Scholarships
With the new year brings the announcement of scholarships from outside local agencies. Below is a list of scholarships that have been made available for you to complete in Naviance. This list will grow as we continue into the spring.
Seniors can access many regional and national scholarships through Naviance. Once logged in click Colleges>Scholarships & Money>Scholarship Search to access.
Scholarships recently added:
1. Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund - Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund - Due 5/1/26 2. Supporting Democracy Leadership Award - Due 3/27/26
3. Zenas Crane Fund for Student Aid - Due 3/15/26 - For Central Berkshire School District residents - https://berkshiretaconic.org/scholarships/zenas-crane-scholarship-fund
4. Garrett Francis Collins and Josephine Goodwin Collins Scholarship Fund - Due 3/15/26 - For Hinsdale residents - https://berkshiretaconic.org/scholarships/garrett-francis-collins-and-josephine-goodwin-collins-scholarship-fund
5. Glenn W. Hoffman Innovation & Creativity Scholarship - Due 4/13/26 - Visual Arts - https://thruglennslens.org/pages/application
6. Men's College Scholarship - Due 4/1/26 - https://foundationfe.org/highschoolscholarship/?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nhss2026
7. Pittsfield Adams Lodge of Elks - Due 4/1/26
8. Massachusetts Elks Career & Technical Education Grant Program (CTE) - Due 3/1/269. Rebekah Assembly of Massachusetts - Due 3/31/2610. Girl's Inc. of the Berkshires (multiple scholarships) - Due 3/20/2611. Hillside Agricultural Society 2026 Scholarship - Due 4/30/2612. 2026 Daniel Pearl Scholarship - Due 4/20/26
Webinar: Honors vs. AP? GPA vs. Difficulty? What Colleges Really Look For
On Wednesday, January 11th at 8 PM ET, CollegeAdvisor is hosting Course Rigor, Grades, and Context: How Admissions Officers Read Transcripts with Admissions Expert, Dr. Aya Waller-Bey.
This free webinar offers an inside look at how colleges evaluate high school transcripts and is led by someone who has been on the admissions side of the table.
In addition to working as an admissions officer at Georgetown University, Dr. Waller-Bey also holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Cambridge where she was a Gates Cambridge Scholar as well as a PhD in Sociology from the University of Michigan, where she studied college admissions.
During this session, she’ll break down how transcripts are reviewed and share practical guidance to help students make smart academic decisions throughout high school.
You’ll learn:
- How admissions officers assess course rigor within the context of each student’s school
- How grades are evaluated alongside curriculum choices and academic progress
- How students can choose classes strategically while balancing challenge and performance
Whether you’re planning next year’s schedule or thinking ahead to college applications, this webinar will help you make informed decisions with confidence.
Register by clicking link below:
College Guidance Network Webinar: Have you built a college exploration plan? We have strategies and advice to help!
The February College Admission Workshop is coming up on February 10th!
February's topics will help support and guide your family through college list building strategies, visit planning, and researching the colleges that best fit your goals.
These monthly workshops focus on key milestones in the 11th grade journey, paired with easy, actionable steps to take. We also encourage our 9th, 10th, and even 12th grade families to attend to ask any questions they may have!
Register via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vltrtVAFR6qG072_yyeKfg#/registration
Seniors can access many regional and national scholarships through Naviance. Once logged in click Colleges>Scholarships & Money>Scholarship Search to access.
Scholarships recently added:
3. Zenas Crane Fund for Student Aid - Due 3/15/26 - For Central Berkshire School District residents - https://berkshiretaconic.org/scholarships/zenas-crane-scholarship-fund
4. Garrett Francis Collins and Josephine Goodwin Collins Scholarship Fund - Due 3/15/26 - For Hinsdale residents - https://berkshiretaconic.org/scholarships/garrett-francis-collins-and-josephine-goodwin-collins-scholarship-fund
5. Glenn W. Hoffman Innovation & Creativity Scholarship - Due 4/13/26 - Visual Arts - https://thruglennslens.org/pages/application
6. Men's College Scholarship - Due 4/1/26 - https://foundationfe.org/highschoolscholarship/?utm_source=pardot&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nhss2026
7. Pittsfield Adams Lodge of Elks - Due 4/1/26
8. Massachusetts Elks Career & Technical Education Grant Program (CTE) - Due 3/1/26
On Wednesday, January 11th at 8 PM ET, CollegeAdvisor is hosting Course Rigor, Grades, and Context: How Admissions Officers Read Transcripts with Admissions Expert, Dr. Aya Waller-Bey.
