Guiding students to be bold enough to use their voice, brave enough to follow their God-given dreams, and strong enough to pursue the life they were created to live.
At GCHS, we strive to provide our students with the best resources and opportunities for their future. As part of our commitment to their academic and personal growth, we are proud to offer access to Naviance, a comprehensive career and college planning platform. Naviance is a valuable tool that assists our students in exploring their interests, setting goals, and making informed decisions about their post-secondary education and career paths.
Planning for college starts on the first day of high school. We want you to have an amazing high school experience while keeping in mind that everything that you do matters when it comes to college admissions. We have put together these grade specific timelines if you want to make sure that you aren’t missing important details along the way.
We are here to serve as you pursue academic, social, and professional success.
Department Lead
10th Grade K-Z, 12th Grade
College/Career Counselor
Every year, GCHS hosts the annual NACCAP Christian College Fair in October. We recommend that every student attends the fair every year. Relationships are built and are able to grow as you see the same reps every year at the fair. We will also keep you posted on local public school fairs as well. Follow findyourchristiancollege.com to watch for fairs in the area.
The summer after your freshman year is a great time to visit at least one college. From there, it is important to make a list of colleges you will want to visit, as well as talk to your parents about when/where. AT GCHS, every senior is allowed four excused college visit days. Juniors have three excused days, and sophomores have two days. A college visit form must be completed and approved 5 days before the scheduled visit.
Due to familiarity and proximity, every year we have graduates attend ASU, GCU, U of A, and NAU. Some other schools that GCHS graduates have attended are Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Johns Hopkins University, Baylor University, University of Alabama, and many, many more!
At the beginning of your senior year, your GCHS counselor will meet with you to discuss your college options and application process. From there, your counselor will help you understand everything that is required including teacher recommendations, transcripts, etc. College applications go live at most colleges on August 1st of your senior year.
Some students know exactly what they want to study in college, and others are fine to go undecided. Either way, in Naviance, you can take self assessment quizzes that will help you narrow down your options.
You will have a college list built in Naviance and that will be the foundation of all of your application due dates, LORS, and Common App submissions.
The FAFSA is an essential part of the application process. FAFSA= Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Many colleges will require this application be filled out in order to receive any type of financial aid, including merit scholarships. This form is available to all students in the fall of their senior year.
This is both the easiest and most challenging question that most students ask when they are thinking about college. The easiest way to apply for scholarships is just to do it! We have both a local and a national list of scholarships available for you to search on Naviance. Also, we will post opportunities throughout the year in the school newsletter. FInally, please check out this incredible resource: The Scholarship File.
We offer an ACT Prep class in the spring and the fall. These classes have a small fee and are held during Z hour. For SAT prep, we recommend the free program on Khan Academy.
We do not offer the ACT/SAT on our campus. When you register for the test online, you will also choose a testing center. There are many locations around the valley to choose from.
We suggest taking your first test in the spring of your junior year. That way, if you decide to test again, you will have time before you start your college applications.
We do not send scores to colleges. When you sign up to take the test, you can list the colleges that you want the testing company to send your scores to. Or, you can wait until you apply to college to decide which schools you want to have scores sent to. Your counselor can help you navigate this decision.
A superscore is taken from the highest score in each category of each test. Most colleges will take your superscore when scores are submitted directly to them. This is at the discretion of each college, however it is very common.
Students who qualify for low income scholarships can contact their GCHS counselor for a fee waiver for each test they take. Only one fee waiver per test, per student.
Yes, we do! We have a program that is available to you your senior year. It is your responsibility to secure an internship and then get it approved with the high school administration with the help of your counselor. If you are considering an internship, it is best to talk to your counselor in the spring of your junior year.
Doing an internship your senior year is an excellent way to explore your options. Also, the Career Planning component of Naviance allows students to realize their goals, skills, knowledge, values, constraints, and interests to help them make better academic decisions. During this process, students learn about the academic preparation required to pursue careers that are likely to be fulfilling for them. This can be done through your student account on Naviance.
Yes! Naviance has an excellent resume builder on their website. Your GCHS counselor will guide you through the process of building an excellent resume with the help of Naviance. We recommend that every student creates a resume on Naviance before their senior year.
While volunteering is not required to graduate, we highly recommend submitting your volunteer hours. The first reason is because all hours that are approved go directly onto your transcript and this looks good for college admissions. The second reason is that if you get 150 hours approved by the spring of your senior year, you will get special recognition at graduation!
28 credits are required for graduation from GCHS. We highly recommend working through the 4 year plan worksheet and keeping it close when you register for classes each year.
While grades are key and your cumulative GPA is absolutely necessary, there is more to the college admissions process than that. Colleges are looking for well rounded students who have dedicated time to extracurricular activities. Part time jobs and volunteer opportunities are also excellent college resume builders.
Your counselor is here to help you! We will make sure that all communication is flowing between student to teacher and parents! We want you to do well and will work with you to ensure that you are in the best classes for your abilities.
We have several summer programs listed for you in Naviance. Completing a rigorous summer program is not a guarantee that you will get accepted into a competitive program, however, it will help build your college application activities list which is a very important part of your application.
You must be logged in to your school email account. From there, click the 9 square apps button and scroll down to the Naviance widget. Click to be automatically signed in. Here is a quick little video to help:
*Read your school email carefully!
*Read the weekly update that is sent out by the school every Friday.
*Follow GCHS_Counseling on Instagram
*Attend Junior and Senior Nights with your parents
*Familiarize yourself with Naviance
Most students begin taking dual enrollment classes beginning in their junior year. Students must register/pay with our partner university. Families receive emails from GCHS with details regarding the registration process.
Dual enrollment classes are high school classes, taught at a college level. These classes meet the requirements for both high school graduation and college courses. Students may earn college credit if they pass a dual enrollment class with a grade of C or better.
The AP program offers college-level courses for high school students. AP classes prepare students for an AP exam. If the student scores high enough on the AP exam, they may qualify for college credit or have the opportunity to take advanced courses as a college freshman.
GCHS has decided to take advantage of dual enrollment, as it provides a better success rate of courses transferring to the colleges/universities our students attend. Colorado Christian University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, therefore all DE courses offered are also accredited. Our dual enrollment teachers have been approved through an application and evaluation process with CCU.
You will complete a transcript request from Colorado Christian University. You will provide the name of the institution you want the transcripts sent to and CCU will send those. If you are a graduating senior, it is suggested to wait until the final grades have been posted or you’ll end up having to send the transcripts again.
Aa GCHS, we are dedicated to providing our students with a well-rounded education that prepares them for success in college and beyond. As part of our commitment to academic excellence, we understand the importance of standardized testing, such as the AST (Admission Screening Test) and ACT (American College Testing), in the college admissions process. We offer comprehensive information and resources to help our students navigate these tests with confidence.
We are always available to meet with students during school, but here are a few links to the most commonly asked questions.
