Counselor’s Corner
by KATHY ARENDT, College and Career Counselor
The 2010-11 school year is already at the halfway point. Seniors have been working hard on their college applications this semester.
The next step is for seniors to complete scholarship applications and after January 1, 2011, they need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA may be found on-line at [http://www.fafsa.gov]. Seniors and their parents will use their 2010 income, thus their W-2s and 2010 income tax information is needed for completion of the FAFSA.
There is a useful calculator on the website to predict if the student will qualify for the Federal Pell Grant, which was worth approximately $5,600 for freshmen in college this year. The Top Ten Percent Scholarship also requires seniors to submit their FAFSA by March 1, 2011.
Hays CISD will host four FAFSA Saturdays in February to assist seniors and their parents with the FAFSA. Several trained professionals will be on hand to assist families with the application process. Hays High School will host FAFSA Saturdays on February 5 and 12 from 8:30 to 12:30 p.m. in the HHS library. Lehman High School will host on Feb. 26 and March 5 from 8:30 to 12:30 p.m. at Lehman.
Another way to help finance a college education is by applying for as many scholarships as possible. Hays CISD has a great “Local Scholarship” application available in the Career Center at the high schools that is used for several different local scholarships, such as the Rotary Club, Masonic Lodge, Athletic Boosters, etc.
The deadline is March 22. There is also a scholarship bulletin on the Hays High School website that includes a list of scholarships available for seniors. It is really important for seniors to work closely with the counselors at the high schools and utilize every avenue available to help finance their higher education dreams.
Kathy Arendt is lead counselor at Hays High School.
