College Scholarships

Timeline for Getting Ready to Go to College Senior Year

Expert Advice provided by ScholarshipExperts.com.

In the FALL of your SENIOR year: $3.4 Billion in Free Scholarships. Free College Scholarship Search

  • 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 ... 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.

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  • 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.

Did You Know?

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarship money goes unawarded each and every year because no one applies? Could you use that money for college?

Learn more…

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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.
  • 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.

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