bryan college

ADA Accommodations in College

Posted on by patweso

ada signBecause I often have parents asking me about accommodations for students with disabilities in college, I organized a workshop led by Bryan College’s Academic Success Center Director and ADA Coordinator, Kristi Strode. What I discovered while attending the workshop is that accommodations are regulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990/Rehabilitation Act of 1973 – Section 504. There are also other laws that come into play when serving students with disabilities:  the Fair Housing Act regarding campus housing needs and FERPA regarding the extremely important issue of confidentiality

The governing statutes provide many mandates for colleges; however, in many instances, the law is ambiguous and open to interpretation. Each college must interpret and incorporate procedures for assisting students with diagnosed disabilities, and Bryan College strives to not only meet the law’s requirements but to also provide services in an excellent fashion.  We purpose to serve all students with integrity and compassion in order that those students may have tools to succeed in their academics so they may become servants of Christ in the world, per Bryan College’s mission statement.

When students with disabilities come to college and seek services through the college’s ADA Services department, they can expect to receive reasonable accommodations in classes.  While changing class requirements is never considered a reasonable accommodation, there are other ways of providing students with tools to succeed (accommodations) that will help.  The traditional and typical accommodations for students with disabilities are as follows:

  1. Extended testing time
  2. Quiet testing area
  3. Tests read aloud
  4. Audio text books (when available)

worryIf students are not satisfied with the services they receive through Bryan College’s ADA Services, there is a grievance procedure in place. On our campus, an ADA Compliance Committee is charged with weighing any grievances that come forward.  Kristi has also developed a manual for compliance with the ADA mandates.

At Bryan College, there are an average of 25 students at any time who have diagnosed disabilities and are receiving services. For a student to receive accommodations, the diagnosis must be official, coming from a professional qualified to evaluate the disability. The student’s disability needs to have been diagnosed within the past two to three years. Disabilities may include (but not be limited to): anxiety, depression, ADHD, dyslexia, behavioral health issues and PTSD.

The paperwork required to receive services is as follows:

  1. The application for services
  2. An ADA Informed Consent Document
  3. Applicable releases of information for faculty, staff, and family members
  4. A letter from a diagnosing professional

The letter of diagnosis should:

  1. Be explained on letterhead stationary
  2. Be signed by the professional making the diagnosis
  3. Include the diagnosis
  4. Explain the current treatment as well as on-going treatment necessary
  5. Include recommendations for classroom treatment
  6. Be dated with a date that is within two or three years of the student entering college

Kristi StrodeOnce a student on campus has met with Kristi and figured out a plan for accommodations, then that student must present the needed accommodations through what is known as a Syllabus Addendum to their professors. Kristi promotes self-advocacy, but she will work with both the students and professors.

Also, Kristi can provide a potential listing of professionals who are able to test and diagnose disabilities for $75. Her phone number is as follows:  423-580-2284 (cell)

 

 

College, yes or no? If college, what major?

Posted on by patweso

student on sidewalkNot every child will attend college. Helping your child plan for life after high school should, however, include discussing whether college is the route to take, or not. If college is on your child’s radar, but he/she does not have a clue of what major to choose, that is not uncommon.

College comes with a cost and students often graduate with college debt. (I will address avoiding college debt in another blog.) In order to make a wise decision regarding whether your student needs to go to college, or not, there are many areas to discuss.

  1. Students typically graduate with an average of right around $40,000 in debt. In 2016 Bryan College was ranked #2 of the top 50 private colleges with the least amount of debt. The average debt of graduates at Bryan that year was around $11,000. What will it cost your child to graduate college?
  2. There is an opportunity cost to consider for students heading to college. Four years of full time wages will be lost. In light of that, consider what your child will be doing for the rest of his/her life. Will the time and expense of college be recouped? Is college necessary for your student’s future plans? Some career choices require degrees (teachers, attorneys, doctors, nurses, etc.) while other careers do not (videographer/photographer, mechanic, etc.). However, even if your children’s career choice does not require college, if they plan to be employees than oftentimes a degree brings a higher salary and an increased chance at promotions. And, if your students plan to be self-employed then gaining the connections and skills college affords may be worth the time and cost in the long run.
  3. If your student’s talent, passions, and skill enable him/her to begin working after high school at a job that will provide for the family with the possibility of moving up the ladder without a college degree, then college may not be necessary.
  4. Sometimes children have no idea what they want to do for the rest of their lives, so college may help them make a decision. And, as is the case with one of my sons, he went to college so he could continue to play baseball. The degree was a bonus. Beginning college makes sense especially when scholarships and grants cover most of the expenses.

moneyAs Christians, the decision to attend college should never be based strictly on financial concerns. Jesus certainly cares about your money and how you spend it, but if your child is doing what the Lord wants him/her to do then He can provide financially for your student’s future. If you had asked me, before our oldest daughter came to Bryan College in 1998, if we could afford it (having 8 other children at home), I would have said, “No way. Not without a miracle,” yet between the scholarships and grants we were able to afford her tuition!

