The online FAFSA should be submitted as soon as possible after January 1, 2010. In the meantime, parents should be working on the FAFSA Worksheet, however, the Worksheet for students entering college in fall 2010 is not available. MyCollegeCalendar.org provides advice on how to best prepare for submitting the online FAFSA.
High school sophomores and juniors who are taking a block schedule of classes (a schedule in which an entire year of coursework is completed in one semester) should take SAT Subject Tests for those classes on January 23, 2010, while the information is still fresh in their minds. Deadline for registering is December 15, 2009. MyCollegeCalendar.org provides a summary table of all SAT registration and test dates, along with instructions for SAT registration.
There are a handful of colleges that have capitalized on the fact that students can save on an extra year of costs by offering a bachelor’s degree in three years. It’s not entirely a novel idea.
Regular application seniors and juniors preparing to begin the initial steps of the college admission process should discuss the costs of college with your parents to get an idea of what your family can afford. A good starting point for discussion is the evaluation of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). MyCollegeCalendar.org discusses the EFC and provides links to EFC calculators.
College-bound seniors submitting regular applications (as well as high school sophomores and juniors who will apply for college admission in the future) should develop a student theme to weave throughout application materials. A student theme will let college admission officers understand your personality and character as well as learn about who you really are and how you will fit into their campus community. MyCollegeCalendar.org provides advice on developing and using a student theme on college applications.
For years, high school seniors have had to send all their SAT scores to their targeted colleges. A dismal or mediocre score in the spring of junior year came back to haunt them even if their fall scores were substantially better.
To get around that problem — and to alleviate test-day stress — the College Board implemented a new policy this year: “score choice.” Read more …
MyCollegeCalendar.org posted details regarding College Board’s “Score Choice” in August 2009.
Juniors potentially interested in United States Military Academies (Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines) should begin checking out the requirements for admission. MyCollegeCalendar.org describes student eligibility requirements as well as preliminary and final application steps.
Parents can maximize their son or daughter’s eligibility for need-based scholarships and grants by reducing their financial assets and cash reserves. This sounds extreme, but it is reality. MyCollegeCalendar.org gives advice on actions to take to increase student eligibility for financial aid and to receive scholarship awards.
A year ago, private colleges were struggling to navigate rough economic waters. But here’s the surprise: In many cases, students who applied to college for the 2009-10 academic year actually received more financial help than the previous year’s applicants.
Many colleges and universities offer “summer pre-college programs” (also called Summer Enrichment Programs) for sophomore, junior, and senior year high school students. These programs last from 2-to-6 weeks; students who attend these pre-college summer programs experience college level work and a small preview of college life. MyCollegeCalendar.org provides advice and registration reminders for students and parents.
