Advising Resources
Take a peek at resources that are available to help you plan for life after high school! It's a great big world and can be scary. There is no doubt about that! There are so many options to choose from and so many possibilities. The great thing is, there are options and no one way is the right way. As students make their transitions into and through high school and are looking for more challenging coursework, we offer College In The Schools (CITS), CLEP and PSEO.
Scholarship Info: http://www.isd507.k12.mn.us/page/3140
Every year millions of dollars in scholarships are made available to seniors who plan to further their education at a post-secondary school. There are many ways to find information regarding these programs, but not all of them are creditable. Some companies have been started which “guarantee” that, with a fee (some as high as $800), they will find scholarships that your child is eligible for. They only guarantee you will be eligible to apply, not that you're guaranteed any money. Most of these companies give you the names of scholarships which you could access through an online scholarship search. Therefore the rule of thumb is, “If you have to pay money to get money, it’s probably not worth your investment”. There are many different websites that you can search to find thousands of scholarships. This process does take a great deal of commitment and follow through in order to reap the benefits.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a main source of financial aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Seniors who are planning on attending any type of post-secondary school are recommended to fill out this form. This form will determine state, federal and institutional dollars. It is recommended to complete the FASA online. You will get your results faster and the online version will detect errors. You can also fill out a paper version of the FAFSA and mail it. At the end of the form, you will be asked which colleges you would like to have information sent. Each college has their own priority deadline, do your best to get the FAFSA done by that date. If you are considering more than one college go with the earliest deadline. You and your parents will need a PIN. If your parents already have one from an older sibling in the past seven years, then they do not need another one. To get a PIN, go to www.pin.ed.gov
College Selection:
The process of selecting a post-secondary school can be extremely overwhelming. Students are encouraged to star exploring interests in middle school. Remember, you should be ready to start applying to post-secondary schools at the end of your junior year. Students should consider a variety of things when selecting a college: career choice, size, location of the school, extra-curricular options, study abroad programs, faculty to student ratio, etc.
Other Links:
Parents: Getting Started
iSEEK - A great place to begin career/college search with your student