At Bryan College we live out our mission statement, “Educating students to become servants of Christ to make a difference in today’s world.” Our main mission is the kingdom of God. Our motto is, “Christ above all.” For a Christian heading to college, families should be asking, “Will college do the most for equipping my student for the kingdom of God?” If the answer is no, then taking a gap year or finding alternative programs (or jobs) may be something to pursue. If yes, then be careful that you do not force your child to choose a major simply because the end result is a high paying job. The world measures success, oftentimes, in terms of dollars earned, but that is not how the Scriptures define success (Joshua 1:8).

Of those heading to college, it is not unusual for a student to enter college without a definite major in mind. Bryan College is a Liberal Arts college so beginning with basics usually prepares most students well for any major. There are a few majors that may require intentional planning beginning with the Freshman year such as biology, engineering, music, and education. However, students may be able to choose those majors and still graduate “on time” depending on how many credits they need for the major they choose. Students who change majors after their Freshman year may find that they have to attend an additional semester (or two) in order to graduate. If this is the case, then taking summer classes may be a way to get caught up while saving money!

As a parent, there are ways to help your child choose a major:

  • Help them think through their interest and goals by allowing
    them to talk.
  • Have them take several personality tests/vocation tests to see
    if any patterns stand out.
  • Take advantage of visit events and encourage your son or
    daughter to meet professors and sit in classes.
  • Consider apprenticeships or internships (or job shadowing).

If they begin college without an intended major in mind, do not stress. Encourage them to take general education courses and keep a big picture perspective. If you are a believer, you can trust God to help direct your student’s path. Luke gave also gave this advice, “Expose your students to godly people who are serious about the Kingdom of God in order to help them with their choices.”  He also said, “The sovereignty of God is real so do not forget your theology as you consider the cost of college or as you consider you son or daughter’s indecisiveness. Your children are not powerful enough to mess up God’s plan for their life. So by all means, plan, but don’t forget that God is in control.”

courtney nursing groupOf my nine children, 4 of our 5 sons will graduate college (and the fifth is doing quite well as a builder and knife maker).  Of my 4 girls only 1 will graduate college as she is pursuing a nursing career. The other 3 daughters are wives and mothers who either homeschool their children, work from home, and/or work alongside their husbands. One daughter attended Bryan one year and then she met her husband. Another daughter attended a women’s discipleship program in Texas where she met her husband. The third daughter worked at a ministry one summer where she met her husband.

We want our students to be where the Lord wants them to be, whether that is in college, pursuing a career, training for a vocation, being a wife and mother (or husband and dad) or being involved in full time ministry. As you navigate these years, pray for wisdom and guidance as the Lord directs your child’s steps to a future that will bring glory to Him, and the Kingdom of God will be advanced.

 

 

College Testing: All You Ever Wanted to Know, but Never Thought to Ask

Posted on by patweso

test takingAfter homeschooling my nine children for more than 32 years, I am finally finished!  One of my regrets is not acknowledging the importance of college entrance exams and/or CLEP and AP credit for those heading to college.  For years I was convinced that:

  • College tests are not very good indicators for how well a student will do in college (that opinion has not changed, by the way).
  • Some students who are amazing students may not test well so a great GPA coupled with an impressive portfolio should be adequate for acceptance and scholarship purposed (wishful thinking, but not true for the most part).

Reality hit when several my children were not offered the scholarships that I felt like they deserved (yes, I am one of those mothers) because, whether I agree with this or not, the highest scholarships awarded to incoming college students are usually academic scholarships and those scholarships are almost always tied to test scores.  (When discussing anything related to college policies and practices, one must use terms such as “generally,” “usually,” and “it depends” liberally.)

