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Explore the topics below for valuable information on college admission.

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Showing versus telling is important.
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Consider the structure and the order of significant topics.

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When Will You Learn of the Admissions Decision?

Each college has its own admissions schedule. Familiarize yourself with the schedules of the colleges you're interested in.

Rolling Admission:

Applications are evaluated as they are received, and decisions are sent to a student within a certain time frame.

Precipice Admission or Regular Notification:

Applications are evaluated and decisions are sent to students all at one time (usually April). The deadline for applications is usually Jan. 1.

Early Decision:

Students must apply by an early deadline (usually in November) and must attend that institution if they are admitted.

Early Action:

Students must apply by an early deadline but are not obligated to attend that institution if admitted.

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Cost of Attendance

The cost of college extends beyond tuition and fees. Consider all expenses when you budget.

• Tuition and fees
• Room and board
• Books and supplies
• Equipment
• Transportation
• Miscellaneous personal expenses
• Loan fees
• Study-abroad costs
• Dependent or elder care expenses
• Expenses associated with a disability
• Expenses for cooperative education program

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The four main types of financial aid are listed below. Students who receive financial aid may be awarded a combination, or package, of these four types:

Grants

Grants are gift aid (which do not need to be repaid) from federal, state or university sources. They are awarded to students on the basis of need.

Scholarships

Scholarships are gift funds, based on high academic achievement or special talent, that do not have to be repaid. Click here for information on scholarship search services.

Loans

Loans are borrowed funds which must be repaid, with interest, after you are no longer a student. As college costs climb, many families find that supplemental borrowing by the parent or student becomes an important resource to financing educational expenses.

Information on federal loans is available through the US Department of Education's Student Guide.

Work-study Employment

Work-study employment funds are earned by students for working part time (10-15 hours per week) for eligible employers. Students earn wages up to the amount of their work-study award.

World Wide Web Scholarship Search Service and Other Scholarship Resources

Private scholarships ranging from small honoraria to thousands of dollars are offered each year to college students by a variety of corporate, professional, trade, government, civic, religious, social and fraternal organizations. Applying for scholarships is time consuming, so start as early as possible (as early as two years prior to your admission to the university). Breaks from school are good times to spend on your search.

A quick way to start your scholarship search is to utilize specialized scholarship search sites on the Web. The ones listed here are among the most popular FREE scholarship search sites.

• fastWEB
• Sallie Mae
• The Financial Aid Information Page
• SRN Express
• CollegeNet
• Wired Scholar
• Peterson's College Quest

Other Scholarship Resources

Other good places to look for scholarships include the reference section of your local library, your high school guidance office and bookstores. You can save time by addressing envelopes while at the library (because many scholarship reference books cannot be checked out) and by creating a standard form letter that includes your name, address and telephone number on it.

For-profit Scholarship Search Services

Several for-profit companies throughout the United States offer computerized search services, often charging fees ranging from $75 to $175 or higher. The University of Michigan Office of Financial Aid does not recommend these services and suggests you thoroughly investigate them before submitting any fees to them. We also suggest that you read the scholarship scam alert on The Financial Aid Information Page.

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Student's College Preparation Checklist

College is something that you need to think about now. A college education will help you take charge of your future. A college degree means more career opportunities and a greater earning potential, but it takes some planning and preparation.

Don't wait! Now is the time to take charge and aim high! Plan your high school program using the checklist below.

9th or 10th Grade

The most important step is to get started. It's worth it!

Develop an organization system to log your assignments, exams, social events, appointments, job interviews, etc. This will help you manage your time and develop organizational skills.

Be sure the courses you sign up for are "college prep." Seek the advice of your parents and a counselor. Challenge yourself! Take honors and advanced courses when appropriate. You should plan to take four or five college-prep courses per term.

Begin to explore careers and talk to people in positions and industries that interest you. What education do those careers require? Your school library and career center are good places to start.

Get involved in school and community activities. Develop leadership skills. Involvement may lead to scholarships and/or summer jobs. But don't overdo it; your grades are very important!

In the 10th grade, register for the P-ACT (Preliminary American College Test). This will help identify areas for improvement and give you a chance to strengthen future courses.

Discuss college costs with your parents now. You can help, too, by starting to save. Begin to investigate information and funding options.

11th Grade

Continue to take challenging courses and to explore careers. This is a very important year. Colleges usually base their decisions on your sophomore- and junior-year grades.

In October, take the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). This is a good practice test, and it will help identify areas for you to improve. Good scores may also lead to a scholarship.

Write to colleges for information. Begin to shop around; all colleges are not the same. Compare entrance requirements, cost, size, unique programs, facilities, your intended field of study, athletics and extracurricular activities. Talk to friends or relatives who have attended. It may or may not be the place for you.

Plan to attend at least one college fair. It's a good time to gather information about a lot of colleges and ask questions. Besides, they're fun!

Visit the counseling office often to see when representatives for the colleges you are interested in will visit your school. Schedule to meet them. Also check for new incoming information about colleges and scholarships.

Take the SAT I and/or the ACT (American College Test) during the spring semester. Find out which test the colleges you are interested in require.

Consult with your counselor or college admissions offices if you're unsure of your score. You may want to consider taking the test again.

Continue to check into scholarships. There are even books and computer software with scholarship lists.

The summer before your senior year is a good time to visit your top three college choices.

12th Grade

Don't get "senioritis!" Your senior courses and grades do make a difference.

You can still take or retake the SAT I and ACT. See your counselor for dates. Early fall is best.

Continue to visit colleges that you missed during the summer.

Send in your college applications early. Provide all requested materials, i.e., recommendations, transcripts, test scores and essays. If necessary, ask your counselor about a waiver for the application fee.

Applying for financial aid? Send in the required forms (FAF, FFS or FAFSA). You should be able to get them from the guidance office at your high school. Submit them in January or February for early processing.

After you've decided on the college you plan to attend, you should notify all other colleges of your decision.

You may think it looks like a great deal of work. It's not really. Just take one step at a time. If you have already missed some steps, don't panic. See your guidance counselor for alternatives.

Also, don't be discouraged by what your friends may tell you. Get the facts. You can always call the college admissions office.