Now that you have chosen the college you are attending this fall, it’s time to make sure all your “ducks are in a row.” Here are some helpful tips soon-to-be freshmen should take care of this summer.

If you were awarded a Federal Stafford loan, you will need to sign a master promissory note. To do this you need to find out if your school allows you to choose your lender or if your school is a direct lending institution. You will also need to complete Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling which is usually done online; your school will notify you of how and when to apply for your Stafford loan and when to complete your entrance counseling. Remember – you can always check-in with your financial aid office for help. (Just remember, financial aid offices are very busy during the summer, so you may have to wait for a call to be returned to you.) 

Make sure to talk with your parents about how the rest of your tuition bill will be paid. If you are curious about the options, check out the previous blog on How to Pay the College Bill.

Check in with your parents about health insurance. Ask if you will be covered by their health plan or if you will need to take advantage of the plan offered by your school.  If you will be covered by your parent’s insurance, make sure to contact your school to find out their process for waiving the school’s health insurance. The fee for this is usually included in the bill, so make sure to notify the school if you will be waiving this charge.

Sign up for Freshman Orientation! This is a great way to meet the people who will be on campus with you. It’s also a great way to learn how to navigate the campus.  You may also sign up for classes at Orientation, and possibly take any needed assessment or placement tests.

If you are not currently checking your college email account, begin doing so. Once you made your deposit, the school most likely set up an account for you and now you may have some important information being emailed to that account.

Stay organized with all the mailings the school sends to you. It can become very easy to forget to send some stuff back when you are looking at a lot of forms. Read the forms or communications carefully - note important deadlines on forms that must be returned. 

Keep taking care of business,

Rich