April calendar: analyze award letter

use this month to analyze your award letter

Colleges to which you have applied to will be sending out their financial award letter (required by regulation if the college participates in federal financial aid). The award letter lists the full estimated costs of attendance along with the financial awards the college will give you - grant, scholarship, loans, other aid.

Below are four (4) quick summary tasks for the month of April:

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scroll to summary tasks

for HS seniors

Quick Monthly Checkup

A brief checklist:

Check your mailbox for acceptance letters from colleges. If a college you are considering hasn't responded, contact the Admissions Office to follow-up:
Compare your acceptance letter, financial aid offers, and other criteria to narrow your selection down to 1-2 schools.
Upon your selection of school(s), you will be required to send in a non-refundable deposit to secure your position in the Freshmen class. So make sure it's the right decision.
Most schools have a May 1 acceptance deadline. Deposit money will likely be required to reserve your admission. Keep on track to meet these deadlines.
Start getting yourself ready for college. Download FREE our moving-to-college checklist to get started.

for HS seniors

Getting the Financial Aid Letter

You should receive your "Financial Award Package" with information on your qualifying financial aid from each school where you have been admitted.

The Financial Award Package will show the cost of attendance and the amount of each financial aid award that will be awarded. The difference between the cost and the amount awarded is the portion that the family is expected to contribute towards the cost of education.

The financial aid awards include:

grants,
scholarships,
federally student loans,
work study programs,
other college assisted aid

for HS seniors

Make a College Comparison

It's time to finalize which school to attend. Use our comparison worksheet to list your schools side-by-side. Determine which school is best for your academic objectives:

Use this college comparison worksheet to help in your comparison.

File Type: excel

for HS seniors

Housing and Summer Work

Have you arranged housing? Need to get going before the best places are taken.

For on-campus:
check with your college of choice. Once you get accepted into college, you need to move fast for on-campus housing arrangements to avoid being placed on a waiting list.

For off-campus:
link to our "Moving to College" housing plan for housing search.

Have you found that summer job?
Use the summer to raise money you will need for college. Money earned can be used for tuition, housing, transportation and for fun entertainment.