1. Discuss Colleges
Have a casual discussion with your student regarding what he or she is looking for in a college in terms of academics, social and campus lifestyle.
2. College Lists & Research
Assist your student in creating a list of the above factors and begin researching institutions that fit the criteria. From there, your student can begin to decide which colleges your family might like to visit and learn more about.
They can start to decide which colleges they would consider applying to and consider as contenders for college choices.
3. Recommendation Letters
Encourage your student to talk to teachers that he or she has a positive relationship with about potential letters of recommendation. Many colleges require these or, at the very least, recommend students submit them. Teachers can become very overwhelmed with requests during college application season so now is a great time to do so.
4. College Applications & Essays
Help your student complete their first college application and an outline or rough draft of their essay – even if it’s just for practice.
5. Make Your Calendar
It seems far away now, but make notes on your calendar for the following:
— November: Apply for a Federal Student Aid PIN online so you can help your student with daunting financial aid forms.
— January: Help your student complete the FAFSA. Applying for a PIN in November will help make the process much easier!
— March: Financial aid award letters begin to arrive. Help your student decipher what the letters are saying and contacting the schools if you have any questions or concerns. Be sure to make comparisons between different offers as well.
Hoang Le Tax, Insurance & Financial Services
404 International Blvd, Oakland CA 94606
Office: (510) 433-5047 | Cell: (510) 697-9559
Fax: (510) 779-5588 | Email: [email protected]
Home Page: http://hoangleservices.com
College Planning: http://collegeplanning.hoangleservices.com/
College Planning Articles: http://blog.hoangleservices.com/college-planning/
6. College Visits
Plan as many visits to colleges with your students as you’re able – whether local or otherwise. A campus visit is a surefire way for a student to determine if a school is the right fit. While you’re there, be sure to allow enough time for your student to take a tour, explore the campus on his or her own and, if possible, sit in on a class.
7. Help with Summer Planning
Advise your student to sign up to volunteer, participate in extracurricular activities or take on a summer job – if they haven’t done so already. All of these will look great on their college applications!
8. Summer Savings
Help your student set up a summer savings plan so they he or she can start saving for college now. Explain that, when it comes to saving for college, the earlier they get started on saving the better!
9. Scholarship Applications
Encourage your student to begin applying for scholarships regularly now, especially during the summer, when they have down time.
10. Financial Aid Workshops
Attend any financial aid workshops with your student to learn more about paying for school, as this topic will become prevalent throughout the college application process.
For more information & consulting, please visit us:
Hoang Le Tax, Insurance & Financial Services
404 International Blvd, Oakland CA 94606
Office: (510) 433-5047 | Cell: (510) 697-9559
Fax: (510) 779-5588 | Email: [email protected]
Home Page: http://hoangleservices.com
College Planning: http://collegeplanning.hoangleservices.com/
College Planning Articles: http://blog.hoangleservices.com/college-planning/