College
- Thread starter SamSpade
- Start date
Early senior year. Junior year and summer before senior is when you want to do your school visits to start narrowing them down. There's an application fee involved so you don't want to just start applying to every school.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
We talking Stanford or College of Southern Maryland?
lucky_bee
RBF expert
Summer between Junior and Senior year is essential in planning, but especially if they're serious or in to competitive schools. They should have a top 3-7 list and should be researching what each college requires as far as application process - deadlines, essays, fees, letters of recommendations, etc. Spreadsheet that stuff if you're in to them.
If they have a specific school they're REALLY really into, I would even venture to book a tour in the spring of their Junior year so they can see the school in action and if it's a small enough school, that early visit might get them noticed. Some places keep track of these things. But regardless, I think it's more beneficial to see a school while it's full of students. Some of the more competitive schools might be harder to book tours come Fall of Senior year OR their application process might be intense...fall is busier anyways. Go earlier if you can.
Application season is Fall of Senior year, varying between Oct-Dec. Some colleges offer Early Decision which is different than regular acceptance. Usually, that means if they apply early enough/by an earlier set date and declare the Early Decision application route, then they are basically pledging ahead of time to attend that school if they're accepted. Lots of the Early Decision schools send out those acceptance letters before the winter holidays. Advantageous for many reasons, though you are taking a chance if you apply Early Decision to more than one school.
Spring of Junior year, if they aren't supposed to already - have them request a meeting with their counselor to look at any scholarships or grants through the community and high school. I went to a super small high school so this happened automatically - I was handed a stack of grants and scholarship applications, every single one my counselor could find that I was eligible for, and I applied to all. Got about 5k total. Drop in the bucket after it was all said and done
but helpful at the time. Do the same with all there schools they end up applying to.
My stepson just went through all this. He is not a planner. Drove me nuts all summer. Last minute on both his applications, one of them being Univ. of MD. Warned him that such a competitive school needs better preparation. He did not get in, unfortunately, although he is a great student.
If they have a specific school they're REALLY really into, I would even venture to book a tour in the spring of their Junior year so they can see the school in action and if it's a small enough school, that early visit might get them noticed. Some places keep track of these things. But regardless, I think it's more beneficial to see a school while it's full of students. Some of the more competitive schools might be harder to book tours come Fall of Senior year OR their application process might be intense...fall is busier anyways. Go earlier if you can.
Application season is Fall of Senior year, varying between Oct-Dec. Some colleges offer Early Decision which is different than regular acceptance. Usually, that means if they apply early enough/by an earlier set date and declare the Early Decision application route, then they are basically pledging ahead of time to attend that school if they're accepted. Lots of the Early Decision schools send out those acceptance letters before the winter holidays. Advantageous for many reasons, though you are taking a chance if you apply Early Decision to more than one school.
Spring of Junior year, if they aren't supposed to already - have them request a meeting with their counselor to look at any scholarships or grants through the community and high school. I went to a super small high school so this happened automatically - I was handed a stack of grants and scholarship applications, every single one my counselor could find that I was eligible for, and I applied to all. Got about 5k total. Drop in the bucket after it was all said and done
but helpful at the time. Do the same with all there schools they end up applying to.My stepson just went through all this. He is not a planner. Drove me nuts all summer. Last minute on both his applications, one of them being Univ. of MD. Warned him that such a competitive school needs better preparation. He did not get in, unfortunately, although he is a great student.
OccamsRazor
Well-Known Member
Two things I learned while navigating this process that may be helpful to know:
1) If you plan to attend an out-of-state school (your 1-3 picks) then do EARLY APPLICATION. You have a much better chance of acceptance as an out-of-state student. Normal application process HEAVILY favors in-state applications.
2) You have a MUCH better chance to receive scholarship money from EARLY application. Schools like to offer scholarships that reduce the rates to in-state in order to make it more attractive to out-of-state students.
1) If you plan to attend an out-of-state school (your 1-3 picks) then do EARLY APPLICATION. You have a much better chance of acceptance as an out-of-state student. Normal application process HEAVILY favors in-state applications.
2) You have a MUCH better chance to receive scholarship money from EARLY application. Schools like to offer scholarships that reduce the rates to in-state in order to make it more attractive to out-of-state students.
And don't forget to file your FAFSA!!
OccamsRazor
Well-Known Member
Yep! Be sure that 100% of applicants submit a form that will qualify 5-10% of kids to receive anything worthwhile as far as money towards tuition
Yep! Be sure that 100% of applicants submit a form that will qualify 5-10% of kids to receive anything worthwhile as far as money towards tuition
This is not true.
Even if you think you make too much money, you may be surprised. Fill out the FAFSA.
OccamsRazor
Well-Known Member
I have helped several veterans with FAFSA for their kids. Broad range of income levels. I stand by my statement. I had a particular veteran making about $42K/year, single parent and struggling. Their kid qualified for $3K in money. Might seem like a lot and it did to them... until they found out that the kid's college of choice was about $27K per year.
Maybe the word I should have underlined was "worthwhile."
CPUSA
Well-Known Member
As soon as they can start providing a quality higher education again...
Until then, I'd keep them far far away from those indoctrination facilities...
OccamsRazor
Well-Known Member
And that is on the cheap end with some of the more well known universities. Some examples I have seen (WVU, VT, hell.. even UMD) are about 40-60K per year! That includes room and board, meal plans, lab fees, books, etc.
PeoplesElbow
Well-Known Member
The FAFSA also qualifies them for loans and work study. Work study is a great opportunity, I got to do grunt work for my engineering professors in their labs, I got to know them outside of a classroom and earned a little valuable experience that I otherwise would not have.
KingFish
Nothing to see here
I think the community college is a great choice to start out with. Take the same courses at a cheaper rate and transfer in to the big college/university as a junior. The smaller engineering calculus classes are a better quality of instruction instead of sitting in bleachers at UMCP with 200+ other students while the professor is preaching out of the text book and not writing on a board. Then you break into smaller classes of about 40 students who are TAs and english is their 2nd or 3rd language and you ask, Why is the problem solved this way? And get a helpful reply "Because that is the way its done" in a heavy accent.