This free webinar offers an inside look at how colleges evaluate high school transcripts and is led by someone who has been on the admissions side of the table.
In addition to working as an admissions officer at Georgetown University, Dr. Waller-Bey also holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Cambridge where she was a Gates Cambridge Scholar as well as a PhD in Sociology from the University of Michigan, where she studied college admissions.
During this session, she’ll break down how transcripts are reviewed and share practical guidance to help students make smart academic decisions throughout high school.
You’ll learn:
- How admissions officers assess course rigor within the context of each student’s school
- How grades are evaluated alongside curriculum choices and academic progress
- How students can choose classes strategically while balancing challenge and performance
Whether you’re planning next year’s schedule or thinking ahead to college applications, this webinar will help you make informed decisions with confidence.
Register by clicking link below:
The February College Admission Workshop is coming up on February 10th! February's topics will help support and guide your family through college list building strategies, visit planning, and researching the colleges that best fit your goals. |
These monthly workshops focus on key milestones in the 11th grade journey, paired with easy, actionable steps to take. We also encourage our 9th, 10th, and even 12th grade families to attend to ask any questions they may have! Register via this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vltrtVAFR6qG072_yyeKfg#/registration |
Pre-College @ UMass Amherst
Summer Pre-College programs at UMass Amherst are residential and online academic programs for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. With courses taught by UMass faculty and graduate students, award-winning dining, modern residence halls, and fun co-curriculars, our programs offer hands-on experience in college coursework and college life.
Programs are available in 25+ topics, ranging from Anthropology to Veterinary & Animal Sciences and everything inbetween. Whether you're looking for hands-on lab sciences, computer programming, business, or architecture & design, UMass has a pre-college program to fit your interests.
Visit our website to learn more and check out the full list of programs for Summer 2026.
UMass Amherst - Pre-College Anthropology Course
Programs are available in 25+ topics, ranging from Anthropology to Veterinary & Animal Sciences and everything inbetween. Whether you're looking for hands-on lab sciences, computer programming, business, or architecture & design, UMass has a pre-college program to fit your interests.
Visit our website to learn more and check out the full list of programs for Summer 2026.
This course will cover topics in Primatology, including primate evolution, behavior, ecology, and conservation. Day-to-day activities will include lectures and discussions based on assigned readings and videos. There will also be electronic lab (e-lab) assignments to aid in learning about the Primate Order, including topics such as taxonomy and anatomy, locomotion, feeding ecology (i.e., dentition and diet), to name a few. The e-labs will include wonderful 3D models of the specimens we will study, as well as short videos.
By the end of this session students will have a basic understanding of evolution and ecology, particularly of the Primate Order, which includes us humans. Students will also have an understanding and appreciation of the aforementioned topics, and how they interact and influence one another. In addition, students will become well versed in the many diverse and beautiful primate species we have around the world, and what we may do to help conserve them and the other endangered animals in their shared ecosystems.
This class will be beneficial for future studies in the fields of biology, conservation, and ecology.
This will be an online two-week course. Here is a link to the website with more details.
Williamstown League of Women Voters offering Supporting Democracy Leadership award
The Williamstown League of Voters is offering the Supporting Democracy Leadership Award ($500) for youth ages 16-21 who are preregistered or registered voters. Three awards will be given to applications from North, Central and South Berkshire County.
Applications are available in the WRHS Guidance Department and seniors can download them via their Naviance account.
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College/University/Trade Open Houses announced
Now is the time that many Colleges/Universities & Trade schools are announcing open houses. These events are an excellent opportunity to visit a campus, meet faculty, and coaches. You can find information about specific open houses with a simple google search by typing "open house" & the College/University name.
Below are some direct links to open houses you may be interested in:
The Last meeting of this cycle is January 12th at 3:30PM
There will not be another informational meeting until Late Summer 2026
If you’re feeling unsure about your career path—or even if you have some ideas but want to explore more options—we highly recommend taking the Naviance Career Interest Profiler! It’s a great tool that can help you discover careers that align with your interests and strengths. Remember, there are many paths beyond college. Trade schools, apprenticeships, and gap years can provide valuable experiences and skills. Keep an open mind about what might suit you best.
To access it, simply log into your Naviance account (https://student.naviance.com/wahconahreghi), navigate to the Self-Discovery tab, and select Career Interest Profiler. It only takes a little time and can provide you with valuable insights into your future! As you find careers that interest you, you can even use the Favorite🩷 option to save them for easy access later.
