Class of 2015 Post-Secondary Planning- Answering Your Questions
about Life After RBHS
Slide 3
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. MUs priority scholarship deadline is
December 15th, but you must apply for admission by December 1st in
order to apply for scholarships. Even if a schools 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 dont 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).
Slide 4
How do I start applying? Most schools applications are
available on their website. Common Application
https://www.commonapp.org https://www.commonapp.org 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 youre 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 schools website to
determine what you need
Slide 5
ACT Test Dates Register online at www.actstudent.org
www.actstudent.org ACT Prep Info available in Guidance or on
Guidances 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.
Slide 6
Campus Visits Visit the schools you are applying to- experience
it for yourself, dont just assume youll 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 wont 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! Its 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 whos coming on the Guidance website, by following
the Guidance Twitter account, or in the Info Bruin.
Slide 7
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 https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e2s1
** Be sure to have your most recent tax info available
https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e2s1 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 its 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 youre in the A+ Program, you will have
to fill out the FAFSA to receive the A+ Scholarship. Paying for
College.Financial Aid
Slide 8
Paying for CollegeScholarships Scholarship info is on the
Guidance website http://www.cpsk12.org/domain/5783
http://www.cpsk12.org/domain/5783 University/College scholarships -
usually on the colleges 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 MUs Excellence Award of
$1,000 ($2,000 if youre 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 tuition! Nov. 1 st is
the deadline for seniors to enroll in A+ Program!
Slide 9
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
Slide 10
Guidance is now on Twitter!! FOLLOW US @RBHSGuidance for lots
of fabulous information! Scholarship info and deadlines College
visits ACT/SAT reminders Free giveaways (like free Andys!) And
more!
Slide 11
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??? : )