coffee and calendar

As embarrassed as I am to admit this, I was not aware that the PSAT test is tied to the National Merit Scholarships and, as a consequence, I never had my children take this test.  The PSAT can be taken by students (whether homeschool, private school or public school students) as early as the 8th grade (depending on the school administering the tests). The only year the score counts toward the National Merit Scholarship is the student’s junior year.  The test is given in October of each year (several test dates available) and it is a very affordable test.  My advice would be to have your students begin taking this test as soon as they are allowed.  In the county where Bryan College is located (Rhea County), the public high school will only allow sophomores to take this test early.  In some counties the schools will allow younger students to sign up for the test.  It is a good idea to find a location for test taking in September of each year because some schools run out of test booklets.  Schools may require that your student has an official ID.  If  your student does not yet have a drivers license he/she can obtain an official ID from the DMV for a small charge.  Passports are acceptable forms of ID as well.  By the way, the difference between a National Merit semi-finalist and a finalist is not determined by scores, but rather by jumping through hoops after a student becomes a semi-finalist. The CLT (new college entrance exam, described further below) also has a CLT10 which is free for students to take on-line in April and details regarding scholarship opportunities for this exam are forthcoming. From the CLT website: The CLT10 is an alternative to the PSAT. In terms of academic rigor it is scaled back from the regular CLT (ie, no trigonometry, few level 5 questions). In addition, the CLT10 is free for all students. Although it is free, students who score above a 108 are still eligible for $2,500.00 in scholarship money through CLT’s partnership with the National Association of Scholars. 

Research shows that many students’ scores increase each time they take a college entrance exam. Part of the reason for this is because the student becomes more relaxed with experience.  Students who are intentional about preparing for (and practicing) these exams increase their scores as well.  Some colleges super score, taking the highest score of specific sections from multiple test dates.

CLT logoThere are now 3 college entrance exams: the ACT, the SAT and the CLT (new test).  Some areas of the country encourage the ACT while others encourage the SAT.  Most colleges will accept either score for admission and scholarship purposes.  The newest test, the CLT (Classic Learning Test) is now accepted at more than 70 Christian colleges.  Bryan College offers the CLT on site with admission and scholarship amounts awarded according to scores earned.  The CLT is taken on-line (no more bubbles), students can sign up without late fee penalties within a week of the test date, and the test scores are received the same day. A comparison article on the SAT vs the ACT is provided by College Prep Genius here. A comparison article of the 3 tests is provided at the CLT site is located here.

Preparing for the Tests!  There are quite a few free options for improving test scores including videos (search Youtube) and practice tests from the official test sites of each test. The books we found most helpful in preparing for the ACT and the SAT are Princeton Review’s Cracking the (SAT) or (ACT).  36 University is a very affordable on-line tutorial for the ACT.  It cost $15 per month with no contract.  When registering if you use the code “Bryan” you will save $3 per month!  College Prep Genius is a program used by many homeschool families and it is a prep site for the SAT and the new CLT as well.  I was amazed at what I learned in five minutes standing at the College Prep Genius table at a college event listening to Jean Burk give tips on the college exams. Although 36 University and College Prep Genius tutor to a specific test most of what they teach applies to all three of the college exams. The CLT has a guide for their test as well.

element5-digital-352048 (1)When should students begin testing?  That depends on the student and on the direction your student is headed.  Many students begin taking practice tests as early as 8th or 9th grade.  Because the tests are not inexpensive ($49+) most parents wait until the junior year to begin taking official tests.  Some schools require a college exam test score for dual enrollment purposes.  At Bryan College a student can begin dual enrolling after the sophomore year without a test score (transcript required showing 3.0 GPA or higher), unless they are taking a math class in which case the student would have to provide a college exam math score of ACT 22, SAT 540, or CLT 22.

Should you have your student’s test scores sent automatically to colleges?  It depends.  (Get use to this phrase because there are no die-hard, set in stone, rules and regulations that apply to anything college.)  In order to encourage my children to be more relaxed and less stressed about taking a college entrance exam for the first time, I told them that no one would see their scores.  The downside to this (at least with the ACT and SAT) is that there is a fee to have the scores sent in at a later date.  These are considerations you need to weigh and the answer may vary depending on each student’s situation.

What about CLEP and AP test credits? Although this blog is primarily addressing college entrance exams there are a few facts about CLEP and AP that you will want to know, such as:

  • Not all colleges accept CLEP and/or AP credits so check with colleges of interest
  • To receive college credit one must pass the exam (pass or fail are the 2 options)
  • Grades are not assigned to the credits earned by testing for credit so GPAs are not affected (although I did have a parent shared with me that one college assigns a “C” grade to CLEP credits and this would be a huge disadvantage to a student striving for a high GPA so, again, ask  registrars these specific questions).