Please feel free to reach out to your School Counselor if you need help logging in to your Naviance account.
SUNY Tuition Match Program
The State University of New York offers tuition matching to help make SUNY's excellent education more accessible and affordable for students outside of New York State.
Massachusetts is one of eight states where SUNY will match the tuition and fees of our state flagship campus: The University of Massachusetts @ Amherst. ($18,487). Note, this figure does not include room & board.
The participating SUNY campuses include: University at Albany, SUNY Brockport, Buffalo State University, SUNY Canton, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Delhi, SUNY Environmental Science & Forestry, Farmingdale State College, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Maritime, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Old Westbury, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
MassHire YouthWorks programming
Students interested in looking for a job can receive assistance from the Berkshire MassHire Youth Works program. More information can be found here: https://www.masshireberkshirecc.com/youth/youth-programs/
You can reach out to Mrs. Grady at cgrady@cbrsd.org and Mrs. Kelly Groves-Skrocki, Youth Program Coordinator at kskrocki@masshireberkshirecc.com for further details and assistance.
Attend Community College in Massachusetts for free!
A new program titled MassEducate has been initiated by Governer Maura Healey and the Massachusetts Association for Community Colleges that allow Massachusetts residents who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree to attend any of the state's 15 community colleges and pay no tuition or fees. Both programs include an allowance for books and supplies for certain students.
To be eligible, students must:
1. Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)
2. Apply to your local community college and enroll in an approved program of study. Applications are open all year long and there is never an application fee.
3. Have physically resided in Massachusetts for at least one year, as of the start of your first enrolled term.
4. Have earned a high school diploma or equivalent.
5. Are enrolled in at least six credits (usually two classes) per semester in an approved program of study leading to an associate degree or certificate.
6. Maintain satisfactory academic progress in accordance with the college's requirements.
part of their holistic admission and placement decisions, and your score is a valid way to show what you've learned. Most juniors take their first SAT in the spring, and many take it again in the fall of their senior year to improve their score. It can help you keep your college options open, demonstrate your unique strengths, and even qualify for scholarships. Note: All students can be considered for a CollegeBoard Fee Waiver and other benefits when they are deemed eligible by completing the CBRSD Supplemental low-income data collection form. Reach out to your School Counselor and they will direct you to the form you can complete for consideration.
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Upcoming 2025-26 SAT Dates
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SAT Practice available to all students. When students take a full-length digital practice test in Bluebook™, they’ll get the full adaptive digital testing experience, as well as receive their scores, tailored information about the questions they got right and wrong, and thorough answer explanations. SAT practice resourses can be found here to ensure they feel confident and prepared to do their very best on test day: practice information Financial Aid 2026-2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2026-27 FAFSA is now open!
WRHS students and their parents are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The FAFSA supplies Colleges & Universities with important information used to create a student's financial aid offer. This will allow your students to maximize their financial aid including federal, state and institutional aid.
Here are links to resources to help you fill out the 2026-27 FAFSA:
- View the Pro Tips for the 2026-27 FAFSA form
- Stay up-to-date with FAFSA announcements and events
- The U.S. Department of Education's FAFSA help information
Financial Aid - Create an FSA ID
If you plan to submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply for college financial aid, you’ll need to create an FSA ID first, which allows you to begin the FAFSA process. And you need to create your FSA ID at least a few days before you start the FAFSA, so now’s a great time to check that step off your list. Join us for this webinar where we walk through the process of creating an FSA ID, explain who needs to create one, and discuss other things to know before completing the FAFSA.
https://youtu.be/ziaXYHe5864?si=w2ZU1sR_G9ehHEnz
Financial Aid Process
You can find excellent Financial Aid resource videos from the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority regarding the financial aid process and details regarding financial aid forms that you will be asked to complete via the link below.
Below is a link to an update regarding the FAFSA
https://www.mefa.org/fafsa-simplification-updates-resources
Raise Me Scholarships
RaiseMe partners with universities to offer students scholarships for their
achievements during high school and college. WRHS students grades 9-12 can
access this website to participate via this link. https://www.raise.me/how-it-works
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College search resource: College Scorecard
Search and compare colleges: their fields of study, costs, admissions, results, and more.
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
CGN College/Career Library The College Guidance Network provides an excellent library of resources through a video library to help students and families obtain information about their College & Career search. You can find it here via this link:
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