All Year Review:
Explore careers and their earning potential within the US Bureau of Labor Statistics website: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Log on to your MyFSA account at www.studentaid.ed.gov/myfsa and look at the information for any colleges you saved if you completed the College Matching Wizard in the past. Try the college search again if you’ve changed your mind about what you want from a school. Go to college fairs and college-preparation presentations by college representatives.
Fall Review
Take the PSAT/NMSQT.* You must take the test in 11th grade to qualify for scholarships and programs associated with the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Spring Review:
Register for and take exams for college admission.* The tests that many colleges require are the SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT. Check with the colleges you are interested in to see what tests they require.Use www.studentaid.ed.gov/scholarship to find scholarships for which you might want to apply. Some deadlines fall as early as the summer between 11th and 12th grades, so prepare now to submit applications soon.
To Explore:
Learn how to avoid scholarship scams and identity theft from Save Your Money, Save Your Identity at www.studentaid.ed.gov/lsa.
Familiarize yourself with ways to pay for college at www.studentaid.ed.gov/guide. The following sections of Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid will be especially useful to you right now:
Federal Student Aid at a Glance
Other Financial Aid Sources
It’s a Jungle Out There
Parents To Do:Take another look at your financial situation, and be sure you’re on the right track to pay for college. Talk to your child about the schools he or she is considering. Ask why those schools appeal to your child, and help him or her clarify goals and priorities. Attend college fairs with your child, but don’t take over the conversation with the college representative. Just listen, and let your child do the talking. Take your child to visit college campuses, preferably when classes are in session.
To Explore:
Get in-depth information on federal student aid programs from Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid at www.studentaid.ed.gov/guide.