FALL
□
Meet with your counselor early in the year to verify everything is in order for
you to graduate with the necessary course requirements (either general diploma
or the college preparatory certificate).
□ If you did not score as high as you expected on the ACT or SAT,
register to take these tests again. You may want to look into test preparation
study guides/books to help improve your score. Certain colleges require a
specific ACT score for admission. Register online at www.actstudent.org.
□ Don’t let senioritis interfere with your goals; continue on your
path to a college education. Your choices and grades may impact all of your
future opportunities (scholarships, college choices, etc.).
□ Take advantage of opportunities to meet with college
representatives visiting your high school, and don’t be afraid to ask
questions. Go prepared with a list of questions about the cost, financial aid,
admissions, student population, academics, social life, surrounding community,
housing, dining, recreational facilities, student services, security, etc.
□ Narrow your college choices and visit the one(s) that interest
you. Consider characteristics such as the size of each school and its classes,
location, campus environment, housing, social activities, facilities, job
availability, and financial assistance.
□ Visit those schools’ Web sites to find out about admissions
requirements, the application process, financial aid, and deadlines. If you
don’t find the answers you’re looking for, pick up the phone or e-mail the
school. Be persistent.
□ Apply for the schools that you believe would fit your needs and
desires.
□ Explore the
wide variety of financial aid opportunities available to students. Be aware that
you should never have to pay a fee for scholarship money.
WINTER
□
Contact the schools you submitted applications to. Make sure the admissions
offices have everything they need from you, and follow up if there are missing
items or paperwork. Ask about specific school deadlines and mark them on your
calendar.
□ If
you think you’ll be using some sort of financial aid for college, be sure to
fill out the FAFSA. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the
first step in getting financial assistance.
□ Have your parents file their taxes early so you can file your
FAFSA sooner.
SPRING
□ Your FAFSA
must be filed by April 1 in order to be eligible for state financial assistance.
□ Watch for an
e-mail notice when your Student Aid Report (SAR) is ready (which comes from your
FAFSA). It will contain your EFC (Expected Family Contribution), which is used
to determine how much financial aid you are eligible to receive.
□ Review your
college acceptances and compare financial aid packages. Contact a school’s
financial aid office if you have any questions about the aid that school has
offered you.
□ When you
decide which school you will attend, notify that school and submit any required
financial deposit.
*Information taken from the
Missouri Department of Higher Education. More information is available at www.dhe.mo.gov
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