Register
to take the ACT or SAT in
early fall, if you haven't taken one of the college-entrance exams
already, or if you want to try to improve the score you received
as a junior. Your guidance counselor can help you find web sites,
books, or classes to help you prepare for the tests.
Request
applications from your colleges of choice the summer before your senior year. Many
schools allow you to apply online or download and print an application.
Iowa offers an online Application.
Arrange
campus visits. If you have not yet visited, or need a
second visit to help you decide, make time to visit the campuses
you are considering. Iowa's Admission Visitors Center welcomes students
for large group events
or individual Campus
Visits.
Apply
for admission to the three to five colleges or universities
you like the best. Check web sites and applications for specific
application deadlines. Also review how on-campus housing applications
are processed and how housing is assigned.
Sign
up for housing and orientation. Don't miss these vital
opportunities to learn more about your school and make new friends.
Sign up for Orientation,
which is mandatory at The University of Iowa, and On-Campus
Housing as soon as possible.
Keep
your grades up. College admission is granted on a
tentative basis, and a school may rescind your admission if
your grades fall
or if you do not complete the required high school courses.
Talk to your high school counselor and review the suggestions
in Building
Your Future,* an online guide prepared by the
Board of Regents, State of Iowa, for college-bound students.
Apply
for financial aid, even if you don't think you'll need it. The
U.S. government designed the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to help colleges
nationwide establish a student's need for financial assistance.
However, the FAFSA also is widely used to determine a student's
eligibility for certain scholarships and grants. If you plan
to attend Iowa, complete the FAFSA online as soon as possible
after
Jan. 1 to apply for need-based financial aid for the following
academic year. Also Review
Our Financial Aid Information.
Search
for scholarships. Use the web, and if you plan to
attend Iowa, review scholarship offerings compiled by the UI Office of Student Financial Aid to find ways to help pay for your education.
Keep in mind that many scholarships have application deadlines
relatively early in the fall of your senior year.
Submit
college deposits. After you receive admission offers,
remember to send in any required deposits or acceptance fees.
Deposits are usually refundable
up until May 1 of your senior year, but you should check with
the institution to know for certain if that is the case.
