During this time in the year, many upperclassmen start to take college and career decisions more seriously. While students have the option of going into college, the workforce or the military, 66% of high school students in Indiana decide to go to college after graduating, according to the Indiana Commission of Higher Education (CHE). Some students say this process can be stressful and overwhelming. There are a few tips that might help make the college preparation process easier.
-Apply for Federal Aid: Applying for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA, will be available on or before Dec. 1. Filling out the FAFSA form is a vital step to receiving financial aid for higher education. The federal government offers students a Pell Grant with a maximum award amount of $7,395. Experts suggest waiting a couple of days after the FAFSA application opens before applying because the website is known to crash.
-Research Scholarships: Warren students can browse through scholarships on the CSC section of Canvas. Some resources for searching for scholarships are College Board’s scholarship search, Niche and Fastweb. Students can also try to identify local, state and national scholarship sources from various foundations, colleges and organizations.
-Find Colleges To Apply To: Niche, Xello, College Board and other websites offer college searches that cater to specific values the student might be looking for, including value, academics, local area, safety and diversity.
-Obtain Letters of Recommendation: Many college and university applications require a letter of recommendation. Try to reach out to multiple teachers, coaches or employers early so they have enough time.
-Stay on Top of Things: Keep track of applications and deadlines. Make sure to keep an eye on emails because colleges and scholarship organizations will often use that as their primary sources of communication.
-Utilize the Common App: Colleges usually have their application on their website, but it's easier to use the Common App for those who plan to apply to multiple colleges.