Students must provide the OLSH College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Code when registering for the ACT or SAT, and may be asked to enter the code on college applications.
College Planning Guides
Below are checklists of important information and steps each student and parent should take during each year of their high school experience. While each student's situation is unique and some circumstances may vary, these lists provide general guidelines for students to follow throughout their high school career.
Throughout the school year, speakers from various colleges and universities come to OLSH to present information about their institutions to OLSH students. The schedule for these speakers is listed on the Counselor's Corner each week and in the weekly Grapevine e-newsletter. Students interested in meeting with a college representative can sign up for a pass with Mrs. Pontiere in the Counseling Center.
Information Sessions
The Counseling Center hosts several evening information sessions to help guide parents and students through the college planning process.
College Information Night
School counselors Mrs. Darcy Pihlblad and Mrs. Regina Woynar -- along with a guest speaker -- give a presentation covering a variety of topics, including: college admission testing (SAT/ACT), college selection, the college application and admissions process, and choosing a college major. OLSH graduation requirements as well as policies and procedures related to the release of OLSH transcripts are also be discussed. All OLSH parents and guardians are invited to attend.
College Financial Aid Night/FAFSA Completion Night
The Regional Director of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) gives a presentation about financing a college education. Topics covered include: grants, scholarships, low interest loans, work-study jobs, federal aid programs, state aid programs, private aid sources, college financial aid, and how need is determined. All OLSH parents and guardians (especially those of juniors and seniors) are invited to attend.
Following the Financial Aid presentation, a representative is usually available to help families of college-bound seniors complete the online Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA). Federal student aid is available for students who wish to pursue a post-secondary degree at any accredited college, university, trade or technical school, whether public or private.
Seniors are allowed two excused absences for college visits.
Students planning a college visit must: 1. Turn in a completed College Visit Notification Form to the Main Office two weeks prior to the scheduled visit.
2. Turn in a completed Prearranged Absence Notification form a minimum of one day prior to the planned absence.
Both forms can be found on the Blackbaud Resource Board or can be picked up in the Counseling Center.
College Financial Aid Information
Funding Your Future
PHEAA offers a wealth of information regarding applying for college financial aid. The brochure below, Funding Your Future, is a helpful guide to the financial aid process.
PHEAA provides a number of different avenues for students and their families to use if questions arise concerning the FAFSA application process, how to apply for grants, student employment, career planning, and other important issues:
Call 1-800-692-7392 and a representative will personally assist you
December: The new, simplified FAFSA application will be available in December of 2023.
May 1: The FAFSA filing deadline for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program for all new applicants who plan to enroll in baccalaureate degree programs, including those who enroll in college transfer programs at two-year public colleges or junior colleges (excludes community colleges).
August 1: The FAFSA filing deadline for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program for all new applicants who plan to enroll in community colleges; business, trade, and technical schools; hospital schools of nursing; or two-year non-transferable career programs at two-year public, junior, or four-year colleges.