In order to prepare well for your student’s high school years do not make the same mistakes I made. Begin early with preparations for success with the college exams if your students are headed to college. Even if you are not sure if college is in your students’ future, it is better to be prepared even if they do not go to college than to not be prepared and discover, at the last minute, that college is the next step.  Feel free to email me if you have specific questions I can attempt to answer:  pat.wesolowski@bryan.edu

After 32 years of homeschooling I am now the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College and I have put together a free resource to help parents plan for the high school years and it can be downloaded here.  TheJourney-Social (2) (1)

 

 

 

 

 

Dual Enrollment – A Great Opportunity, but Not Without Dangers

Posted on by patweso

dsc_3910As a homeschooling mom of 9 (finally finished) who is now the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College I am a huge proponent of dual enrolling!  After all, it makes sense to cover both high school and college material at the same time!  It is an academic BOGO!  And, students who earn college credit in high school have less college to pay for later!

When we host Homeschool Visitation Days at Bryan College, during the Q&A session, a parent will often ask the current Bryan students who were homeschooled the following question: “As a homeschooled student, what was most challenging about coming to college and what would you advise high school students to do to be better prepared?”  The answer is almost always that the students struggle with time constraints, planning, and scheduling.  The advice they give to future students is to either be part of a structured co-op or to dual enroll before coming to college!

alexis-brown-85793When our family lived in Florida and homeschooled students were allowed to dual enroll at the local community college (this was years ago), my oldest two daughters asked to take classes on campus.  I had my concerns (I had been a student on that same campus years earlier), but I thought if I was careful with my choices it would be okay.  So I signed them up for Computer and Spanish classes.  I also made sure my friend signed her boys up for the same classes so that my daughters would have “body guards.”  To be honest, nothing terrible happened, but the Spanish professor did take the class to a bar so that the students could hear the bartender speak in his native language and a boy brought in his Playboy Calendar during show and tell.  That was bothersome and it would have concerned me more had it been my sons in that class rather than my daughters.

A few years later one of our sons wanted to dual enroll and we were convinced he was not ready to be in that environment.  As it turned out, for one reason after another, he was not able to take dual enrolled classes until 3 semesters later and, by then, he was so busy with Civil Air Patrol that he ended up taking classes at night at a satellite campus with a room full of older students.

marc-wieland-150252Homeschooling parents are often criticized for being helicopter parents, holding onto that leash far too long.  On the other hand, there are parents who boot their children out of the house at a certain age regardless of the child’s maturity level, the environment, or the college.  We want to raise our children so that they can successfully live independent of us, whether that is at age 16, 18 or older.  Dual enrollment is a great choice for many, but not necessarily for every high school student.

Because I have been homeschooling for so many years, I have many friends who finished their journey far sooner than I did and an often heard regret by many is allowing their high school students to take classes on campus at a secular college during the high school years.  Whether we have the same religious perspectives, or not, most of you would probably agree that the language, sexual conduct, and alcohol and drug use on college campuses is of concern to many.  I have one friend whose son was asked to spend the night with a girl the day he met her.  Before you get all hot and bothered because you believe that your child would never be negatively persuaded by his/her peers, you could be wrong, and you might end up being one of those parents having regrets.  Truth be told, this should be taken on a case-by-case basis.  There are no clear guidelines to determine whether a child is ready for this or not.  Back in Florida where I previously lived, the homeschool students band together, share information on which professors to avoid and which to pursue and, for the most part, create a safe-environment among themselves.  We do not have to throw out the baby with the bath water, but we do need to take steps to ensure our student’s well-being.

There are definitely precautions a parent will want to take when sending a teen to a secular college campus as a high school student.  Sometimes on-line classes may be preferable to on-campus classes because the negative peer influence is removed (for the most part).  Taking classes at satellite locations or at night diminishes the number of students whose goal is to party more than to receive an education.  If, like me, you are a Christian and having classes taught from a biblical worldview is important to you, then research those options.  My youngest boys dual enrolled at Bryan College, both on-line and on-campus.  When they were on-campus they blended in with the rest of the students and oftentimes no one was even aware they were high school students.

element5-digital-352048In some cases your high school/college GPA from DE courses does not follow you to college unless you go to the college where you took the DE classes.  If your child takes classes at the local community college as a DE student and then attends another school after graduating high school, more-than-likely his GPA would start fresh the first semester even though his college credits transfer.  With my youngest two sons, because they took DE classes at Bryan and now attend Bryan, the GPA followed them and, in their situations, that was a good thing because they had high GPAs. For high school students who have poor GPAs with their DE credits, this may be a blessing if they are starting over (GPA-wise) at the college they attend.

