Ike Counseling Newsletter: November

The new 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is coming by Dec. 1, 2024. Submitting the FAFSA form is the first step to getting federal student grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and student loans. It also helps determine eligibility for most state aid programs, like the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which can cover up to $27,500 for college!

Students can make FAFSA completion as easy as possible by doing two things.

1. Create your StudentAid.gov account or make sure you can access your existing account by signing in to StudentAid.gov.
2. If you’re under 24, get a parent to create their account. Check this chart to confirm whether a parent or spouse also needs to have an account before you can submit your FAFSA form.

Having trouble? Get answers to common questions about creating a StudentAid.gov account.

What do I need to create a StudentAid.gov account?

• Name (exactly as it appears on your Social Security card if you have one)
• Date of birth
• Personal email address
• Social Security number (if you have one)

Remember: You’ll have only one StudentAid.gov account to use for the rest of your life, so make sure to use an email address that you’ll have access to even after you graduate from school or change jobs.

How do I know if a parent or spouse also need to create an account?

• Check this chart to see whether any other contributors, like a parent or spouse, also need to create an account before you can submit your FAFSA form.
• If you’re still not sure whether you need a parent to sign your form, confirm if you’re an independent or dependent
• If you’re a dependent student, you (or your parent) can use the Who’s My FAFSA Parent wizard to figure out which parent, guardian or spouse also needs to create an account.

What if I don’t have a Social Security number (SSN) or my parent doesn’t have an SSN?

• If you have an SSN, you must provide it when creating an account.
• All students must have an SSN to create a StudentAid.gov account unless you are from the Freely Associated States (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, or Palau). Check eligibility here.
• If you are a parent or spouse who does not have an SSN, you can still create a StudentAid.gov account to contribute to a student’s FAFSA form. When creating your account, leave the SSN field blank and select “What if I don’t have a Social Security number?”
• If only one parent has an SSN, that parent is the one who should create an account and join the student's FAFSA form as a contributor.

Note: if you get a message saying the SSN you entered is already in use when you try to create a StudentAid.gov account, make sure you entered the SSN correctly. If you entered the SSN correctly, then it’s likely you created an account previously or someone else (such as a parent) created an account for you. Try logging in rather than creating a new account. If you have trouble logging in, try resetting your password or using another email address. You can also check with a parent to see if a StudentAid.gov account already exists for you. If you’re sure an account has not already been created, contact the office of Federal Student Aid for more help. Do not attempt to use an ITIN or other value in place of an SSN for online account creation.

Learn more about the FAFSA form at fafsa.gov.

Need a Spanish version of this communication? FSA ID Prep: Spanish Version

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential is not affiliated with National Merit Scholarship Corporation or its registered trademarks National Achievement®, Achievement Scholarship®, or Achievement Scholar®.

michigan.gov/mistudentaid

mistudentaid@michigan.gov

888-447-2687

Students and families interested in learning about financial aid basics are encouraged to register for a virtual financial aid presentation provided by the MI Student Aid team.

Participants will be able to gather information on the following financial aid topics:

• FAFSA application information
• Federal financial aid programs
• State financial aid programs
• Scholarship searching resources

There are multiple dates and times to choose from and all sessions are free of charge and open to the public. Register for one session only, as space is limited.

In academic year 2022-2023, the State of Michigan provided more than $476 Million to Michigan college students through State financial aid programs. Please see the link HERE for more information on the following programs and opportunities:

• TIP (Tuition Incentive Program)
• Michigan Achievement Program
• Plans for after Graduation
• FAFSA updates

MI Scholarships & Grants Information

MI Tuition Incentive Program (TIP)

MI Tuition Grant

MI Competitive Scholarship

MI Scholarship Search

Best Practices for Searching for Scholarships

FAFSA help & resources

Michigan Colleges

We enjoyed getting to see our Seniors last week when we presented our "Senior Informational Session" regarding post-secondary information! Seniors, you can access a copy of the presentation in your Class of 2025 Schoology Group. Here are some of the helpful sites we referenced, including how to request your transcript via Xello.

• How do I request my transcript in Xello? (Spanish)
• How do I pay for College (video)? (Spanish)
• Common App - only use if you are NOT applying DIRECTLY to the college via their Website
• UCS College Central

You may have noticed, college fever is at its peak lately just like the Fall foliage! As seniors scurry about, trying to remember their middle name while making application deadlines, now might be a good time for JUNIORS to focus on being ready for next Fall, hoping to avoid this frenzy next year. Ready? Check out this brief article from Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D - Ten Things Juniors Need to Know About College

Once you've built your college list, your next step is to begin the process of applying to colleges. Check out the GetSchooled resource! This organization shares incredible information, including tips to help you decide where to apply to college!

In the FUTURES magazine, learn how the Military provides opportunities to make an impact, learn transferable skills, get educational benefits, and make fast friendships. Click the image below to view the current issue of the UTURES magazine.

The First AP Invoices will be coming from APTS beginning October 1, 2024. A $40 Deposit must be paid October 31, 2024 (Students who are eligible for fee reductions must still pay the initial $40 deposit for each AP Exam, but will receive a partial refund from all the initial deposits in May 2025).

The email will be from: info@aptsusa.com or payments@aptsusa.com or billing@aptsusa.com

Subject line that will say:

2024-2025 AP Exam Deposit Due for [Student Name]: Utica Community Schools

Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 3:30pm - 4:15pm

You're invited to a presentation covering OU admissions, scholarships, financial aid, programs, the honors college, and more! The session will last about 25 minutes, with ample time for questions afterward. This event is open to juniors, seniors, parents, and guests from the UCS high school district. Click HERE to register for the virtual event.

Schedule a tour at SEMCA's Madison Heights or Westland location! Tours are offered to help answer questions about trade school and the construction industry as a whole. Visit the shop, explore classrooms, and see the tools of the trade on the tour. Check out their site HERE!

Utica Community Schools works to support the physical, mental and social-emotional development of all students. Our wellness pages contain a variety of resources for students, teachers, staff, parents and community members. Visit the UCS Wellness Page for great resources!

Welcome to UCS College Central - Home for all current and future UCS Alumni! Consider this your one stop for valuable resources as you prepare for your next academic step. These resources are organized with links and videos to provide students and parents self-directed assistance to navigate through the post-secondary planning process. Visit the UCS College Central today!

Check out the amazing Macomb Engage website from our local MISD. It has a Career Spotlight Series, Future Planning Resources, Career & Technical Education Information, and Industry Engagement resources.

Counselors deliver information regularly through the Schoology Group page. All students have access to the group affiliated with their graduation year. If you are not in your group, please add yourself to the group by using the appropriate access code:

Schoology Group Access Codes:

Class of 2025: QW3S-RWDK-DSXZ4

Class of 2026: 56BD-TSDK-JHQ7Q

Class of 2027: 56BD-TSDK-JHQ7Q

2024-2025 School Year

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