College Planning

Things to work on for the Class of 2021!

1. Create a CFNC account. Head over to CFNC to create your account or login if you already have one. You can do a lot of really cool things on CFNC, including but not limited to: applying to college, completing RDS, sending your transcripts, etc.

2. Complete RDS. Head over to RDS to complete the interview. You will have to complete RDS to be eligible for In-State tuition and should complete this step BEFORE applying to most schools. The account uses your CFNC account login info. Counselors have access to your old CFNC usernames if you need them to reset your password.

3. Apply to COLLEGE! You can apply to college through CFNC, The CommonApp, or visit the school that you are interested in's website to apply through their individual portal (if available) or see how they would like you to apply! Remember that your application is not complete until you send in the a) general application, b) Official Act/SAT test scores and c) application fee or application fee waiver.

4. Submit your FAFSA! The 2020-2021 FAFSA is now open. You and your parent will need to create an FSA ID to electronically sign the FAFSA. To get started, Click Here to create an FSA ID. Once you (the student) have created your FSA ID you head over to FAFSA to begin your 2020 -2021 FAFSA application. You will use your parent/guardian's 2018 tax information to fill out this application.

5. Send your ACT/SAT Scores. North Carolina public universities require students to have a minimum score of 17 on their ACT or 880 on their SAT to be considered for admittance. Depending on the program , 2 year schools may ask for these scores too but there is not minimum requirement. Sign in to your ACT or SAT account to send your scores! Heads up, it will cost $$ if you did not sign up for the test with a fee waiver.

6. Send your transcript through CFNC. Login to your CFNC account and send your transcript to any NC schools you're interested in applying to! You can find this tool in the application hub.

7. APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS! It is so important to apply for scholarships! Please visit the Scholarship Page on this website. It is always worth your time to write an extra essay and open up more opportunities to get assistance with college! Remember, the class of 2018 received over 2.5 MILLION DOLLARS in offered scholarships/grants...can we beat that number????

"I want to go on a college tour but I don't have the time or way to get out there."

CLICK HERE to Take a Virtual Tour! - Of course this isn't the same as walking on campus but it is a little insight to what you could find upon a visit to on of NC's Public colleges or universities!

"I've have been accepted to College, now what!?"

• Read your Admissions Letter - What does it ask you to do?

• Set up your student portal / student email account

  • Check to see if Financial Aid has been awarded

  • Check to see if there are any documents they need

• Community Colleges will ask you to schedule a placement test before you can sign up for classes?

• Once you've chosen the school you would like to attend

  • Send in your enrollment deposit to that school

  • Send an email or decline enrollment on the student portals of all of the colleges/universities you were accepted to but will not be attending. (Do this and they will stop sending you so many pesky reminder emails!!)

• Complete your housing questionnaire and pay housing deposit

  • Some schools will allow you to push these deposits until financial aid kicks in, talk to your college advisor about that.

• Find out what day you are signing up for classes, Is it:

  • a) Do you sign up for classes at orientation?

  • b) Do you need to make an appointment to visit an Academic Advisor?

  • c)Do you sign up for classes online?

• Choose/ Pay for your meal plan

• All public NC colleges and Universities are required to offer you Health insurance. Most schools automatically enroll you in their health insurance plan. You must opt out by a specific date in order for this fee not to be added to your bill.

"I finished the FAFSA and now the Financial Aid Office is asking me for more information..."

What is Verification?

Verification is the process used to confirm that the data reported on your financial aid application is accurate. Your college/university will not send you a financial aid letter or award you money without completing this process.

The main reasons for being selected for verification include that you were chosen randomly, the information you submitted was incomplete, or the data you provided is inconsistent. Financial aid will not pay until after all required documents have been submitted to the college/universities financial aid office. If you've been flagged for verification and one of the schools you have been accepted to, you have been flagged at all of them. Each school may ask for your verification documents in a different way. The one thing every school will want you to do is either a) update your FAFSA using the data retrieval tool or b) send them a copy of your parent/legal guardians's IRS Tax Transcript. If you have any questions about what to do, please visit your college advisor or call the financial aid office of the school you have been requested to send documents to.

What is the CSS Profile?

The College Board’s CSS Profile™ is an online application that collects information used by almost 400 colleges, universities, professional schools, and scholarship programs to award financial aid from sources outside of the federal government. After you submit your application, the College Board sends it to the colleges and scholarship programs you have chosen. The CSS Profile provides private member institutions of the College Board a closer look into the finances of a student and family. It is much more detailed than the FAFSA. Most public and state universities do not use CSS PROFILE to make financial aid decisions, while most private colleges do. The CSS Profile usually opens in October.

Which colleges use the CSS Profile?

• List of participating colleges and universities

How much does it cost?

Submitting your CSS Profile to one college or scholarship program costs $25. Additional reports are $16 each. First-year undergraduate college applicants whose parents live in the U.S. may be eligible for a CSS Profile fee waiver. Fee waivers are provided to students who qualified for an SAT fee waiver; or to students whose parental income reported on their CSS Profile falls within the federal reduced-price or free lunch program guidelines; or to students who are an orphan or ward of the court and under the age of 24. CSS Profile fee waivers cover all application and reporting fees. To qualify for the SAT-based fee waiver, students must log in to CSS Profile using the same account used for the SAT. Providing eligible students with fee waivers for College Board programs and services is integral to our mission of connecting students to college success and opportunity.

(Our thanks to Franklinton High School for sharing this blurb on CSS! If you have any Q's please reach out to your counselor)