Hi, im a current senior right now in high school. I have some question about college admissions and I haven’t been able to find good answers for my questions online.
Okay so #1: Should I apply for FAFSA early? I know it opens on october 1st this year (i think?) and im not sure if i should apply ASAP or wait it out.
2: After getting admitted to college, how do accept a college's offer? Like will it be like a letter in the mail or online? Also, like when is the typical deadline to accept a college admission?
3: Typically, how soon can you start choosing housing available at your college? I really want to get a single dorm but I want to make sure I have a good headstart and increase my chances.
4: Do I have to keep applying for FAFSA every school year? Or is it one time and thats it?
I appreciate ANY responses. I definitely want to know these things earlier than later and need a little help. Thank you!
I’ll address your question about on-campus housing first. Some universities will recommend that you reserve housing even BEFORE you accept the offer of admission, so you can get in line for housing. If you do this early, then later on when you accept the offer of admission, you will be in a good place in line for housing and likely to get your choice of dorm rooms. It is usually a fee of $25 to $200 to reserve housing like that. My daughter only reserved housing at her top two choices for universities before she decided between them, and she wound up getting a really nice suite that was her first choice in room types.
Colleges often send your acceptance letter by mail AND send it by email AND have it online (where you can log in and see it). They will provide instructions for how to accept their offer, but it always involves paying a small tuition deposit, kind of like the housing deposit. You can accept an offer of admission right away, or you can wait until the deadline of May 1st. This is all handled online. You will be able to log into the college website and take care of everything that way.
Yes, you have to reapply for FAFSA every school year, because financial situations can change. It’s a chore, but it has to be done if you want the related aid each year. I’m not sure of the pros and cons of when you actually submit the FAFSA, unless financial aid is being awarded first come first served by a university.
1 - yes, apply right away when it opens. Also make sure you meet any deadlines the school has for other financial aid paperwork -- CSS Profile, for example. Most put together aid packages that come pretty close to your acceptance date, so they need the info early from every applicant.
2 - Each college will tell you how to respond when they accept you. Many have online portals now. You get info on how to log in when you apply. I suppose some might still provide a postcard or something still. Most colleges have May 1 as the date you need to commit and send an enrollment deposit by.
3 - Housing varies by college. Some let you put in a housing deposit, but get it back if you decide not to attend. Some don't require a housing deposit. It is very difficult to get a single as a frosh at many colleges no matter how you handle it unless you have a medical reason for it, though.
4 - You fill out FAFSA every year. If your family's financial situation changes, they generally will make some adjustment to your aid -- but that depends on the school.