Top Twelve College Application Tips

As a parent of two college students, I have learned that one of the hardest aspects of the college search is supporting and facilitating the process for your student while realizing that he or she is the one who must do the work.

Parents can’t go to college for their children and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits colleges from sharing student information with parents without permission of the student.  

Additionally, with all the activities of a high school senior, it is hard to get he or she to pay attention to college deadlines.

Finally, if the parent has not attended college, the process can be even more confusing. Parental involvement is essential to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and February is the best time to do it. The key is to start early, ask for help from the college recruiter and participate in the many community events such as FAFSA frenzy designed to help students with the transition from high school to college. Following are some tips to consider in the college search process.   

1. Begin your college search early. Spring of junior year and the following summer is a good time to start visiting schools. Take a tour and talk to current students. By fall of senior year narrow down your choices so you can begin the application process by November and December. Check out college websites for visit opportunities such as preview days and academic program information sessions. School holidays such as spring break are great times to visit colleges. Create a file for each college under consideration.
2. While many colleges charge up to $50 to submit an application, St. Louis Community College does not charge an application fee. Most applications can be completed online. Review the application to make sure you have all information before starting the process. After submitting the application, be sure to monitor your e-mail and make sure college responses are not caught in your spam filter.  
3. Dual admission programs, articulation agreements and transfer scholarships are available to students who want to start their bachelor's degree at a community college. St. Louis Community College students who transfer to the University of Missouri-St. Louis as juniors do as well or better than the students who began as freshman.  
4.  Taking college courses while in high school and during summers can help a student complete a degree faster and reduce costs. The largest number of visiting students to STLCC Meramec for summer classes come from Mizzou.    
5. Career choice should play a role in the college choice. Does the college offer programs in your areas of interest? If you are undecided, do they have career counseling to help you choose a program that fits with your interests and skills? Many students are unaware of options beyond a bachelor degree. STLCC has more than 100 career and technical degree and certificate programs that prepare students for well paying careers in fields such as biotechnology, computer networking, surgical technology, automotive, graphic design and engineering.  
6. Flexibility of course offerings, location and average class size should also be considered. Can students take classes full time, part time, day, evening or online? This is important as most students need to work while going to school. Universities can have classes in large lecture halls with hundreds of students taught by graduate students. Community college classes average about 25 students taught by faculty focused on teaching.     
7. Students should take preparation for college entrance tests seriously. If college placement test or ACT scores are too low, admission can be denied or developmental classes will be required to prepare the student for college courses resulting in increased costs and time to complete the degree.
8. Consider your budget when choosing a college. The cost of St. Louis Community College is about $2,500 for a year compared to $7,000 for a public university or $23,000 for a private university. You can save additional room and board costs of about $8,500 a year by living at home.  Many students use the savings from attending a community college to keep their student debt to a minimum, transfer to a private college or university, study abroad or to buy a car. Scholarships also are available based on academics, activities or financial need.  
9. St. Louis Community College Meramec has more than 650 students receiving free tuition with Missouri’s A+ scholarship and nearly 100 of them are graduates of Oakville High School who participated in the A+ program while in high school. The key to receiving A+ funding is to complete the FAFSA application early, and make sure to have your high school send your final transcript with the A+ seal. Remember the attendance requirement when considering a senior skip day. Some students have lost their eligibility after missing too many school days.
10. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA by the school’s priority deadline. Even if you think your income is too high to qualify for aid, the FAFSA is required for many academic and activity based scholarships. Never pay anyone to help you complete a FAFSA. Free FAFSA Frenzy workshops are available at the STLCC Meramec campus Feb. 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. and throughout the community on other dates listed at www.dhe.mo.gov. 
11. Prior to completing the FAFSA apply for a student and parent Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov and keep a copy of the number. This number serves as an electronic signature and it will be used throughout the college career. Sometimes parents and students get the numbers mixed up, both the parent and student will need their own PIN.
12. The FAFSA is based on the previous year’s tax returns. Families should have their 2010 income tax returns and/or 2010 W2 forms or their 2010 year end pay stubs and 2009 income tax returns to complete the FAFSA.  The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects files for verification. Keep signed copies of parent and student tax returns in case you are selected. Ensure the name on your FAFSA matches the name on your social security card and include the school code for any schools you are considering on the FAFSA application.