, and resources to help Explorers confidently navigate their college recruiting landscap

• FLORIDA BRIGHT FUTURES
  • The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is funded by the state of Florida, and it provides scholarships based on high school academic achievement, each with its own eligibility criteria and award amounts: For more information, check out the Initial Eligibility and the Scholarship Information pages.
• FAFSA
  • Colleges use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid families are eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans. States, colleges, and some private aid providers also use FAFSA information to determine eligibility for their aid. For more information, visit the Federal Student Aid website.
• CSS PROFILE
  • The CSS Profile is an online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. For more information, visit the CSS Profile website.

There are many scholarship search engines that students can utilize to search for scholarships based on their unique profile. Below are some of the search engines we recommend:

• raise.me – is a platform that allows students to earn micro-scholarships as early as 9th grade and discover your path to the best college for you.
• BigFuture – is a scholarship search tool via the College Board where you’ll find a comprehensive scholarship database.
• fastweb – is a free scholarship search platform that connects students to scholarships and financial aid tools.