Senior Spring Post-Secondary Planning Checklist!

Senior Spring Checklist! 

January
	Complete remaining college applications
	Complete FAFSA or alternative forms if you haven't done so already
	Follow up on your college applications.
	Begin activating college portals. Ask us how!
	Update personal statement with fall semester experiences
	Check College E-mails
FEBRUARY
	Apply to at least three scholarships
	Filling out and submitting verification forms if needed for FAFSA
	submit institutional scholarship application for each college
	Grade check with all teachers
MARCH
	Complete Next Steps for Technical College Pathway
	Compare costs of the schools you are considering
	Grade check with all teachers
APRIL
	Collect Financial Aid Packages
	Choose an official college or pathway
	submit student housing application
	Check College E-mails
	Grade check with all teachers
	Sign up for orientation
MAY
	Set up a one-on-one check in with PSSN
	Prepare for graduation

Winter Break TO DO LIST!

Be sure to check items off the following list over your Winter Break!

• Log in to your college email and Student Hub AT LEAST twice a week! If you have any questions, text me!
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• If you haven't applied to all of the colleges you are interested in, JUST DO IT! 
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• Check your Student Aid Report by logging in with your FSAID credentials as fafsa.ed.gov Let me know how much $$$$ you'll receive for your Pell Grant! 
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• Apply for SO MANY scholarships. The more you do now, the better. Click here for essay tips! 
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• Apply for your INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS! These are the ones that your colleges offer ONLY to students at that school. 
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• HAVE FUN!
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• REST! 
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• Get excited for THE LAST SEMESTER of HIGH SCHOOL! 

Scholarship Essays!

You guys! If you haven't started (and maybe even finished) your scholarship application essays...

IT IS TIME! 

I know it can be hard to write about yourself and share your thoughts, feelings and experiences with total strangers. But it can be the MOST POWERFUL part of your application. Sure, grades and test scores matter but most colleges want to get to know YOU as a person with a story...not just the numbers and letters on your transcript! Your essay really is an opportunity for the people in admissions to learn more about WHY they should admit YOU to their college. 

Carve out some time over Winter Break to work on essays! 

TAKE A CHANCE! 

Be yourself! Make sure your essay 'sounds' like you. Just like you want people to be REAL with you, being REAL in your essay makes a difference! 

Start NOW! Select one of your essay topics. Set your timer for 30 minutes and just brainstorm. Write/type EVERYTHING that comes to mind...even if it's takis! I mean, try to stay focused on the topic and write any and everything that comes to mind. You may come across an idea or direction you weren't expecting BUT that will make an awesome essay! And remember, no one has to EVER see your brainstorming document. 

Check out the links below for some great tips on writing your BEST college essay! There are some video clips too. 

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions

Colorado Opportunity Fund: COF

Have you applied for COF? 

You'll SAVE $85/credit hour on your tuition at some of Colorado's public universities and community colleges! The state of Colorado will pay a 'stipend' towards your tuition and this will reduce your total tuition bill. This could be almost $1,300 PER SEMESTER! The application only takes a few minutes. 

If you are an ASSET and/or DACA student, apply now HERE! 

APPLY NOW HERE! You'll need your Social Security # to complete the application. 

COF can be used at the schools listed below:

Four Year Public Colleges:

• Adams State University
• Colorado School of Mines
• Colorado State University
• Colorado State University-Pueblo
• Fort Lewis College
• Colorado Mesa University
• Metropolitan State University of Denver
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• University of Colorado Denver
• University of Northern Colorado
• Western State Colorado University

Two Year Public Colleges:

• Arapahoe Community College
• Colorado Northwestern Community College
• Community College of Aurora
• Community College of Denver
• Front Range Community College
• Lamar Community College
• Morgan Community College
• Northeastern Junior College
• Otero Junior College
• Pikes Peak Community College
• Pueblo Community College
• Red Rocks Community College
• Trinidad State Junior College

Private Colleges:

• Colorado Christian University ($43/hour)
• Regis University ($43/hour)
• University of Denver ($43/hour)

Institutional Scholarship Links!

See below for links to scholarships from YESS' most attended colleges! 

Colorado State University

Community College of Denver 

Arapahoe Community College 

Metropolitan State University of Denver 

University of Colorado- Denver 

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs 

University of Northern Colorado

CU Boulder- DUE FEBRUARY 15TH

Remember to apply for scholarships at your Top 2 or 3 colleges!!!! This way, you'll receive a few options for Financial Aid Awards...you never know which school will offer you the best award! You have to have been admitted to the school and set up your portal/email with the college to complete the scholarship applications. Most of schools have a March 1 Deadline for institutional scholarships. Be sure to check and plan accordingly. To Sign In to most of the schools above, you'll have to activate your account with the school. Search your personal email for information from each school on how to log in! Make sure you are keeping track of usernames and passwords! 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

I've been accepted! Now what do I do?!

YESS HS Class of 2019! 

You all are doing a PHENOMENAL JOB submitting college and scholarship applications. The ACCEPTANCE Letters are rolling in, too! Your hard work is paying off BIG!

So, you've been admitted to some of your colleges. NOW WHAT?! 

Read your acceptance letter/ email VERY CAREFULLY. 

Follow the directions provided to set up your PORTAL/HUB and email for EVERY SCHOOL. 

Review the information in the portal.  Look for TO DO LISTs and RED FLAGS

If your college's scholarship applications are open for application, GET STARTED TODAY! 

ASK QUESTIONS! If you aren't sure what something means, take a screen shot and send it to your Navigator! 

Be sure to check your college email(s) frequently. Many of your schools will ONLY communicate with you via the college email from this point forward. 

<<<Figure out when your institutional scholarships OPEN for APPLICATION>>>

FAFSA Verification!

FAFSA Verification! 

How do I know if I've been selected? What does it mean?

 What do I do now?! 

Many of you have submitted your FAFSA applications. Well done! You should have received an email confirming the submission. Then, 3-5 business days later, you should have received another email. This is the BIG ONE! We're looking for the words PROCESSED SUCCESSFULLY.  This means the application had all of the needed info and signature pages have been received by FAFSA (if applicable). 

Follow the steps outlined in the email to view your STUDENT AID REPORT or SAR. This will involved logging in using your FSAID username and password. Then you'll select View or Print your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the “My FAFSA” page.

How do I know if I've been selected?
When reviewing your Student Aid Report (SAR), look for a * next to EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) in the box near the top of the SAR. This star means you've been selected for verification! It does NOT mean you've done anything wrong but it DOES mean we have some extra work to do!  

What does it mean?
For some reason, FAFSA selected you to provide some extra information. Sometimes this is totally random, other times it's because some info on your FAFSA is contradictory and/or values may have been estimated. Whatever the reason, we'll get it take care of ASAP! 

What do I do now?! 
We'll want to order Tax Return Transcripts (and Letters of Non Filing). We'll need your parent(s) and your 2017 Tax Returns again to get this done! You will also want to check your email/portal for every school you've been admitted to thus far. They'll have some requirements in order for your Financial Aid Award Package to be completed. Don't worry- we'll help you through this process! 

If you've been selected for Verification, please let your College Navigator (that's me or Angie!) know immediately so we can complete the necessary steps!