Sayge Bohannon is preparing for a career as a pediatric occupational therapist

Sayge Bohannon is a senior at Richford High School who plans to apply to college programs that prepare students to become pediatric occupational therapists. Last year she took college-level courses and did well, which has reduced her nervousness about taking four online classes this school year through the Community College of Vermont via Vermont's Early College program.

Academic and extracurricular profile

She is president of her school's National Honor Society chapter and participates in soccer and track. Sayge frames her senior year as challenging but appropriately preparatory for college. She toured two colleges over the summer and may take more tours in the fall as she narrows her application list.

How she is preparing and who is helping

Sayge works regularly with Matt Mitchell, a VSAC outreach counselor within VSAC's GEAR UP college and career readiness program. She meets with him every other week to ask questions, refine her college list, and get help with application materials. Matt helped Sayge complete the Common Application and find a scholarship that covered textbooks and course materials for her CCV classes. School counselors also support her.

Financial readiness and application logistics

Sayge already completed FAFSA forms for her CCV program, so she feels familiar with the financial aid process as she completes applications this fall. She's balancing essays, FAFSA, scholarship applications, and campus tours while deciding where to apply.

Sayge says college was always expected in her family—her mother wanted that opportunity for her—and she finds motivation in meeting those expectations and making her family proud. She emphasizes trusting her instincts: "When I've done the work, I'll know it's the right fit." She is applying the same work ethic she used for CCV to her college applications and feels confident that with hard work and guidance she will land in the right program.

Immediate next steps for Sayge include finishing her online CCV classes, finalizing college applications this fall, pursuing additional campus visits, and completing remaining scholarship and financial aid paperwork. Her support network includes a VSAC counselor, her high school counselor, and family.

Corp. is a public nonprofit agency created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965. VSAC provides counselors in nearly every Vermont middle and high school, offers scholarships and grants, supports workforce development, and administers VT529 savings, loan, loan refinance, and loan forgiveness programs. The article notes VSAC's role in helping Sayge access counseling and a scholarship for course materials.