OfftoCollege.com

Task 1: Preview the Monthly Checklist

checklist of prior monthly tasks that should be completed

Getting Your Acceptance Letter Check your mailbox for acceptance letters from colleges. If a college you are considering hasn't responded, contact the Admissions Office to follow-up: Compare your letters compare your acceptance letter, financial aid offers, and other criteria to narrow your selection down to 1-2 schools. Upon your selection of school(s), you will be required to send in a non-refundable deposit to secure your position in the Freshmen class. So make sure it's the right decision. College Comparison and Profiles you can profile two or more colleges on cost, student size, teacher ratio, and other criteria: www2.collegeboard.com view college rankings by school criteria and other rankings see our tool set

Most schools have a May 1 Acceptance Deadline Deposit money will likely be required to reserve your admission. Keep on track to meet these deadlines.

You must complete and submit your Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) before receiving the Student Aid Report (SAR). For steps to the financial aid process: see our Financial Aid Guide For submitting your FAFSA: see the January Plan

Prepare taking Advanced Placement Courses: the collegeboard administers the AP exams. This site has all the information you need including test programs and dates: www.collegeboard.com

Do you have a place to live while at school: see our housing file in our college move center

Start getting yourself ready for college: download FREE moving-to-college checklist reference our college moving center: click here Attention Students: start saving with this cost advantage program for students. Cardholders save up to 50% OFF at more than 20,000 discount locations across the country: www.studentadvantage.com also review how to best to manage your student funds by using pre-paid credit to manage spend: using pre-paid credit cards to manage student funds

Task2: Getting the Financial Award Letter

Financial Award Package

You should receive your "Financial Award Package" with information on your qualifying financial aid from each school where you have been admitted.

The Financial Award Package will show the cost of attendance and the amount of each financial aid award that will be awarded. The difference between the cost and the amount awarded is the portion that the family is expected to contribute towards the cost of education.

 

The financial aid awards include:

• grants,
• scholarships,
• federally student loans,
• work study programs,
• other college assisted aid
  
  For information about the Financial Award Package:
  see financial aid note 4

 

View these summary charts of financial aid options:
(link to our financial aid center)

• summary aid chart for first-time students (undergrad's)
• summary aid chart for parents
  
  

 

Understand the financial aid process for student loans, grants, scholarships and other student aid:
see Financial Aid Process

Note 1:   understand the financial aid process
Note 2:   submitting the FAFSA form for federal aid
Note 3:   review the student aid report
Note 4:   get the financial award letter
Note 5:   view financial aid options
Note 6:   apply for and manage student funds

Task3: Make a College Comparison

Comparing Colleges

Time to finalize which school to attend. Use our comparison worksheet to list your schools side-by-side. Determine which school is best for your academic objectives:

• this PDF file allows you to compare colleges based on size, student-teacher ratio, and other criteria
  download comparison sheet
• this Excel spreadsheet allows you to compare cost and aid awarded among colleges
  download college cost comparison spreadsheet
  (requires MS Excel or other to open)
  

 

You must give your acceptance notice by a certain date —

most schools require May 1 deadlines. Remember to submit your deposit to reserve your admission.

 

Have you arranged housing

Where are go going to live? Who are you going to live with? Need to get going before the best places are taken.

For on-campus:
check with your college of choice. Once you get accepted into college, you need to move fast on on-campus housing arrangements to avoid being placed on a waiting list:

Check with your college web site for on-campus living:
use our college directory to link to your school


For off-campus:
link to our "Moving to College" housing plan for housing search: click here for college housing

Information about fraternities and sororities:
www.greekpages.com
DMOZ open directory on fraternities and sororities:
dmoz.org/.../Fraternities_and_Sororities

Task 4: Find the Summer Job

Have you found that summer job?

Use the summer to raise money you will need for college.

Money earned can be used for tuition, housing, transportation and for fun entertainment.

If you worked last summer with a job you liked, go back and see if you can work with them again this coming summer. Or try to find a different summer job that fits your career goals:

• Summer work programs:
  Job listing for teens from many brand-name retail and other name companies:
  www.snagajob.com
  another posting of summer jobs:
  www.summerjobs.com
  job postings exclusively for teens:
  www.teens4hire.org
  
  
• Internship Programs:
  internships in your field of interest is a great way to get experience that will help you college
  internships.wetfeet.com
  
  
• Search Classified ads in LOCAL PAPERS:
  you will find many local summer jobs through your local online classifieds:
  find local online classifieds | search craig's list

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