How to PREPARE for COLLEGE!
Q: What do admissions officers look at when I apply to college?
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Difficulty of course load
ACT/SAT scores
Class Rank
High School and community activities, involvement
Counselor and teacher recommendations
Application Essays
Q: How do I know when to complete the steps necessary for college admission?
Check out the The Kansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (KASFAA) Junior and Senior Pre-College Calendar and Checklist on the KASFAA.org website. Pre-College Checklist
Q: How do I know which college is right for me?
Check out these resources!
US College Search
Best Careers for your College Major
ACT’s “Get Set for College Student Guide”
ACT’s “Get Set for College Parent Guide”
Know How 2 Go – www.knowhow2go.org
Best Colleges
College Guide for Undocumented Students
Q: How do I pay for college?
Federal Student Aid - THE source for free information, guidance and tools for federal student assistance
Finaid - The SmartStudent guide to financial aid
Paying for College (pdf, 174.52KB)
Fafsa4caster - Estimate your eligibility for federal student aid
FAFSA Time (pdf, 156.59KB) - quick guide to beginning your FAFSA application
Lendedu - Find the best private student loans with this resource!
Scholarship Fund - Tuition assistance for needy families
Guaranteed Scholarships: List of scholarships guaranteed by individual colleges to ALL admitted students meeting the criteria listed.
College Scholarships, Colleges and Online Degrees: Links to 32 FREE online scholarship searches, college admissions and financial aid office email addresses and toll free numbers, links to college websites and online applications (by state), a free college admissions and scholarships email newsletter, and a list of the web's best college and scholarships websites.
Great books to read!
Paying for College Without Going Broke, 2018 Edition: How to Pay Less for College (College Admissions Guides)
The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2019: Billions of Dollars in Scholarships, Grants and Prizes
Debt-Free U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching off My Parents
Countdown to College: 21 'To Do' Lists for High School
College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step
Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania