Senior Year Questions and Concerns

What do you have questions about? Applications? The FAFSA? The TN Promise Scholarship? Other scholarships? How to choose a college? What is the timeline for my senior year?

Common Questions about Applications Q: What is the deadline for applications? Q: What information do I need to fill out an application? A:Colleges have different deadline for their applications. Check the school’s website for more infromation . A: You need your personal infromation (Name, Social Security number, address, ect), your GPA and ACT score, and lastly name and information of references (if applicable)

More Useful Information about Applications Some admissions have ‘rolling admissions’- which means that institution accepts applications all year long. Some applications will ask for you to write an essay for a question or two. Make sure that you have someone proofread and give you feedback before you submit it. Applications are the first impression that colleges have you- make sure you sound professional and personable.

Common Questions about the FAFSA Answers What is the FAFSA? The FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the application to determine your eligibility for student aid.

Common Questions about the FAFSA Cont. Answer What all do I need to fill out the FAFSA? You will need- Your Social Security Number Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen) Your most recent federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.) Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable) Records of untaxed income (if applicable) An FSA ID to sign electronically. Also if you are a dependant student you will need your parent’s information also.

More FAFSA Information The FAFSA for 2018-2019 opens October 1. You will need your family’s 2016 tax returns. You need to fill out a new FAFSA every year. You do not need to be admitted to the school before you fill out the FAFSA. The FAFSA is what determines if you are eligible for need-based grants such as the Pell grant.

Tennessee Promise Scholarship The TN Promise Scholarship is a last-dollar scholarship (meaning it is applied to your account after all other scholarships and grants if there is a balance due) that can be used a community college, technical school or an approved associate program at a four year university. At a community college or tech school after the TN Promise is applied these schools will be tuition-free, at the approved four year universities the average cost of community college will be taken off the tuition amount.

How to get the TN Promise Scholarship Apply to the Tennessee Promise program (Usually the deadline is November 1). A local partnering organization will contact you to help you complete your requirements. File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in the Fall. Attend first mandatory meeting coordinated by partnering organization. Attend second mandatory meeting coordinated by partnering organization. Apply to a community or technical college. Complete and report your first 8 hours of community service in the Summer. Complete FAFSA verification, if required by your institution before you start college. These are just estimate dates- check tnpromise.gov for concrete deadlines later in the year.

How to find other scholarships Visit the websites of the different colleges that you are applying to and look at the scholarships they offer. Talk to your guidance counselor. Look up professional organizations that deal with what you are majoring in. There are many free scholarship search websites, such as- Fastweb.com, careeronestop.org, and many others.

Scholarship Tips Finding and applying to scholarships takes hard work and dedication. There are scholarships out there to apply for- it is the willingness to find the ones that fit you and your interests that will make the difference. Keep track of every scholarship you want to apply to, along with the steps that each scholarships requires to complete their application. Also keep a record of every scholarship that you complete, along with the award amount and when and how you should hear if you are selected.

Choosing a College Know the different kinds of colleges: Public universities Private universities Tech Schools Communities Colleges Consider what major you are wanting to study- does the college offer a program for that degree? Think about what is the best match for you after high school. Would you do well in a smaller school with my individualized attention or would you thrive better in a bigger school with a lot of diversity and opportunities? Do you want to stay close to home or move far away? What is your budget for your college education? What is the extracurricular activates available? What is the overall atmosphere of the campus? Make sure you visit the colleges you are thinking of attending to make a more informed decision.

Timeline for Senior Year Fall Semester Take and retake the ACT/SAT Apply to several colleges (admissions, institutional aid, etc) and utilize their net price calculators Student AND parent will create FSA IDs (fsaid.ed.gov) to... Complete 2018-19 FAFSA available October 1, 2017 Spring Semester Complete local/private scholarship applications Review college acceptances, compare financial aid packages, ask questions, and follow up as needed * List found on www.tn.gov

Additional Questions? Going to college is very individualized process. Different schools and programs have varying requirements and procedures. Depending on factors such as your GPA, your high school extracurricular activities and family income affect what scholarships you are eligible for. Make sure you take advantage of all the resources available to you to make the most well-informed and best match decisions for you. Please come see you NiswongerCARE advisor if you have any additional questions or concerns. We look forward to talking with you!