13 Nov Road Map for November: Seniors

Congratulations to all of you who have submitted your first round of applications! Keep checking your application portals to make sure all of your documents are being processed, especially your financial aid materials once the FAFSA opens on December 1. While you’re waiting, you can register for an account and get an FSA ID, which you will need to complete the form. And keep in mind that the student and parent must each have their own account.

**Update: On November 14 the Department of Ed announced that a final round of beta testing for the FAFSA will be open to any interested family before the official launch on December 1.

Now that the early round is out of the way, it’s a good idea to keep pushing ahead so you can submit the rest of your applications.  Ideally you can get this done by Thanksgiving and enjoy the holiday without college applications on your to-do list. If that timeline is not realistic for you, I recommend you do everything possible to finish any remaining applications a few days before winter break starts. (December 15 is a good date to aim for.) This ensures that if you have a last-minute question or problem, your school counselor is available to you. You can’t count on school staff to be working during winter break, and you don’t want to be stuck without assistance if you’re trying to meet a deadline in the first few days of January.

I know some of you have also been getting admission offers already, which is so exciting! If you applied under an Early Action or Rolling Admissions plan, you have until May 1 to make your decision and send a deposit to the college you’ll be attending. You should also be looking out for invitations to admitted student events in the coming months. These can be valuable opportunities to learn more details about each school as you make your final choice.