High School Senior Resources

By James Maroney

Many people believe that private college scholarships are the panacea for their college-funding woes. While you may have heard that millions of dollars in academic college scholarships go unclaimed each year, that simply is not true. In reality, private scholarships provide only a small percentage of college funding. The vast majority of financial aid and grants are provided by the federal and state government and by schools. The following information will help you get all of the need-based aid for which you are eligible.

Need-based aid is determined by considering the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and the total Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA should reflect tuition, fees, room and board, transportation, books, and personal expenses. Need-based aid is then calculated by subtracting the EFC from the COA. Colleges will offer financial aid packages that meet your needs to varying degrees.

The first step in filing for financial aid requires you to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available in paper format in the high school guidance office or online. Filing the FAFSA for financial aid online has many advantages. First, the online form is processed in two weeks as opposed to four weeks for the paper form. Second, the online form will check your responses and will not let you submit the application with mistakes. If you have submitted the paper form with an error, it will be returned for corrections and will need to be resubmitted. Finally, when you file the FAFSA for financial aid online, the form will automatically generate an estimate of your EFC.

It is extremely important that you file the FAFSA application before financial aid priority deadlines. Information from tax forms is necessary in order to complete the FAFSA.

The following analogy from a dean of admissions illustrates the importance of filing FAFSA early for college: Financial aid is like a pot of soup. The first couple of ladles are going to be full, but at the end you are going to be scraping the bottom of the pot for what is left. Make sure you are getting your full ladle.

In order for you to receive all of the financial aid money for which you are eligible, make sure you know the requirements of all of the schools to which you are applying. It's also important that you complete the forms as accurately as possible and that you file the applications before the priority deadline.

James Maroney is an educational consultant for First Choice College.

Everything from college applications and transcripts to admission essays and deadlines

By Ann Bezbatchenko

Applying to college used to be easy — you submitted an application form, and the school notified you if you were admitted.

But things have changed. These days, application requirements vary, but most schools require that you submit more than just a form. The supporting documents help the admissions committee decide if you and the school are a good fit.

Application form
Most schools have at least two ways to complete the application form: paper or online. Some schools allow you to submit the Common Application. The Common Application for college admission is an application you complete once and submit to several schools. Information about this form and schools that accept it is available. The information on your form will help the committee match materials to the correct person, so make sure the information is correct and legible. Learn more about this form and schools that accept it.

High school transcript
You must request copies of your high school transcripts to be sent directly to the colleges to which you apply. If you earned college credit in high school or are applying as a transfer student, you must request transcripts from any college or university attended. The transcripts should show classes taken and grades earned. Committees will look at your overall grades and the progress you have made.

Standardized test score
Most colleges and universities require that you submit SAT or ACT test scores. Test scores help admissions committees measure your probable success in college. Some schools take your highest composite score, while others take the best combination of scores from different sections. Contact each school to which you are applying to see how they consider scores. It may determine whether or not you take the SAT or ACT and how many times you take the standardized test.

Letters of recommendation
Depending on a school's requirements, a guidance counselor, a teacher, or another adult may write a letter or complete a form about you. Give your recommender the form or instructions about how to write a college recommendation for the college you'd like to attend well in advance of the application deadline. The letter should include your full name, in what capacity he or she knows you, and the length of time he or she has known you. The person should attest to your capabilities and character.

Personal essay
Writing a personal college admission essay may be the toughest and most time-consuming document to put together. It is important to find your voice because this is the chance for the committee to get to know you beyond the numbers. Read the questions carefully and follow directions. Choose your college admission essay topic carefully. You will want to brainstorm ideas, create rough drafts, and have others read your essay. Many students share similar experiences, so be sure to highlight what makes your story unique. It is not enough to just say you have lived in an interesting place or had a unique experience. You need to elaborate on what you learned or how you have changed because of this experience. Most importantly, proofread! proofread! proofread!

Interviews
While not required by all schools, an interview can be another way for the committee to get to know you. Contact schools to find out if they offer interviews. Most interviews are done with an admission representative, and it is that person's job to get to know you. Be prepared to answer questions about yourself. “Yes/no” answers will make the interview quite boring, so be ready to elaborate on answers and to have a real conversation with the other person. The representative may ask you if you have any questions. It is best to have a few questions prepared.

Deadlines
An important part of acing the college application is meeting deadlines. In most cases, you need to have a completed application file by the deadline, which means that all documents must be turned in by that date. Applications postmarked by the deadline may be okay, but you will want to contact a school to find out what their policy is.

After graduating from the University of Dayton in 2000, Ann Bezbatchenko worked as an editor for SRA/McGraw-Hill Companies. She returned to school to obtain a master's degree from The Catholic University of America, where she worked as the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions for CUA. Ann currently works at Loyola University Chicago's Graduate School of Business as the Director of Admissions.