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HS Senior Calendar: November

current location: college planning ... HS college guide ... senior calendar ... november

FOR MONTH OF NOVEMBER
Your college applications should be ready to submit with your essays, HS transcripts, and recommendations. Now turn your attention to financing college.

Page Directory:
task1: monthly checklist
task2: about college costs
task3: estimate college costs
task4: financial aid review
Support Tools:
task tracking worksheets
quick financial aid checkup
college money map 

Task 1:
Monthly Checklist for November


checklist of prior tasks that should be completed
Starting Your College Planning Late:
you have missed early college submission deadlines. You need to get going to meet regular submission deadlines in January. Review our late-starter file to get going: see late starter file

Finalize your list of college searches and review it with your HS counselor: see college search directory

Make sure you take your college admission exams:
see TASK #4 in the September plan

Start your search for FREE scholarships and grants:

over $24.3 billion
worth of scholarships and grants in one location

Complete and submit your college applications.
Regular submission deadlines are coming up in December and January:
see the October plan

Make sure all official transcripts and reports are ready to be sent. Schedule all required interviews.

Obtain the required items
to complete your college application:transcripts, essays, letters of recommendations.

For information: see the October plan
For those who did early submission:
check with your colleges to make sure they have all of the information. Early admission notices will start to arrive next month.

Request financial aid information
from your colleges. Contact your college's financial aid and admissions departments:

Use our directory to find your college financial aid office:
college search directory

Have a great Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday!

all about thanksgiving:
www.holidays.net
from plymouth museum:
www.holidays.net

What to give Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, and Friends for the Holidays?

we have ideas:
www.what-to-get-for-christmas.com

Task 2:
About College Costs


Don't let cost disqualify one school from another. Your "preferred" school may offer programs that can help you pay the cost.

But cost is an important criteria. You don't want to become so saddle with debt when you finish school. A less expensive school may offer the same program and benefits as the more expensive school. So do your research.


Time to consider costs

Private schools are generally more expensive than public schools. However, they also offer more aid programs that can bring the total cost down to par with other schools — especially if you have the profile they are looking for.

Your cost of attendance will include tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation and personal expenses.

View our college cost sheet to get an estimate of college costs


  • College cost profiling for your intended institution:
    compare college costs side-by-side: simply input your colleges of choice and collegeboard will profile the costs of each school www2.collegeboard.com

    compare colleges by region and cost:
    http://nces.ed.gov



  • Facts about paying for college:
    learn the steps needed to qualify for college aid. Includes financial aid options from government and private sources:
    link to our financial aid center



What makes up the "Cost of Attendance":

  • tuition
  • class fees
  • books and supplies
  • room and board

Other expenses to attend school:

Task 3:
Estimate Your College Costs

Your school is required by law to provide you the cost of attendance for an academic year. The cost includes tuition, class fees, books - supplies, and room and board.

You also need to estimate costs for other expenses:

  • transportation:
    how are you going to get around? Will you have a car or motorcycle? If so, costs will include vehicle payments if any, insurance, gas and other maintenance expenses.

    Some students will bring their bicycle. You need to consider registration fees.

    If you don't have a car or motorbike, you will need to estimate the costs for public transportation use.

  • personal expenses:
    you will need pocket change for a haircut, new outfit, new shoes, new book bag, and other personal items. Estimate how much you will need each month.

  • entertainment:
    you can't live in the library all of the time. You will want to take a weekend to get a pizza or head to the movies. You need to budget some entertainment money for the year.

  • computer:
    almost every class with require some computer work such as a term paper, mathematical spreadsheet, and classroom log-in. You can use school computer labs, but you can save a lot of time if you had your own laptop. Estimate the cost for a computer. And don't forget about the software to run the computer.

  • special events:
    budget some money for those special events like going to the games, taking a weekend road trip, returning home for the holidays, moving yourself to and from college each year, etc.


Add It Up

Use the calculator below to get a rough estimate. The calculation will provide you a fairly good idea on what to expect as you finalize your decision where to attend college:

we have some great tools to use
these spreadsheets require MS Excel or something similar


Cost of Attendance Other Expenses
Tuition and Fees Transportation
Class Fees Personal Expenses
Books /Supplies Entertainment
Room and Board Computer
    Special Events
 
  Cost of Attendance:
  Other Anticipated Costs:
Total Estimated Cost:
View our tools page for more college budgeting plans  

Task 4:
Financial Aid Review

Learn about options to pay for college:



Something Extra

What are you doing for the December holidays:

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