Timeline for Getting Ready to Go to College
Expert Advice provided by ScholarshipExperts.com.
So you're planning to go to college once you finish high school, right? But are you really ready?
Planning for college is a two-year process. And unless a rich uncle is going to write that $30,000 check for you, it is going to involve acquiring and submitting financial aid forms, scholarship applications, and grant applications. But don't despair. By following the suggestions below, and by carefully monitoring the process, you should be buying college textbooks before you know it. Keep in mind, however, that this is a process; it isn't like taking one test and getting an A. It requires diligence, double-checking, and follow-up.
When you are a high school JUNIOR:
Take the SAT and/or ACT...this is a must.
Keep your grades up! Remember 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 options. Decide what is important to you: Location? Curriculum? Size? Diversity? Athletics? Social life?
Keep an eye on 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.
Research your scholarship and grant options. Utilize the best customized scholarship search service available on the Internet, ScholarshipExperts.com. You just can't mimic their resources yourself; they will save you time and headaches, and help you avoid scams.
Send away for scholarship information and applications with early deadlines. It's never too soon to do so since some scholarship and grant applications need to be received in the fall of your senior year.
Make an effort to be involved in your community or 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 evidence of your leadership and commitment to service when they review your applications next year.
In the FALL of your SENIOR year:
Select the colleges that interest you most, as soon as you enter your high school homeroom. Don't delay. Send away for information and applications; be sure to check out web sites for information you can obtain online.
Sign up to re-take the SAT or ACT. Buy 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 ability to get scholarships!
If possible, visit any colleges you can. Find out 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), search for scholarship opportunities using the premiere online service, ScholarshipExperts.com. Take time to fill out the entire profile on the site, making sure to ask your parents about their work experiences and association/union memberships for optimal results.
Pay attention to early admission deadlines. By October or November, submit applications for early decision programs.
Attend a financial aid presentation. These are offered at schools, libraries, and college campuses.
Narrow your list of intended colleges, and make sure you have all the financial aid forms required by each school. Required documents may not be the same at each school, so pay close attention to what each requires.
Obtain a Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). This should be available in January, and it is very important. Call 1-800-4-fed-aid; the online address is http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA form can also be obtained from high schools, colleges, and local libraries.
Complete and submit the FAFSA immediately (it can be submitted anytime after January 1st in your senior year). Make a copy for yourself. Parents should compile income tax information and complete taxes early.
In the SPRING of your SENIOR year:
Verify that you have submitted all of your financial aid forms. The FAFSA must be filled out and sent in between January 1 and March 15 -- get it in early and file it correctly to avoid delays in funding decisions.
Be sure to send in your scholarship applications on time; several scholarships have spring deadlines. Check back regularly with ScholarshipExperts.com to find even more awards during the spring and summer months; you should update your profile each month to generate new, customized award lists.
Verify that you have received your Student Aid Report (SAR); it should arrive about 4 weeks after you have submitted your FAFSA.
Compare financial aid packages when you receive admissions notifications. Look for the best rather than the most.
Finalize your choice and notify the college.
Sign and return financial aid forms to the university you plan to attend.
Send your final transcript and student loan application.
Notify the schools whose enrollment offers you decline.
Now celebrate! You are about to enter one of the most amazing times of your life, and one that will change you forever. Make the most of your college experience, and remember to study. It is important to maintain your GPA so that you can maintain your scholarships throughout your college career.
Okay, so you are ready to tackle that daunting task of finding scholarships to pay for college. And you want to use the Internet to expedite the search process. But there are so many scholarship search services out there - which ones should you use? How do you know what qualities and features to look for in a scholarship search service? And how do you avoid getting scammed while looking for awards? Use the following guide to determine what to look for and to assist you in finding the service that will best fit your scholarship search needs.
Profile Matches Are Key
First and foremost, find a scholarship search service that has sophisticated matching technology. A good scholarship search service will match the personal information you provide to them with scholarships that you are eligible to apply for. This will minimize the time you spend browsing through lists of awards, and will give you more time to actually work on the application process itself. Beware of simple keyword search services or services that only ask a few questions about your background. Many such services will return hundreds of scholarships for you to wade through, wasting valuable time that you simply don't have. Look for services with easy-to-use, thorough profile pages that generate results closely matched to your profile.
Up-to-Date Scholarship Information
Secondly, find a scholarship search service that provides accurate and up-to-date scholarship information. Reading requirements for scholarship programs from two years ago will not help you at all; in fact, using outdated information will simply slow your progress in actually securing scholarship funding for college. Remember, you need to find a service that offers scholarship information for the current academic year. Don't waste your time on websites with out-dated contact lists, broken application links, and discontinued programs.
The Privacy Policy
Do not become part of a spamming list! When you fill out a profile with a scholarship search service, the service collects and stores your very personal information; such collecting of profile information is necessary for accurate scholarship matching. Make sure you read the privacy policy for any service you use so you know what happens to that personal information once you enter it into the website. Some websites actually make money by selling your information to third parties that want to advertise to you, regardless of whether you give them permission to do so or not. Be very careful about giving out your personal information to companies without credible, clearly stated privacy policies - the last thing you need is an email inbox full of spam and a mailbox full of unwanted solicitations.
An Easy Process
Make sure the service is set up to save you time. If you take the time to fill out the profile, make sure the information is saved so you don't have to start from scratch each time you want to look for more scholarships. Also, make sure there is a way to edit and update your profile, in case you change your major or improve your test scores or change your mind about the college or university you want to attend. Search services with such customer-oriented features will save you time and frustration in the search process, and that's what you should be aiming for - saving time, avoiding scams, and finding money to pay for college!
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