It’s spring! What should you do right now?
Make sure you are ready for classes by keeping track of applications, admissions requirements and deadlines. Check out (and check off) these 10 to-do items to get prepared for college programs starting this summer or fall.
1. Quick! Sign up to take the admission exam for your program, such as the COMPASS or ASSET for two-year programs in the Technical College System of Georgia. Tests are occurring this month. You also can submit recent SAT or ACT scores, for undergraduate degrees, and GRE for graduate degrees.
2. Don’t forget April 15 is Tax Day. Many grants, loans and scholarships are based on income.
3. Make sure you have your high school diploma or GED verification, which is required to apply.
4. If you want to transfer schools in Georgia, be prepared to submit an application by March 1 for summer semester or April 1 for fall semester.
5. Register for orientation sessions, if required by your school. These typically occur in the summer, and you must save your spot in April or May.
6. If you need to move near campus, consider looking for housing in March or April. Leases are typically renewed around this time.
7. Check your school’s requirements for mandatory immunizations and screenings. Visit your doctor to complete any of these for measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox, tetanus, hepatitis B and meningitis. Many schools require this form 30 days before you register for classes.
8. Send updated, official transcripts from all of your previous schools to your college.
9. If you completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA, fafsa.ed.gov) this month, watch for the FAFSA Student Aid Report to arrive in about four weeks. This report will show how much aid you’re eligible to receive.
10. Save money to pay your tuition deposit, which is typically nonrefundable. Admission decisions can start as early as March or April and go into early summer.
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