Sauvik

A 1st Generation College Student means that you are the first person in your family to attend a four year institution. If this is the case the world of college admissions can be a confusing one to navigate. This is your GPS from the start of the college search to the destination of your dream school!

1. Do your research
   Interact with colleges you may be interested as much as possible. College visits are not always possible because of costs of travel or distance. The good news is college representatives can be found visiting most areas. The University of Iowa for example travels all across the state/nation/world. Listen to those morning announcements at your high school for college reps coming to visit or local area college fairs that you can attend.
2. Stay organized
   I always tell students that I meet with to create a new email account that is specifically used for college applications. This is an easy way to organize your personal emails and your school emails. Make sure to also open and read each email sent. These emails contain important information you do not want to miss!
3. Identify deadlines
   You’ll be filling out lots of forms for each school so it’s important to know what form is due when. Making a calendar can help you keep track of application deadlines for financial aid, scholarships and housing applications.
4. Find the best matches
   There are over 4,000 schools all across the nation. It is not possible or ideal to apply to each institution. The average student applies to about 10 schools, and having a shorter list from the beginning will make your life easier! You want to make sure you did do your research on admission requirements, campus and student life. I always challenge students to think of three things you want to see in a college. By finding the right fit you will do better in your courses, get involved, and feel comfortable on campus.
5. Understand financial aid award packages
   Once you find the schools where you’d like to apply and have been admitted to you will want to make sure you understand what the costs are going to be. Financial aid is a key determinant for a lot of students for where they attend. If you have questions about that award always call the respective financial aid offices.
6. Accept admission
   May 1st is the national decision day. You will want to make sure to let the school know by this date that you wish to attend. Make sure to send your deposit to your school and ask your school counselor to send your final transcripts and official test scores during the summer.

Congratulations, you made it to your final destination!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015 at 4:24 pm and is filed under General, . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.