October

SENIORS
October: Take The First Steps

Start the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Complete the FAFSA between October 1 and March 1 to maximize the financial aid you may receive. Add the schools that you are applying to on your FAFSA. This is a FREE application. You and your parent will each need a Federal Student AID (FSA) identification to get started. You will need information from your parents, including tax returns.
Check the FAFSA priority deadlines. Schools have different deadlines. Submit your FAFSA by those dates. Funds are limited and may be awarded on a first-come basis.

Start at scholarships.delawarestudentsuccess.org. You should complete your FAFSA by March to meet most scholarship deadlines.
Complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® (required by some programs and colleges) to see if you qualify for grants and scholarships. Check to see if you will need to complete this for where you are applying. Applications open October 1. Go to student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile.
Review SEED/Inspire Scholarship deadlines. Delaware high school graduates must start college in the fall following graduation to be eligible.
SEED Scholarship: You need at least a 2.5 GPA and can go tuition-free for your associate degree at the University of Delaware or Delaware Tech (up to ten semesters).

Inspire Scholarship: You need a 2.75 GPA and can receive a full tuition scholarship for four-years if you enroll at Delaware State University in the fall semester directly after high school graduation. delawarestudentsuccess.org/state-aid

Designate time to work on college applications. Delaware College Application Month runs from mid-October through mid-November. All Delaware colleges waive their application fees during this month. Your school will hold events so you can learn more about college and will designate time for you to work on college applications during the school day. Be aware of college application deadlines. If you are applying Early Decision or Early Action to a college, those dates are earlier than regular application deadlines.
Have all of your information available when applying.
Consider the Common Application. More than 500 colleges use this form. Many colleges waive application fees if you have a fee waiver or explain that you can’t afford it. Check commonapp.org for the programs and colleges you are considering.

DE college fairs are listed at www.delawarestudentsuccess.org/delaware-college-fairs. Military, certificate and apprenticeship programs will be represented.
If you are considering the military, talk to recruiters. You will need to consider branches, careers, time commitments and education offerings. You’ll also need to take the ASVAB test. Plan to apply to a few colleges as a backup.
If you are considering a trade or apprenticeship program, attend an info session. Learn what type of career the program will lead to, the salary you can expect and what the cost will be. Meet with an adviser to schedule your entrance exam and complete other requirements. Remember to ask about job placement to choose the best option. For more information: bit.ly/ApprenticeshipDE.
Be sure to track your research about each school, including deadlines.