Meet with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements.
Stay Involved In ECAs
Stay involved in after-school activities, and seek leadership roles if possible.
Get Good 2nd Semester Grades
Work hard all year because your second-semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility.
Check With Your Employer For Scholarships
Ask your employer whether scholarships are available for employees’ children.
Summer: Check If You’re Financially Able To Pay For College
Take a look at your financial situation, and be sure you’re on the right track to pay for college.
Summer: Estimate Financial Aid With FAFSA4caster
Use the FAFSA4caster financial aid estimator and compare the results to the actual costs at the colleges to which you will apply. To supplement any aid FAFSA4caster estimates you might receive, be sure to apply for scholarships. Your goal is to minimize the amount of loan funds you borrow so you have less to pay back later.
Summer: Find Admission Requirements, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Contact colleges to request information and applications for admission. Ask about financial aid, admission requirements, and deadlines.
Summer: Create FSA ID account
Both child and parents must create their own FSA ID. This will be used to confirm your identity when accessing your government financial aid information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents. By the way, you can watch a video about creating an FSA ID.
Search for Scholarships You Want To Apply
Use a free scholarship search to find scholarships for which you might want to apply. Some deadlines fall as early as the summer between 11th and 12th grades, so prepare now to submit applications soon.
