EducationQuest Foundation College Planning Bulletin
A monthly college planning guide for Nebraska high school students April 2017
Seniors … Important FAFSA information for you and your parents The IRS recently took down its Data Retrieval Tool ( DRT ) due to security concerns . The DRT allows students and parents to transfer income tax information into the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ). If you already filed your 2017-18 FAFSA and used the DRT to input your tax information , this outage should not affect you . If you and your parents have NOT completed your 2017-18 FAFSA , follow these steps :
1 . Complete the FAFSA at fafsa . gov . If you get an error message when you try IRS Data Retrieval (“ page not found ” or “ access denied ”), manually input your 2015 tax data .
2 . Request an official tax return transcript of your 2015 income tax data from the IRS . You will need the transcript if the college ( s ) you list on the FAFSA request verification of your tax data .
3 . Respond to verification requests as soon as possible and send all requested documents to the college . Colleges will not award financial aid until the verification process is complete . For free help with the FAFSA or verification process , contact EducationQuest to make an appointment . See locations and phone numbers at the bottom of this bulletin . You may also submit questions via Facebook and Twitter . We will quickly respond !
College fairs happening across the state Talk to representatives from colleges across the state , region , and nation during upcoming college fairs . Juniors … these events will help you narrow your college choices before taking the ACT this spring and applying for college and financial aid early in the fall . Seniors … attend if you haven ’ t made your final college decision . Lincoln Area College Fair – Sunday , March 19 , 1-3 p . m ., Southeast Community College Grand Island Area College Fair – Sunday , March 26 , 1-3 p . m ., Pinnacle Bank Expo Center Scottsbluff Area College Fair – Sunday , April 2 , 1-3 p . m ., Western Nebraska Community College Omaha Area College Fair – Sunday , April 9 , 1-3 p . m ., University of Nebraska Omaha Sapp Fieldhouse Tri-State Area College Fair ( South Sioux City ) – Sunday , April 23 , 1-3 p . m ., Marina Center Before you attend , register for a barcode at NebraskaCollegeFairs . org . Print the barcode ( or download it to your smartphone ) and take it to the fair so college reps can scan it .
Seniors … It ’ s decision time ! Here ’ s how to decide on the college that ’ s the right fit for you . Compare your college acceptance letters , financial aid award notifications , and campus visit notes . List the pros and cons of each school using the following criteria :
Location – Is the college too close ? If you come home every weekend , you won ’ t experience true campus life . Is the college too far away ? If so , you may not make it home as often as you ’ d like .
Cost – Can your family afford the school ? What can you expect for financial aid beyond your freshman year ? Did you receive renewable scholarships ? How much in student and parent loans will you need to cover expenses ?
Academic program – Does the college offer the program that interests you ? What happens if you change majors ? Does the college offer other programs that interest you ?
Student life – Does the school offer activities you will enjoy ? Do you like the living arrangements provided by the school ? Will you have an opportunity to work on or near campus ?
Make your final decision by May 1 – and then notify the colleges you ’ re rejecting so they can offer your spot , and any financial aid , to another student .
April “ To Do ” List
Seniors ___ Continue applying for scholarships . ___ Make your final college decision . ___ Start purchasing dorm essentials now to avoid sticker shock in August . ___ Start looking for a summer job .
Juniors ___ Attend a college fair in your area . ___ Schedule campus visits while colleges are still in session . ___ Register by April 7 for the May 6 SAT . ___ Register by May 5 for the June 10 ACT . ___ Start looking for scholarships
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