Another question often asked is whether DE credits will transfer to another school.  The answer to this question is, “It depends!”  It depends on the school the student attends.  It depends on the major the student is pursuing.  There are some colleges that accept very little credit from other colleges and there are some that will transfer almost any college credit that a student has earned. Generally, if the high school student has earned an AA, then they can take the AA with them to almost any college.  Using words like “generally” and “usually” and “almost any college” are necessary because there are no firm, set-in-stone mandates. For these reasons I would suggest that if your students are going to dual enroll that they take basic classes that may likely be accepted at many colleges. If your student knows which college he/she plans to attend, then find out from that college which DE classes will transfer.  The same is true of AP classes and CLEP credits.  There are no across-the-board answers that apply to this discussion.

Two more bonus suggestions and then some advice from a friend. Suggestion #1:  Your homeschooled students can graduate any time of the year so if there are summer DE classes your students would like to take before graduating high school, they can take those classes in the summer and graduate high school in August! Suggestion #2:  Taking college math classes while in high school has the added benefit of improving the math scores on the college entrance exams (assuming the student does well in the class).  Not only are the students completing college math credits, but their raised test scores could very well earn additional scholarships!

Here are some of the possible outcomes to dual enrollment experiences:

  1. Positive outcome: A great experience is enjoyed and both high school and college credits are earned at the same time.
  2. Positive outcome: Money is saved and students earn their degrees much faster by completing college credits during high school.
  3. Positive outcome: Some states offer scholarships related to dual enrollment credits earned so there is potential for additional college funds to be earned.
  4. Negative outcome: Some students are eager to take classes, but they do not take them seriously and as a result they do not make the grades necessary to continue with the process. (In some states the DE grants are tied to GPAs earned.) They are removed from the program.
  5. Negative outcome: Some students become so preoccupied with the social activities that they lose site of the goal and play away their time on campus, failing classes.
  6. Negative outcome: Some students’ values and beliefs totally change when they are presented with beliefs alternative to their parents. (Young adults should be free to decide what they believe in regard to the great questions of life, but some students are not ready to reasonably and logically discuss some of these deeper issues until they are older.)
  7. Negative outcome: Some students, not knowing how to handle the freedom they have been given in this setting, become rude, crude and disobedient to their parents. They obtain a superior attitude and life at home is less than pleasant.

Advice from a friend:  When approaching colleges about their dual enrollment policies, be polite because dual enrollment laws are often broad and vague. Each college can interpret them as they wish. Rules will change year-to-year so be flexible, polite, and grateful. 

Make sure your child stays rooted at home and in a peer community. They are at the age where they are hungry for community and if they don’t have it at home they will find it where it’s convenient. It is a battle worth fighting, but you have to give them something. 

Be careful just gathering credits. Know where your child is going from here and check in with that destination to make sure you are following their recommendations. Find people who have walked similar (degree wise) paths recently. Information from when their son majored in “x” at “y” is usually irrelevant if it has been more than three years. That is generally true of all things college. It changes year to year.           — Cathy, from Florida

There you have it.  The good, the bad, and the ugly of all things dual enrollment.  To dual enroll on-line or on campus at Bryan College one can apply on-line, pay a small application fee, and provide a transcript showing the completion of the sophomore year with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  If a DE student wants to take math classes at Bryan then he/she must have scored a 22 on the ACT (or comparable on the SAT or CLT).  Bryan offers on-line classes during the fall, spring and twice during the summer (six week sessions). Technically, a dual enrolled student could take classes through Bryan College during 10 semesters before graduating high school. For more information go to www.bryan.edu/de.  If you have not downloaded the free e resource I put together to help you plan the high school years, it is available here:  www.bryan.edu/ebook

 

 

 

Secrets Revealed . . .

Posted on by patweso

shHomeschooling families are at a disadvantage to parents of children who attend a brick and mortar school because we do not have guidance counselors who are available to help our students plan their high school years!  More than a few of us have missed out on many opportunities because of this lack of knowledge. For example, I did not realize that the PSAT score received during a student’s junior year (and only offered once a year) is tied to the National Merit Scholarship. (NMS semi-finalists receive full four years of tuition at Bryan College.)   This is not the only “secret” many of us are unaware of and, for that reason, as the Homeschool Specialist at Bryan College, I decided to research and publish as much pertinent information to a homeschooling parent of high school students that I could find and verify!

