CAREER & COLLEGE INFORMATION

Supports for the New Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Below is a list of resources that are available for families regarding the new FAFSA application that is now available. 

Additionally, on February 7, 2024 at 6:00pm we host a FAFSA support session in conjuntion with the GSFC to review the new FAFSA line-by-line to support you with correctly completing the new form for your students. 

FAFSA Updates:

2024-2025 FAFSA Updates| Knowledge Center

Soft Launch of the 24-25 FAFSA Form| Federal Student Aid

Other Helpful Links:

Youtube Playlist

2024-2025 FAFSA Roadmap | Knowledge Center

What's Changed for the 2024-2025 FAFSA Form?

Many colleges and universities reach out to Riverwood to present information sessions to juniors and seniors. The majority of these visits occur during the fall and this year all visits will be virtual.  A comprehensive listing of schools, with dates and times, is updated daily in Naviance. Additionally, a listing of college informational events and Open Houses and other special programs (see below College Visits) offered throughout the year will be posted in Naviance. The list is updated frequently as college representatives schedule virtual visits.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​REPS at Riverwood​

1. Sign on to Classlink (username is your student number and password is your date of birth).​

2. Click the Naviance App once in Classlink​

3. On the main page of Naviance, scroll down to the bottom of the page and locate the What's New section. A listing of upcoming visits will appear.​

4. Once you locate a college which interests you, click on More Info next to the visit information.​

5. On the next page, in the upper right corner of the page, you will see a green Register button. Click that button to register for the visit.​

6. Upon registration, please confirm your absence from class with your teacher by retrieving the college visits pass from the college and career center. This absence must be approved by the teacher for the class that you will miss. If it is not approved, please log back into Naviance to cancel your registration. You may not miss a major assignment without prior planning with your teacher.​

7. Please arrive  5 minutes before the scheduled session. ​

 Please contact Roxie Garber with any questions: garber@fultonschools.org  

Ga Futures, the partner website for the Georgia Student Finance Commission, is the go-to for information regarding post-secondary information related to the state of Georgia. The website provides information regarding state and lottery-funded scholarships (including HOPE/ZELL Scholarships), grants, service cancelable loan programs, free financial aid consultation, and dual enrollment information. GSFC's mission is to ensure Georgia students have an opportunity to access education beyond high school. 

Students are encouraged to create an account on the website during their freshman year to help keep track of their HOPE/ZELL MILLER GPA which determines their eligibility for the HOPE/ZELL MILLER SCHOLARSHIP, to research post-secondary college options in the state of Georgia, to learn about dual enrollment regulations, and to learn about other state/federal aid programs.   

Naviance Student allows you to:

Get involved in the planning and advising process – Build a resume, complete online surveys, and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers

Research colleges – Compare GPA, standardized test scores, and other statistics to actual historical data from our school for students who have applied and been admitted in the past

Research careers – Research hundreds of careers and career clusters, and take career assessments

Create plans for the future – Create goals and to-dos, and complete tasks assigned to you by the school to better prepare yourself for your future college and career goals

 You can use SuperMatch to:

Find & Pin a School by Name: allows you to find a college that you already know that they’re interested in. “Pinning” that school will leave the school at the top of your list of results and allow you to compare that school to other institutions based on their search criteria. An unlimited number of schools can be pinned.

Find Your Best Fit: allows you to select from 23 criteria that are important to you in your college search. You may choose as many or as few factors from the left-side options. With each selection you make, a list of results will update in the center of your screen. We recommend that you make at least five criteria selections before examining your results to allow the program to narrow down from the 4,000+ schools available.

Add to list: SuperMatch will allow you to add colleges to your “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list on Naviance Student. 

We hope that you will find this resource helpful. If you have any questions about Naviance Student and the college application process, please contact us.

ACCESS YOUR NAVIANCE ACCOUNT TODAY via ClassLink: https://launchpad.classlink.com/fcs

 Need more support with Naviance? Contact Roxie Garber or your counselor of record. 

Everything that you need to know to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center to compete at an NCAA Division I or II school can be located on the NCAA Clearinghouse website. You can also create a  free profile page if you plan to compete at a Division III school or are not yet sure where you want to compete.Check out the links at the bottom of the page. 

Military

Joining the military can be an exciting and life-changing experience.  There are a lot of reasons young men and women across the United States show an interest in the Armed Forces.  Some have a multi-generational respect for the military and want to serve like their older relatives did.  Others want job security and the benefits that come along with being in the military.  Whatever the reason, joining the United States military can really create a great foundation for future personal growth (taken from www.military.com).  

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is the most widely used multiple-aptitude test battery in the world. As an aptitude test, the ASVAB measures your strengths, weaknesses, and potential for future success. The ASVAB also provides you with career information for various civilian and military occupations and is an indicator for success in future endeavors whether you choose to go to college, vocational school, or a military career. This is assessment is required to be taken by any individual that wishes to enter the military. This test is administered each January at Riverwood (2021 date TBA). 

More information about the benefits of considering a career in the military can be located at www.military.com. 

Current Riverwood Military Recuriter Contacts

subject to change

Air Force  Chris Dowd  Christopher.dowd.2@us.af.mil

Army:  Clifford Dalrymple   Clifford.w.dalrymple2@mail.mil

Army National Guard:  Daniel Hunter  Daniel.d.hunter.mil@mail.mil

Georgia National Guard:  David Solorio  David.a.solorio.mil@mail.mil

Marines:  Toyria Mattear  Toyria.mattear@marines.usmc.mil

Navy:  Mikel Irvine  mikel.s.irvine@navy.mil

                                 Navy: Jemmerria McBride  jemmerria.mcbride@navy.mil                         

SAIL:  Seniors Achieving in Life

SAIL (Seniors Achieving in Life) is a rewarding and effective program pairing adults with seniors needing assistance navigating the college and technical school application process. Started in 2013 with support from the Sandy Springs Education Force (SSEF), the program reaches 40-50 students each year. Longtime partner SSEF pays the testing and application fees for students for whom those fees present a hardship.

During spring semester, volunteer adults will meet on campus one or two hours per week with their assigned student at a mutually agreed upon time. The program usually runs from late January through March. The Counseling Center trains the adult volunteers and provides assistance during the program.

Counselors identify SAIL candidates as those who possess the grades and determination to pursue post-secondary education but who, by the middle of their senior year, have not begun the application process. Mentors work with students on a weekly basis, assisting them in applying for required testing, such as SAT, ACT, or ACCUPLACER. Over the course of a few months, adults guide the students through the process of filling out admissions documents, writing essays, requesting transcripts, completing financial aid documentation, and applying for scholarships. Mentors are volunteers from the community; many are current Riverwood parents, a few are former Riverwood parents, but a number are not directly connected to the school.