The "Easy" College Application Process

Navigating the college application process does not have to be stressful and difficult, as most parents are led to believe through the panic that occurs in many homes at the start of junior or senior year. There are some easy "rule of thumbs" to remember:

1. During spring of junior year, have your student take the ACT, SAT or both. Most high school counselors recommend one of each test, and if scores are not desirable, retake in the fall of senior year before December 1. A student who has a GPA of 2.0 or less should probably  not take the ACT or SAT until fall of senior year, as the score is probably not going to be a good acceptance score.  If your student is 100 per cent sure they are going to Community College or for vocational training, they do not need to take either test.

2. If your child has a GPA of 2.5 or less you should automatically assume they need to start out at a Community College or get some vocational training. The good news is after a semester or year of Community College demonstrating good grades and success, your child can transfer to many four year schools to complete a four year degree if desired.  Another option if you have a low GPA but want to start out at a four year college is to research schools that have open enrollment- for example Carthage College in Wisconsin and Ferris State in Michigan.

3. Pay attention to the deadlines your high school guidance counselor sets for senior year. Colleges begin taking applications as of August 1 of the student's senior year.  Pick 3 colleges to apply to- try to narrow it down by visiting junior year or over the summer, and weed out schools that do not offer the desired major.

4. Make sure applications are complete by November 1st of senior year. Some students who are waiting for a higher GPA at semester may wait until around February 1 if the college does not have an early application deadline. Most colleges will take applications through May 1, but won't  have financial aid available for students who did not apply before December 1.

5. Parent or guarding completes the FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov between January 1 and March 10 (check the FAFSA website for specific state deadlines). Wait to hear from colleges about whether you qualify for additional aid. You and your parents need to decide how much you are willing to take out in student loans to make college affordable.

6. Apply to your dream school. If your grades and test scores are decent, you never know what might happen!

7. Remember- you don't have to take out a lot of loans for college. If you and your parents can't come up with the cash, start at a Community College and get a job and save some money for a year, then reapply.

When in doubt about anything concerning college admissions and financial aid, contact your high school guidance office or the admissions office of the college you want to attend.