Seniors should begin making to-do lists for college

By Desiree Flores and Lizbeth Cuellar |

Closer and closer, save the date! On June 11, the class of 2018 will be walking the stage, but before they just think about scooting out of the word education, college sneaks up just enough to grab them by the hair on their chinny chin chins. College season for senior students is around the corner, so that means essays, applications, scholarships and financial aid are all coming up.

College advisers Caitlin Heller and Reynolds along with ETA Counselor Linda Howe put together Senior Parent Night on Sept. 28 to share all the tips of the trade.

If you are looking for an out-of-state college to attend, the best way to start applying is going to their admission website, if applying to in-state schools you may just need to be able to go to Apply Texas and send just that one application to all Texas schools you are trying to apply for. https://www.applytexas.org/adappc/gen/c_start.WBX

You will need to have the counseling office send out transcripts. On them will be all of your classes and grades and your class rank, which really matters. Some universities look at top 6 percent (automatically admitted), 10 percent, and also 15 percent. If you are not in one of these categories, they will then pull your SAT or ACT scores, you may then qualify through those categories.

Another handy dandy resource is the FAFSA.

“FAFSA is incredibly important, if you’re going to SAC, Harvard or anything in between you need to have a FAFSA,” Heller said.

That’s the way you get financial aid from the University you’re going to and the government. Don’t have enough saved up for your dream college? With applying for FAFSA you receive free, yes FREE money from the Government to pay a portion of your college tuition. The FAFSA opened on October 1. Just make sure you apply for your FSAID first.

“The earlier the student completes the FAFSA the earlier they can know of eligibility and compare the net cost of the schools they are considering,” St. Mary’s University Director of Financial Assistance David Krause said.

Unless the student is aware that they and their parents can pay for college cost from their own resources it’s important to complete the FAFSA.

The College and Career Center will be hosting a FAFSA drive on Satuday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Students should bring as much of the information for the FAFSA as they can, including 2016 taxes, untaxed income, assets, and a list of schools they are interested in.

If in need of more help for applying for colleges, test, or applications please go see your College Counselors in the College and Career Center or see your Counselor for more information.

The district’s College Fair will be on Nov. 1 at Blossom Athletic Center.