Class of 2015 Post-Secondary Planning- Answering Your Questions about Life After RBHS

The When and Where…. WHEN? You should start applying to schools now. Several schools have priority scholarship deadlines in November or December and you need to apply for admission before you can apply for scholarships. MU’s priority scholarship deadline is December 15th, but you must apply for admission by December 1st in order to apply for scholarships. Even if a school’s admission deadline is later, you have to apply by the priority scholarship deadline if you want to be ensured scholarship $$. On the flip side, even if you don’t meet the scholarship deadline, you can still apply to the school by the application deadline. WHERE? If you need help researching schools/post-secondary options, see our Guidance website for information and helpful resources or schedule a time to meet with your counselor. We typically recommend students apply to no more than 5-7 schools and their list includes a “reach school”(a school that might be a little more difficult to get into based on a students grades/test scores), and a “safe school” (a school to which a student is sure to be accepted).

How do I start applying? Most schools’ applications are available on their website. Common Application Each school will have different application requirements. Application fee (varies by school) Letters of Recommendation* Ask at least TWO weeks before due Complete recommendation info form Available on Guidance Forms webpageGuidance Forms Send THANK YOU notes to your recommenders Essay* Transcript see Mrs. Davis in Guidance to get a transcript release form You need this even if you submit your application through CommonApp, SendEdu, or other similar sites. Need a parent signature if you’re under 18 years old Transcripts cost $2 each Allow 2 weeks for processing *Not all schools require letters of rec or an essay. Check out the school’s website to determine what you need

ACT Test Dates Register online at ACT Prep Info available in Guidance or on Guidance’s ACT/SAT/ PSAT Info Website: Super Saturdays October 11, 2014 April 11, 2015 Before/After School Test Prep before December and February Tests Career Center Test Prep *Students who receive Free/Reduced lunch or who have significant financial hardship should see their counselor re. ACT fee waivers.

Campus Visits Visit the schools you are applying to- experience it for yourself, don’t just assume you’ll love it based on the experiences of others or the pictures you see online. Meet with the admissions counselor See the campus- take a tour, attend a class, talk with students and professors, eat in the dining hall, stay in a dorm if you can, and check out all the amenities like the rec center or library! Meet with a financial aid officer- you won’t get your financial aid package until after you have applied and have been accepted (typically in April) but the financial aid officer can give you a good estimate of how much aid you might receive and what you can expect to pay at that school. Visit with college reps who come to Rock Bridge! It’s a great way to get your foot in the door and make an impression on the admissions rep who will be reviewing your application file. Sometimes having a face to put with a name on a file can make the difference in acceptance vs. denial. Find out who’s coming on the Guidance website, by following the Guidance Twitter account, or in the Info Bruin.

The financial aid equation: Cost of Attendance- Estimated Family Contribution (determined by FAFSA) = Financial Need (Aid) There are different types of aid. Some you do not have to pay back (grants, scholarships, work-study), some you do have to pay back (loans). FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (available January 1,2015) Think of it as the gateway to almost all of the $ for college (including some scholarships). The FAFSA is used to determine the amount of money a family is expected to pay for attending a post-secondary institution. The results of the FAFSA are used to award grants, work-study, loans, and sometimes scholarships. To get an estimate of your EFC, you can complete the FAFSA4caster ** Be sure to have your most recent tax info available You can also complete the Net Price Calculator available on most schools’ Financial Aid website to get a more accurate estimate of the cost. We recommend ALL students fill out the FAFSA as soon as it becomes available on January 1 st. Many types of institutional aid are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis so it’s better to fill out the FAFSA early even if you use estimates and have to make corrections later. Many schools require the FAFSA to be completed before a student can receive any type of financial aid including scholarships and loans. If you’re in the A+ Program, you will have to fill out the FAFSA to receive the A+ Scholarship. Paying for College….Financial Aid

Paying for College…Scholarships Scholarship info is on the Guidance website University/College scholarships - usually on the college’s financial aid/scholarship website Merit scholarships (ex. If you have a 27+ on the ACT & are in the top 50% of your class, you automatically get MU’s Excellence Award of $1,000 ($2,000 if you’re in the top 25% of your class) Since RB is a non-ranking school, MU will use a weighted core GPA for scholarship consideration Competitive/Departmental Scholarships (require an application) Community Scholarships- info coming in February! A+ Scholarship- pays for 2 years of tuition at a community college or tech school in Missouri (pending availability of state funding). 4 year schools may offer A+ incentive scholarships also! Ex: Columbia College offers $2,500/year; MO Valley offers ½ tuition! Nov. 1 st is the deadline for seniors to enroll in A+ Program!

Check out the Guidance Website! Answers to a lot of your questions can be found here! TONS OF INFO on: Academic Support/Tutoring A+ Program ACT/SAT/PSAT COMPASS/ASVAB/CLEP Exams College Visits Important Guidance Forms Job Opportunities Post-Secondary Planning & FAFSA Scholarships

Guidance is now on Twitter!! FOLLOW for lots of fabulous information! Scholarship info and deadlines College visits ACT/SAT reminders Free giveaways (like free Andy’s!) And more!

To Review… Start applying NOW- pay attention to admissions AND scholarship deadlines. SEE MRS. DAVIS in Guidance to have your transcript sent. Take/re-take the ACT (and/or SAT) if needed Complete the FAFSA4caster or Net Price Calculator to get a better estimate of how much colleges of interest will cost you Sign up for A+ by November 1, 2014 Fill out the FAFSA ASAP after January 1, 2015 QUESTIONS??? : )