I am excited to offer you, for free, the finished product as an e resource called the Journey eBook!  This resource includes information on dual enrollment, scholarships, transcripts, CLEPs, the new college entrance exam (the CLT), the PSAT, and more.  A time line of suggestions for each year of high school is also included.  This resource can be used by any parent of high school age students, whether homeschooled, or not, and whether they plan to attend Bryan College or another college. Feel free to share this link with your friends.

If you have questions that are not answered in this resource, shoot me an email and I will find an answer!  pat.wesolowski@bryan.edu

Download your copy at http://www.bryan.edu/ebook

TheJourney-Social (2) (1)

A Third College Entrance Exam? Yes, Please!

Posted on by patweso

CLT logoFor many years the only two college entrance exams offered to students have been the SAT and the ACT.  Oftentimes Christians have felt at a disadvantage for several reasons, to-wit:

1.  Some of the questions put the students in a moral dilemma (should students give the politically correct answer, gaining a point, or answer according to their beliefs?)

2.  The reading content often contains biases and politically charged articles that do not line up with a Christian’s beliefs

3.  The tests are aligned with Common Core and many homeschooling families as well as private schools do not teach Common Core material.

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Another disadvantage to these tests is the fact that one must register for the test more than a month prior to the test or pay a hefty late fee.

These disadvantages are remedied with the new CLT (Classic Learning Test).

The CLT is offered five times a year. Writing is optional and free.  Students can sign up for the test up until a week before the test is administered.  The test is taken on-line either with a student’s device or with a device offered by the site proctoring the exam. Scores are received by the end of the day when given at a proctored sight. If given online as a virtual test, the scoring process will take longer.

The CLT is a two hour online test. The CLT8 is for 7th and 8th graders and they can take the test at home. The CLT10 is for 9th and 10th graders and they, too, take the test from home with a parent proctor. The CLT10, like the PSAT, comes with scholarship potential for high scoring students.

Here is an article put out by HSLDA comparing the SAT, ACT and CLT.

Bryan College will proctor the CLT on our campus.

The test dates and locations are found here.

Practice the test to see for yourself what it is like!  (The practice test I took included a reading passage containing an article by C. S. Lewis!)

Write an Essay and Win 4 Years Tuition?

Posted on by patweso

students meeting and writingYes!  You read that right, but time is of the essence.  If your senior has applied and been accepted to Bryan College (submitting a score of ACT 21 or higher) then he/she will be invited to a special scholarship event taking place the first weekend in November!  The event is free of charge and each participant will receive an additional $200 40 $2,000 in scholarship money, up to a full ride!  The amounts awarded will be based on interviews, auditions, and an essay (written on campus)! Those qualifying for the honors program receive additional funds!  Families are encouraged to attend this free event as well. A reception is planned for those attending.  If you have a senior who has not yet applied, but may be interested in this event, email me at pat.wesosolowski@bryan.edu.

The What, Who, and Why of FAFSA

Posted on by patweso

fafsaFAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid   Every college bound student (and parents of the student) should fill out the FAFSA even if the student does not plan to receive Federal aid. Colleges use the information provided by the FAFSA to help determine private scholarship amounts.   Quoted from the FAFSA website:  Federal Student Aid is responsible for managing the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grants, loans, and work-study funds to students attending college or career school.  https://fafsa.ed.gov/

FAFSA now allows you to fill out your senior student’s information in October (previously this was done in January of the senior year).  When filling out the FAFSA be sure you go to the official site. There are sites that look like authentic FAFSA sites, but after one fills out all of the information a request for payment pops up.  The FAFSA is free so be sure you go to the official site.   In order to fill out the FAFSA one must first create a FAFSA ID.  In the past a PIN was required, now it is an ID.  The FAFSA ID can be requested at any time.  Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about the FAFSA.

The FAFSA has recently changed and the changes are noted on this document.   One of the changes is related to reporting tax information on the form.  One of the important changes has to do with the tax information reported.  From the site:  Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, applicants will provide income information from one tax year earlier—the “prior-prior” year. This means that the 2017–18 FAFSA will collect 2015 income information. As a result of this change, more students and families will be able to complete their FAFSA using income information imported electronically from the IRS, using our IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT), rather than submitting applications with income estimates that may need correcting, or worse, waiting until the previous year’s tax return has been filed. This is important because in many cases money is awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis.  The earlier the FAFSA is filled out and the tax information is provided, the better your student’s chance for scholarships and grants.

Below is a chart from the FAFSA website that shows changes in the dates for submission along with which prior year income and tax information one should use.

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