Preparing for college while still in high school can be difficult for even the most academically minded student. These days, you need to excel in the classroom, make sure you’re involved in extracurricular activities, and enroll in challenging classes to impress a college admissions board. On top of that, the financial cost of higher education may add to what is already a stressful time in an ambitious student’s life. Luckily, with a little preparation, you may be able to make applying for financial aid painless and stress free. Read on to learn more.
STANDARDIZED TESTING MATTERS
Every October, second and third-year high school students can take the Preliminary SAT (PSAT), also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT). Even if they won’t need to take the SAT for college, taking the PSAT/NMSQT is required for many scholarships, such as the National Merit Scholarship.1
Looking forward to the spring of their junior year, college-bound students will want to take the SAT or ACT. An early test date may allow time for repeating the test their senior year, if necessary. No matter how many times your child takes the test, most colleges will only look at the best score.
