2020 Resolutions for High School Students
Many 15 and 16 year olds are not thinking about their college plans for 2 -3 years down the road, and it seems a bit unfair that they should have to. However, that is what the process has become and it is in their best interest to start early. Here are three 2020 resolutions for high school students considering college.
Many 15 and 16 year olds are not thinking about their college plans for 2 -3 years down the road, and it seems a bit unfair that they should have to. However, that is what the process has become and it is in their best interest to start early. Here are three 2020 resolutions for high school students considering college.
Sophomores – Spend time researching college and career options
By now, many students have had a broad discussion of college plans with their parents and/or high school counselor. What they probably haven't done is actually sit down and do some self-reflection and research. What are their potential career and college major interests? What type of college do they envision for themselves? What are the requirements for admission to those colleges? While they may not have the answer to these questions right now, it will only help to begin thinking about them. They should make it a goal to spend time doing research now while they still have time to adjust their high school path, visit schools, prep for tests, and set up job shadowing and classes to help them with their admission and final decision. That small amount of time they spend over the next year has the potential to make a BIG difference.
Juniors – Establish college application timeline and goals NOW
High school juniors should establish a rough timeline for college applications. Although they may not have their 'list' narrowed down to the final few schools, it is not too early to establish personal deadlines for preparing application materials. The key is to set those deadlines early - take the potential college deadlines and move them back by 6-8 weeks. There could be future changes in admissions deadlines, a lot of unexpected delays, added requirements and other bumps along the college application road, and it is better to be done early than to risk an incomplete application. Students often forget to take into consideration the fact that there are pieces to the applications which are not in their hands. Recommendation letters, high school transcripts, and test scores are just a few examples of requirements which may not be sent directly by the student. Students need to give their counselors and recommenders plenty of time to complete their pieces.
Seniors – Maintain or improve GPA
By now many students at this stage in their high school careers have completed their applications, some even have decisions. A resolution for seniors at this time should be to maintain or improve their GPA. There are plenty of other students willing to take their spot at their potential future college and there is little room for slacking and decline in grades. Colleges do pay attention to this and have the power to revoke offers of admission if they feel the student is not meeting academic standards.
The Spring Scholarship Search
Searching for Scholarships can definitely begin earlier than senior year, but now is a perfect time for seniors to use their free time for searching and applying for scholarships. Many students ask me where to search and how to get the most money. Unfortunately, there is no single, simple answer.
Now that college applications are complete, it is a perfect time for HS seniors to use some of their free time for searching and applying for scholarships. There are also many scholarships for younger students, so non-seniors could benefit from dedicating some time to this too. Many students ask me where to search and how to get the most money. Unfortunately, there is no single, simple answer. There are scholarships everywhere just waiting to be found! Here are some tips for your search for the $$$.
Of course getting scholarships from your potential college is the first stop. You should have filled out the FAFSA and/or CSS Profile by now if you have applied to college. If you have not completed those financial aid applications, do it ASAP! Colleges use these forms for determining financial aid awards and much of it is awarded on a first come-first serve basis. You will see what your scholarship and aid awards are on your financial aid award letter which you will receive from your potential colleges before May 1. If you are a junior considering your options, remember to take a look at the academic scholarships and financial aid colleges offer before applying. Some of the scholarships require a separate application and may even have an earlier deadline than the regular college applications. You do not want to miss out on those.
There are so many scholarship search websites it is often overwhelming. Select just 2-3 and consistently check them for updates. Some of the to best pages are:
Fastweb - After signing up and completing a profile (yes, many pages require this), you will be able to search and get matched with their database of around 1.5 million scholarships. You are able to keep your scholarships organized by those you are not interested in, those you would like to apply for and those you have already applied for.
Scholarships.com - Scholarships.com updates their database of more than 3.5 million scholarships to be sure to only include legitimate, current scholarships. Similar to fastweb, you sign up and complete a profile to get matched with potential scholarships.
Consider the local opportunities before jumping into the small nationwide scholarships. Great scholarship resources can be local community organizations, student and parent employers, banks, churches, and companies. Most states also have their own form of scholarship or grant for residents, for example the PHEAA grant for PA residents, Florida Bright Futures, and Hope Scholarship in Georgia. Click on your state on this handy map and find out what is available. These can be very valuable resources and should not be overlooked. Some of these statewide programs such as Bright Futures require a certain GPA, test scores, and community service hours which need to be taken into consideration earlier than senior year.
Although it may seem daunting to have to write yet another essay for an application or fill out another form, it may end up being well worth your time. As someone recently pointed out to me, ‘if you spend 2 hours on an application and end up getting $1000, that is $500 an hour. Where else can you get that?’ Take some time and submit quality applications.
A final note of caution to those of you on the hunt for funds - beware of the websites which require payment for access to scholarship lists or people who guarantee they will get you scholarships. As you know by now, almost nothing in the college application world is a guarantee and you are capable of finding the scholarships on free websites.
Additional Resources
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators parent and student resources: https://www.nasfaa.org/students_parents_counselors
Read more about scholarship scams here: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0082-scholarship-and-financial-aid-scams
SWFL Scholarships
What Comes Next?
After applications are submitted and the giant feeling of relief has subsided, most students begin to wonder what to do next. Each school has their own timeline for when they will inform applicants of their admissions decision. In general, schools which have rolling admissions take 2-3 weeks, schools with Nov. 1 EA will inform you between mid December and end of January, and schools with RD in January will inform you by end of February or March. So what do you while you wait?
After applications are submitted and the giant feeling of relief has subsided, most students begin to wonder what to do next. Each school has their own timeline for when they will inform applicants of their admissions decision. In general, schools which have rolling admissions take 2-3 weeks, schools with Nov. 1 EA will inform you between mid December and end of January, and schools with RD in January will inform you by end of February or March. So what do you do while you wait?
Most schools give applicants an account on their website for you to be able to login and check the status of your application. Make sure you have logged in and checked that the colleges have received all of your application requirements. While doing this, keep in mind that it may take some time for the websites to be updated as colleges are inundated with materials around their deadlines. If about a week after the deadline you still see that your application is missing something, follow up with the admissions office to find out what to do. Although some colleges will send you a friendly reminder that something is missing, you do not want to rely on that.
If you do indeed find out that something is missing, do not overreact. Remember, with so many documents and emails being sent back and forth during such a short time span, it is very easy for something to get lost in the shuffle. If what is missing can be taken care of by you, do it right away. If it is something a counselor, teacher, or testing agency should have taken care of, politely follow up with them yourself. Whatever it may be, respectfully ask them to resend the materials as soon as they can. Confirm with the admissions office that you have taken care of it and verify if they have received the missing materials. While doing all of this, it is important that you advocate for yourself and be patient. Admissions would much rather hear from the students themselves than from a parent or counselor. You want to show them you are ready for college right?
It should go without saying, but keep working hard and maintaining or improving your grades. Colleges ask for mid and final reports from your counselor for a reason! If you are given admission to a college and your grades sink, they have the right to revoke their offer. On the other hand, if you end up getting deferred or waitlisted, you want to be able to show progress to improve your chances of acceptance. No matter what your situation is, continuing to work hard and get good grades can only help.
Now try to relax and wait for your admissions decisions to roll in! Remember, there is a school for everyone and it will work out. Stay tuned for my next article on what to do if you are waitlisted or deferred and how to weigh your options.
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