Welcome to the Guidance and Counseling Department
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Alumni Association and Foundation
I would like to share some important information concerning congressional nominations to our nation’s service academies. All students at these institutions of higher education receive full tuition, room and board, and books at no cost. Four of the five academies - U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), U.S. Military Academy (USMA), U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) - require applicants to apply for and receive a congressional nomination from either a U.S. Representative or a U.S. Senator.
Congressman Andy Kim is hosting a Service Academy Day February 24th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM to learn about the application and nomination process. Representatives from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the other federal service academies will be there to answer questions. I have attached a flyer with details and registration information that you can share with your students.
High school freshman, sophomores, and juniors interested in attending a service academy are encouraged to attend. Congressional staff will be present to explain the nomination process. Family members, counselors, and educators are welcome. The details are as follows:
Feb. 24, 2024
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Westhampton Public Library
5 Pioneer Blvd
Westhampton, NJ 08060
Students are encouraged to visit usmma.edu/admissions to learn more about the Academy. The USMMA’s digital viewbook highlights Midshipman life, sports, sailing, academic programs and majors, the unique year at sea training, and more.
If you have any questions or would like to set up a Zoom session to learn more about USMMA, Please contact our Director of Admissions CDR Mike Bedryk, USMS.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Livi '82
Senior Vice-President
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation, Inc
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Alumni Association and Foundation
300 Steamboat Road, Kings Point, New York 11024 - www.usmmaalumni.com
Strategies for Making the Most of Scholarship Applications
When it comes to getting money for college, scholarships can be critical. Even a small scholarship could mean the difference between being able to continue postsecondary education or having to withdraw.
This webinar will address tips and techniques for applying for scholarships. The webinar is intended for high school and college students and parents, but high school and college professionals are welcome to attend as well.
Tuesday, January 30th
7:00pm Eastern
(Presented by Mapping Your Future)
For this training we will use Zoom Webinars, which can be accessed from any computer or mobile device.
Click on this link to register.
Interested in getting a part time job at the Somerset Patriots Ballpark?
For students over 16, there will be a Job Fair on
Saturday, February 24th from 9:00am - 1:00pm.
Click here for more information and the application form.
The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is Now Available
Due to federal processing delays this year, HESAA (and colleges/universities) will not receive students’ data for several more weeks. This will directly impact our work here at HESAA in processing state aid, but please be assured that we are monitoring the situation continuously and are prepared to load student award eligibility into NJFAMS as quickly as possible upon receipt of this data.
Please note that NJ Dreamers will be able to access the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application by the end of January. This application will again be available in NJFAMS.
To help support students and their families, HESAA has expanded our calendar of free webinars to support participants in understanding and completing the application process. Please be sure to share our webinar schedule with the New Jersey students you serve:
FAFSA Completion Workshops: https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/FAFSA.aspx
NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application Completion Workshops for NJ Dreamers: https://www.hesaa.org/Pages/NJAlternativeApplication.aspx
Working Papers are going digital! As of June 1, 2023 go to MYWORKINGPAPERS.NJ.GOV to process working papers.
College Visits
Juniors and Seniors
Welcome back to school! The Guidance Office is very excited to invite colleges and universities to come visit with you in person again. In addition, we are also making virtual visits an option, in case school representatives cannot visit in person. The visiting schools are given the following time slots:
In Person Visits will be held at 8am, 9am, 10am, and 1pm in the Media Center
Virtual Visits will be held at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm
To see which schools are coming to SHS, either in person or virtually, please log into Naviance and do the following:
Click on Colleges at the top of the page
Click on College Visits
Click on Register for the school(s) you wish to visit with
We ask that you register for no more than 5 in person visits. You may register for as many virtual visits as you would like. If you need assistance with logging into Naviance, please send Mrs. Garvey an email or visit her in the Guidance Office.
If you were unable to attend Junior Parent Night on Wednesday January 24th, please click here for the presentation booklet
.
