DestinationCollege2024

Class of 2024 Seniors,

• Finish the Year Strong - Admissions decisions are contingent on Final Transcripts.
• READ ALL Communication from colleges CAREFULLY! - Follow instructions and next steps.
• REVIEW Financial Aid Offers from EVERY School - do the math. Make sure you understand your financial obligation. Letters are delayed because of FAFSA - See article below.
• Notify your school of your decision - Once you have decided on your school, follow instructions for acceptance of admission. Deposits will be required.
• IF you are waiting on Financial Aid Award Letter and feel the need to make a deposit before you get the letter, make sure you can get a refund if award package is not strong enough.
• If you are 100% sure of your decision - Notify the schools you do not want to attend, so they can open spots to other students on the wait list.

Below is a Timeline, a more detailed list of things to be doing at this point in your senior year. I want to remind you that Crosby Scholars is here to help. Our program supports students on many different paths. We say time and again this is not a cookie cutter process. For this reason, I want to invite you to reach out to your Crosby Scholar Senior Advisor if you have any questions, need additional information, did not get the response you were expecting and/or you are wondering what to do, anything.

One of our goals is to make sure you have a plan. If you feel like you are confident in your path, then we would love to know your decision. If you are still struggling to complete applications, you should definitely give either your advisor or me a call. Jenniffer Jamison (276-732-5632)

All of your Crosby Scholars Requirements should be done, and we are working on our Senior Celebration on April 23, 2024, 5:30pm. The next question most of you will ask is, "When will I get my graduation cord?" April 23rd is the answer. As we plan and prepare, we need a few things from you:

1. Let us know what is next . - Please log in to your Crosby Student Portal and update your college. If you are taking a Gap Year, Joining the Military or going straight to the workforce, you can select those options as well.
2. Update your email in the portal - Once you graduate your high school email address will no longer work. Please provide us another email so we can communicate with you about Last Dollar Grants and other opportunities that become available.
3. Send us a photo for the Senior Gala & Social Media Slide Show. Jenniffer Jamison is going to create slides and we are hoping to have one slide for each student. You can go ahead and send the photo, even if you have not decided your school yet, you can always update us later on the school.
4. Check your email frequently - Colleges and Universities will email important information and you do not want to miss a scholarship, housing preference or orientation information, because you did not check your email. They will most likely NOT email your parents, so it is up to you to stay informed.

The key to the college admission process is to stay organized, and our monthly timeline helps you do just that.

Check with your guidance counselor about attending this event at the Statesville Civic Center

Students, log in to your Crosby Scholars Student Portal and click on the Scholarships Tab. We have extended the deadline on several scholarships and opened a few more. We have added another scholarship for students interested in starting at Mitchell Community College. Be sure to read your email for additional details. This is a BIG ONE! You don't want to miss this announcement!

Every senior is required to attend one academy. If you still need to meet this requirement, please contact Jenniffer Jamison, Rachael Reynolds or Mariah Roseboro. We have offered plenty of options to fulfill including virtual, self-paced, recorded and even FAFSA proof to get academy credit. I will DISMISS students on Feb 25, 2024, that have not completed their service and academy requirement.

Balancing your Priorities for Success - Feb 24, 2024, 10 am Mitchell Community College Statesville Campus. Seniors can come to the 10 am session and leave at 11 am.

Self-Paced - Goal Setting and How to Pay for College - Register on the portal for details.

FAFSA is Delayed - STAY CALM & CARRY ON - Join us for an update on the FAFSA learn what you should be doing and learn how to evaluate award letters now, so you are ready to make a decision once you get them. Evaluating your Financial Aid Award Letter - Feb 20, 2024, 7pm

Complete your FAFSA - send us proof of completion for academy credit.

bit.ly/speakcollege - Print 2 page document and fill in the blanks and return to me for academy credit.

We would like to provide you with an update regarding the newly released timeline for when submitted FAFSA data is sent to colleges and universities.

Previously, the US Department of Education announced that submitted FAFSA data would be sent to colleges and universities by the end of January 2024. As of yesterday, this timeline has now changed. The US Department of Education expects to begin sending submitted FAFSA data to schools beginning in March 2024.

After submitted FAFSA data has been received, it will take several weeks for schools to process data to generate Financial Aid Offers. This updated timeline means families should not expect to receive Financial Aid Offers from any public (and possibly private) colleges and universities until later in the spring, likely in April 2024.

