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Financial Aid, Grants, Scholarships
College Access Group, Inc. exists to create every advantage for students and their parents, helping them make smart, strategic decisions as they prepare for and finance college
· We offer all of our services free, without advertisements, registration, email collection, etc.
· We are 100% self-funded
· We have never raised money
· We have never asked for grants, government or otherwise, in this way we can be 100% objective
These sites are designed for you to use with your students, you can link to them, email them to your students, parents, others, etc., simply follow copyright laws.
Through Collegeboundstudents.org you have access to all of the below sites:
- Collegeplannerornot.org
This site discusses the college planning business and helps the family desire if they should go to the expense of hiring a college planner.
- Cosigningparent.org
This site discusses the financial ramifications of parents cosigning loans for their children.
- Fafsafilers.org
This site discusses common mistakes made when filing the FAFSA and the CSS Profile.
- Freecollegeplanner.org
See behind the scenes of what college planners do, how they charge and the information that you can receive from them. Get that information here for free.
- Gladgrad.org
This site discusses grants, scholarships, and scholarship scams. The goal is to make that graduate happy by minimizing the debt load.
This site has a proprietary free private grant search – test it, you have never seen anything like it.
- Plusorprivate.org
This site goes into detail about the PLUS loan program as well as the private student loan industry.
Have fun! If you have any questions let us know at: [email protected].
applytexas.org
Fafsa.ed.gov
bls.gov
www.panhandlep-16.net
www.texascollegeandcareer.org
www.comparecollegetx.com
texasgenuine.org
gentx.edu
collegeforalltexans.com
texasrealitycheck.com
College Readiness
www.ownyourownfuture.com
www.freerecruitingwebinar.org
NACAC Step by Step: College Awareness and Planning for Families, Counselors and Communities
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SENIOR CHECKLIST
- Obtain a photo ID.
- Take/Retake the ACT
- Visit top college choices
- Visiting your top choices will help you get the feel of the campus. They will give you a guided tour with some colleges may even let you sit in on a class so you know what a college course will be like.
- Rule of Thumb: You just can’t show up one day at the campus and asked to be showed around. When you want to visit a college you can either visit the college website and they usually have certain days that new coming freshman can come and visit.
- Private Colleges- www.commonapp.org
- Wayland Baptist University, Southern Methodist University (SMU), Texas Christian University (TCU), etc.
- College Applications
- Texas Public Colleges- www.applytexas.com
- West Texas A&M University, Amarillo College, Texas Tech, etc.
- College Application Fee(s)
- YES, most colleges require that you pay for filling out the application for their college so they know you are serious about wanting to go to their University.
- If you meet the requirements to receive a fee waiver for the ACT you can be eligible for a fee waiver to some universities applications. (4 is the maximum)
- Essays- If Required
- With essays you always want to make them personal so the college can know all about you. You want to come up with a catchy opening line and DO NOT and I repeat DO NOT start the essay with, “My name is So and So”. I have heard many college recruiters say they do not read the essay if they begin with that sentence.
- Always triple check for grammar mistakes!!!!
- Letters of Recommendation – If Required
- Two (2)at the most
- They can be from your principal, teacher, counselor, family friend, work, etc.
- Always write a thank you card to those who do write one for you.
- Transcripts(S)
- You need to request an official High school transcript from the counselor.
- If you have taken dual credit, you need to request a transcript from AC. This needs to be done after college grades are in. It also needs to be to be done if you ever transfer to another college.
- Scholarships
- There are several ways to apply for scholarships!
- There are scholarships within the college. They are on the college website OR when you are filling out the application for the college you want to go to sometimes there is a little box that ask if you would like to earn a scholarship. ALWAYS CHECK THAT BOX!!!
- Local and FASFA scholarship/grants begin on January1st and you need your parents/Guardians tax return in order to apply for FASFA. www.FAFSA.com
- National- there are numerous national scholarships and I also have a list of websites that have access to scholarships
- NEVER pay for a scholarship, it defeats the purpose. I have seen some websites that say, “Hey pay this amount and you’ll get a scholarship”. It is a SCAM!!!
- Financial Aid
- You need to go to the FASFA website and complete the application. The opening date for the 2013-2014 year is January 1st. You will have to fill out this form once, but it is necessary to a grant, loan, college or national scholarship. You parents/guardian will need their tax return in order for you to submit your application. The counselor is willing to do this process.
- Meningitis Shot
- If you have health insurance, obtain the shot from your family physician. If not, got to the Texas Department of Health in Plainview or Tulia. Call first to make sure they can give the shot on the day you have chosen. Tulia’s number is 995-3638. Plainview’s is 293-1359
- This shot is necessary to enroll in any university or college. Be sure to obtain proof of the shot, make a copy, and mail it to the university or college. Keep the original.
- TSI (Texas Success Initiative) Students must be TSI ready before most college classes can be taken. Several ways exist to meet TSI. These are:
- If students have already met TSI based on PLAN of PSAT tests and have taken college credit in high school, they are exempt as college freshman.
- If a student has a 23 on the ACT with at least a 19 in math and English, TSI has been met.
- Otherwise, the TSI Exam must be taken prior to enrolling in college courses.
- Apply for a dorm
- Register for new student orientation
- Go to school and create a great future.
- If it is not listed under either of these, it is a proprietary school or a “for profit” school; therefore, it is not worth the money and probably not accredited. These are schools you will hear about because they can afford to advertise. Be careful.
***Please remember if you have any questions, concerns, need help, or anything please come to counselor’s office. I would love to will help you!!!***
~Mrs.Couch