Your child will be heading off to college soon, and we understand the significant impact this will have on everyone involved. In many ways the college selection process boils down to this: a student choice, and a family decision. The student will ultimately choose the college they want to attend, and the family will have to decide if that is what is best for all. It’s an exciting, stressful, and dynamic time. It’s also a time for students to grow and assume more responsibility.
If your child is a sophomore or junior, you may be more attuned to the challenge of finding the right college than he or she is. It isn’t necessarily that they’re not interested in college, just that they’re focused on their school work and extra-curricular activities. If your second semester junior or first semester senior still isn’t thinking about college, then we need to take a more active role!
The College Counseling Office strives to keep parents involved in this process, from early in the junior year right through their child’s enrollment at college. The calendars below summarize many of the important dates throughout junior and senior years. Clearly an effort to maintain open communication among all parties is essential; we want to make sure student, parents, and counselors are all on the same page! You can also find helpful sites for other aspects of the college search on the Resources page.
Class of 2008 Calendar - Seniors
August 2007
15 Request information and application procedures for colleges in which you are interested
22 First day of school
23 Individual conferences with Mr. Fleming begin
31 College Presentations at 'Iolani will begin. Get into the habit of checking the web site and paper calendar in the CCO to see which schools are visiting. Make plans to attend.
September 2007
5 Grade 12 Parents’ Meeting – Seto Hall, 6:30 pm
10 Deadline to register for October SAT Reasoning & Subject exams
21 Deadline to register for October ACT
October 2006
2 Deadline to register for November SAT Reasoning & Subject exams
6 SAT Reasoning and Subject exams at 'Iolani (Register by September 10)
12-13 Senior Trip to Molokai
15 After development of final list, see which financial aid forms your school requires. FAFSA will not be available until November, but families may sign up for PINs and begin on CSS Profile forms.
27 ACT at 'Iolani
November 2007
1 FAFSA Forms Available and online
1 /15 Early Action/Early Decision deadline for many schools
1-30 File applications for University of California & California State Universities
3 SAT Reasoning and Subject exams at 'Iolani (Register by Oct. 2)
10 Hawaii Career & College Fair – Neal Blaisdell Center
26 Have a final list of schools
27 Grade 12 Parents’ Financial Aid Meeting – Seto Hall, 7:00 pm
December 2007
1 Applications accepted by UH
1 Last test date for SAT (Register by Oct. 30)
8 Last test date for ACT (Register by November 2)
19 Ideally most applications should be filed before Christmas break
January 2008
1 FAFSA may be submitted online
1 /15 Application deadline for most private schools
February 2008
1 Ideal final submission date for financial aid forms (FAFSA & CSS Profile) – some schools may require forms to be filed earlier – always observe school deadlines
March 2008
15 Some admission decision notifications may begin arriving
21 Spring Break (good time to visit schools)
April 2008
1 Most admissions decisions will have arrived– Good Luck!
18 Family Fair Weekend (possible weekend to visit schools – no school on Monday 4/21)
29 Ohana – College Life After 'Iolani Presentation – 6:00 pm
May 2008
1 Candidate’s Reply Date (a deposit and Statement of Intent to Register should be submitted)
15 Students on wait lists may hear from schools re: admission
31 Baccalaureate
June 2008
7 Graduation
15 Final Transcripts will be sent to colleges of enrollment
Class of 2009 Calendar - Juniors
September 2007
1 Get into the habit of checking the CCO web site and calendar for info on which schools will be visiting campus – you may attend college presentations during your free periods
October 2007
16 Grade 11 Parents’ Meeting – Seto Hall, 6:30 pm
20 PSAT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)
November 2007
3 SAT Reasoning (You may want to take this test if you have taken the prep course – Register by Oct. 2)
10 Hawaii Career & College Fair & College Planning Seminar – Neal Blaisdell
January 2008
11 College Counseling Manual and Parent Evaluation mailed home
23 Junior Parents’ Meeting – Seto Hall, 6:30 pm
February 2008
9 ACT – Preferred Test Date (Register by January 4)
March 2008
1 SAT Reasoning - Preferred Test Date (Reg by Jan 29)
3 Individual Conferences Begin
14 Junior Class Ring Ceremony
21-29 East Coast College Tour / Spring Break
April 2008
12 ACT – 'Iolani not a test center (Register by March 7)
14 2nd Individual Conference to develop college list
24 NACAC National College Fair – Hawaii Convention Center
May 2008
3 SAT Reasoning & Subject– 'Iolani not a test site (Register by April 1)
17 Junior Prom
June 2008
1 Begin preliminary research on list of schools
7 SAT Reasoning and Subject Exams– Preferred test date for SAT Subject Tests (Register by May 6)
9-13 Career Shadow Program
14 ACT (register by May 9)
Recommended Reading
Much of the literature regarding college admissions can come across as sensationalist and inflammatory. Certainly the process can seem complicated, but it needn't be panic-inducing. Below are some books that approach the topic even-handedly. Please note their inclusion here does not signify an endorsement by 'Iolani School - this is merely an additional resource. Suggestions welcomed!
Colleges That Change Lives
Lauren Pope; Penguin Books; 2000
Colleges Unranked
Edited by Lloyd Thacker; The Education Conservancy; 2004
The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College
Jacques Steinberg; Viking Press; 2002
Harvard Schmarvard; Getting Beyond the Ivy League To The College That Is Best For You
Jay Mathews; Three Rivers Press; 2003
Financial Aid 101
College costs continue to rise at schools across the nation. The one saving grace, of course, is that financial aid budgets have also grown (albeit not necessarily at the same rates!). There is certainly competition for these funds, and you may wonder whether you will even qualify. The only way to find out is to apply for aid.
In the simplest terms, financial aid comes in two basic forms: need-based aid and non-need (or merit) based aid. The former depends on your family’s ability to pay, the latter is more frequently tied to academic, athletic, or artistic achievement. Need-based financial aid is determined by a federal methodology developed and approved by the United States government. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)* is the form utilized to determine the amount your family can contribute to the cost of college by considering assets, income, and other characteristics. This amount is known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and does not vary, regardless of the costs of different colleges. Many private colleges and universities also require families to submit the CSS Profile, a more detailed form that can result in a different EFC.
To calculate your need, a college or university will take the total cost of attending their school and subtract your EFC. The result is your family’s need.
Cost of Attendance
- Expected Family Contribution
= Need
Some colleges will commit to meeting a family’s need for all four years, whether that need increases (another student enters college) or decreases (family wins the lottery). Others will meet as much need as possible, and oblige families to fill in the rest through other sources. The financial aid offered to a family may come from the federal government, a school’s endowment, or other sources, but it will be offered to the family in the form of a “package.” This package is likely to include three major components: grants, work study, and loans. Grants may be federal or institutional, but are essentially “free money”; you are not expected to pay them back. College work study or some form of campus employment is frequently offered as well, as students should contribute to the cost of their education. Finally, loans may be offered to the student and the parents.
Merit-based scholarships are another variation on the concept of “free money.” These scholarships, given for academic, athletic, artistic, and leadership characteristics, are highly competitive. Some merit scholarships require an additional application, others will be automatically awarded upon admission; check with each school to determine their policies.
In terms of availability, the best “no-need” scholarships are the U.S. service academies and ROTC programs. For strong students interested in science, engineering, and computer science, this is an especially good option.
Other sources of no-need aid include employers, clubs, civic organizations, and national and local contests. It is unlikely that these scholarships will be exceedingly large, but every bit counts!
For more information and to search for scholarships, go to the Financial Aid section of the Resources page.