In the meantime, families should still plan to submit their 24-25 FAFSA as early as possible. If families have not submitted the FAFSA yet, they can use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to get an idea of how much financial aid they may qualify for. This tool can only provide an estimate and does not constitute an official financial aid offer.

Families who have successfully submitted their 24-25 FAFSA will be able to view their FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) by logging into StudentAid.gov with their username and password. The FAFSA Submission Summary can be used to view preliminary financial aid estimates and other useful FAFSA information.

We understand the 2024-25 FAFSA experience has varied for many, and families may feel anxious about this new timeline. Please know that the Crosby Scholars Financial Aid team provides you with the most up-to-date information as we receive it. We will continue to provide support to help everyone understand and fully consider their financial aid offers in the Spring.

If you experience issues submitting your FAFSA or have other financial aid questions, please contact us at djones@crosbyscholarsiredell.org. Please continue to remain patient and stay tuned for any further FAFSA updates.

1. My parents make too much money, so I won't qualify for aid.

FACT: The reality is there’s no income cut-off to qualify for federal student aid. It doesn’t matter if you have a low or high income; most people qualify for some type of financial aid, including low-interest federal student loans. Many factors besides income—such as your family size and your year in school—are taken into account.

2. I should use my 2023 tax information to fill out the 2024-25 FAFSA form.

FACT: You must use your 2022 tax information to complete the 2023–24 FAFSA form.

3. I support myself, so I don't have to include my parent's info on the FAFSA form.

FACT: This is not necessarily true. Even if you support yourself, live on your own, or file your own taxes, you may still be considered a dependent student for FAFSA purposes.

4. There are too many problems with this year's form, so I should just not bother.

FACT: Don't wait! Students can and should go ahead and complete the FAFSA application so your information can be sent to your colleges in early March. If you wait until later, it will just be delayed even more. You can start now! You should list all schools you're considering, even if you haven't applied or been accepted yet. It doesn't hurt your application to add more schools. If you don't end up applying or getting accepted to a school, the school can just disregard your FAFSA form.

An FSA ID is a username and password that you use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. Your FSA ID identifies you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on ED websites such as fafsa.gov. You must obtain your FSAid prior to starting the FAFSA application.

If you’re a dependent student, you will have to invite a contributor/parent and they will need his or her own FSA ID to sign your FAFSA form electronically. If your parent has more than one child attending college, he or she can use the same FSA ID to sign all applications. You’ll need a unique email address for each FSA ID.

Your FSA ID is used to sign legally binding documents electronically. It has the same legal status as a written signature. Don’t give your FSA ID to anyone—not even to someone helping you fill out the FAFSA form. Sharing your FSA ID could put you at risk of identity theft and could cause delays in the FAFSA process!

5. It costs money to submit the FAFSA form. (NO - IT IS FREE APPLICATION for FEDERAL STUDENT AID)

FACT: Absolutely not! You NEVER have to pay to complete the FAFSA form when you go to www.fafsa.org. If you're paying a fee, you're not on the official government website.

6. Only students with good grades get financial aid.

FACT: While a high GPA will help you get into a good school and may help with academic scholarships, most federal student aid programs do not take grades into consideration when you first apply. However, keep in mind that if you want to continue receiving aid throughout your college career, you will have to maintain satisfactory academic progress as determined by your school.

7. I only have to fill out the FAFSA form once.

FACT: You have to fill out the FAFSA form every year you're in school in order to stay eligible for federal student aid.

Join us on April 23, 2023, at 5:30pm to celebrate your completion of the Crosby Scholars Program. You will receive your graduation cord; certificates and we will award scholarships. An invitation should be coming to your email soon. Please RSVP when you receive it. Event will be held at the Statesville Civic Center.

You must check in with your Crosby Advisor by March 30th. Remember we are here to help you with last minute applications, reviewing financial aid award letters and practice interviews. You can find your senior advisor's contact information in your portal. Feel free to contact them with questions or to ask for a meeting--they want to help!

Email: jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org
Website: crosbyscholarsiredell.org
Location: 124 4th Crescent Place, Statesville, NC, United States
Phone: (704) 873-5005
Facebook: facebook.com/crosbyscholarsiredell
Twitter: @iredellcrosby