College Admission DeadlineTimeline for Preparing to Go to College
This Service and Expert Advice provided by
Scholarship Experts. So you want to go to college once you finish high school? Are you really organized and prepared?
It is a two-year process when planning for college. And unless a rich uncle is going to write that $30,000 check for you, you're going to need to acquire and submit some financial aid forms, scholarship applications, and grant applications. But don't give up. By following the advice below, and by carefully monitoring the process, you should be buying college textbooks before you know it. Just remember, however, that this is a process; it isn't like taking one test and getting an A. It requires perseverance, double-checking, and follow-up.
When you are a high school JUNIOR:
Take the SAT and/or ACT...this is required by all the major universities and colleges.
Keep your grades and GPA up! Keep in mind that colleges look at your entire high school academic record when making admissions decisions: what you do in 9th through 11th grade is just as important as what you do as a high school senior.
Consider college alternatives. Decide what is important to you in a college: Location? Curriculum? Size? Diversity? Athletics? Social life?
Watch your local papers and community bulletin boards for college nights and open houses; talking to representatives at college fairs is a great way to find out about the colleges you are considering.
Analyze your scholarship and grant options. Use one of the best customized scholarship search service available on the Internet,
ScholarshipExperts.com. You just can't imitate their resources yourself; they will save you time and headaches, and help you avoid scams.
Obtain scholarship information and applications with early deadlines. It's never too soon to do so because some scholarship and grant applications need to be received by the fall of your senior year.
Get involved in your community, in extra-curricular activities at school, join a club, do a service project, sign up for a committee at your church.
Admissions officers and scholarship providers will want to see some proof of your leadership and commitment to service when they review your applications next year.
In the FALL of your SENIOR year:
Choose the colleges that interest you most, as soon as you enter your high school homeroom. Don't procrastinate. Send away for information and applications; be sure to browse their web sites for information you can obtain online.
Register to re-take the SAT or ACT. Purchase a study guide or sign up for a test prep course to take before the actual test date. Believe it or not, you CAN improve your test scores by taking them a second time, and better scores could affect your chance to get scholarships!
If possible, visit any of your target colleges you can. Determine when there are prospective student activities or if you can sign up to "shadow" an existing college freshman.
In September (and then once each month thereafter), look for scholarship opportunities using the premiere online service,
ScholarshipExperts.com. Take time to complete the entire profile on the site, making sure to ask your parents about their work experiences and association/union memberships for optimal results.
Give careful attention to early admission deadlines. By October or November, send in applications for early decision programs.
Attend a financial aid presentation, which are offered at many schools, libraries, and college campuses.
Reduce your list of target schools, and make sure you have all the financial aid forms required by each school. Required documents may not be the same at each college, so pay close attention to what each one requires.
Obtain a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), available in January; it is very important. Just call 1-800-4-fed-aid, or go to the online address
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA form can also be obtained from your high school, at colleges, and at local libraries.
Fill-out and submit the FAFSA immediately (it can be submitted anytime after January 1st in your senior year). Make a copy for yourself. Your parents should gather income tax information and complete their tax documents early.
In the SPRING of your SENIOR year:
Confirm that you have submitted all of your financial aid forms. The FAFSA must be completed and sent in between January 1 and March 15 -- send it in early and file it correctly to avoid delays in funding decisions.
Send in your scholarship applications on time; several scholarships have spring deadlines. Check continually with
ScholarshipExperts.com to find even more awards during the spring and summer months; be sure that you should update your profile each month to generate new, customized award lists.
Confirm that you have received your Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR should arrive about 4 weeks after you have submitted your FAFSA.
Examine and compare financial aid packages when you receive admissions notifications. You should look for the best rather than the most.
Decide on your choice and notify the college.
Sign and send in the financial aid forms to the university.
Send your final transcript and student loan application to the univeristy you plan to attend.
Inform the schools whose enrollment offers you decline.
Now you can celebrate! You are about to enter one of the most special and amazing times of your life, and one that will change you forever. Make the most of your college experience. Remember it's important to study, and to maintain your GPA so that you can maintain your scholarships throughout your college career.
For additional information about this topic, visit
www.ScholarshipExperts.com.
