Counseling Department
Bethel Virtual Academy
Final Steps
You've completed the First Steps, you're done Selecting Schools, and completed the Application Process.
Now you're ready for the Final Steps.
You will start receiving college acceptance letters and financial aid award letters. You will need to compare/contrast schools and narrow down your options to the one school you plan to attend based off of these offers.
Take your time and carefully make a decision to help you make the right choice for your education!
Remember to go back to Selecting Schools and compare/contrast your offers against your list of Important Factors.
Wait for All Offers
You can wait for all your acceptance letters before making any decisions. Be sure to read each acceptance package carefully to find important deadlines though!
Remember to check the College Application Manager in SchooLinks to see which you are still waiting on.
Read, Compare & Contrast Offers
Once you have all of your acceptance letters and financial aid award offers it's time to review, compare, and contrast offers.
Sallie Mae: How to Read Your Financial Aid Award Letter
Financial aid award offers show the cost of attendance and all financial aid being offered. Types of aid may include grants, scholarships, work-study, and student loans. Each school has its a slightly different financial aid award letter. Accurately comparing and understanding financial aid offers can require some additional research.
Tips:
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Be aware of vocab! Schools can use the same word, but mean something else by it (i.e. "Net Cost")
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The Full Cost of Attendance should be included, but research to find it if it isn't. It's important to know how much indirect costs such as books, supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses will also need to be covered.
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Separate "free" financial aid being offered (ex: grants and scholarships) from loans and other aid you have to repay.
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Separate government loans and private loan offers. Government loans have protections private loans do not.
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Pay attention to if the grants and scholarships are renewable each year or if they are one-time-only! If your grants and scholarships are not renewable your cost of attendance will increase dramatically the next academic year.
Information taken from U.S. News Website Article
Final Review & Final Decision
Review
Remember the List of Important Factors you identified when you were choosing schools to apply to? Compare both the financial aid offers AND also how the schools fit those factors to help you make your decision
Decide
This is it! You have compare and contrasted financial aid packages and review the Important Factors you identified when creating your school list. It's time to choose one school and accept the school's enrollment offer.
Last Steps
Notify Declined Schools
It is common courtesy to notify the schools you do not plan to attend. It allows them to send out acceptance letters to other students on the waiting list.
Finish Strong
Finish your Senior year strong! You have to submit a final transcript! Your school will see if you stop working and could withdraw your acceptance or financial aid.
Order a Final Transcript
Once you finish your Senior year school need your final official transcript