Important Dates

From time to time, I want to remind high schoolers and parents about the upcoming dates of which they need to be aware. These will include applying for financial aid, time lines for SAT and ACT, applying to college, and visiting campuses.

High School Seniors:
August-December: Make a list of schools that you are considering. Take the SAT and/or the ACT.

September-April: Visit as many of those schools as you can (and try to find a faithful church in the area).

November-January: Apply to the schools you choose. If you wait until later in the Spring, you can certainly get in, but earlier is always better. If possible, apply to more than one school and narrow your search in the Spring semester of your senior year. Remeber to consider Texas State and the McCarty Student Center!

January 1: Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA. January 1 is the best day to fill out the FAFSA because you will have all the financial information from the previous year (at least in theory). Filling out the FAFSA and sending it to the schools you are conisdering early will give you the greatest opportunity for recieving grants and possibly scholarships (money you don' t have to pay back).

*June 30: The absolute last day to submit the FAFSA (federal deadline). In Texas, the deadline for FAFSA depends on the College/School/Univeristy you are applying to.*


Test help guides for high-school juniors and seniors:
SAT Study Guide by The College Board

Cracking the SAT by Princeton Review

Extensive but Expensive Kaplan ACT Test Prep

McGraw-Hill's ACT Test Prep