 |
| December 2011 |
|
Welcome to ACT Parent, a monthly newsletter designed to help you help your children succeed in middle school and high school as they prepare for college and careers.
To better serve you, please contact us to suggest topic ideas or to offer feedback. We want to hear from you. Email us at actparent@act.org.
In this issue:
|
 |
 Tis the Season ... For Financial Aid
While your focus may be scattered this time of year, it’s important to add one more thing to the to-do list. Make sure you’re up-to-date on your financial aid terminology and filing deadlines. Following are some helpful resources:
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the tool for unlocking all kinds of financial aid, becomes available January 1 for the 2011 - 2012 school year. Fill it out and submit it as soon as possible because aid is handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the official FAFSA website for the form and a list of what you need to complete it.
- Research the different kinds of aid that are available. Know the differences between gift aid (scholarships and grants), private and federal loans, and need- and merit-based aid. Start at the ACT site to get the basics.
- Deadlines for state financial aid vary. Check the FAFSA site for your state’s deadline.
- Don’t be fooled by services offering “guaranteed” scholarships for a fee. Sadly, student aid is subject to scammers. Check here so you know what to watch for.
- And if your student isn’t a senior yet, use the FAFSA4caster to get a jump on financial planning for college.
|
|
|
Avoid the Senior Slump
Now that college applications are wrapping up, the holidays are approaching, the school year is nearing the half-way point and financial aid deadlines are near, you may soon find you have a somewhat apathetic senior. Seniors have worked hard to make it to this point of the year, and the temptation will be to take it easy. Don’t let your teen give in to senior slump. His or her college of choice may be watching.
Colleges, especially select universities, have been known to withdraw offers of admission to students who drop college prep classes or begin earning uncharacteristically low grades. If your child loses focus, colleges may send a warning letter and add certain stipulations to the admissions offer.
Taking an extended breather during senior year can make for a difficult freshman year in college. So encourage your son or daughter to have some fun during senior year, while staying involved in college preparation.
|
|
Cheating Hurts Everyone—If You See It, Report It
Parents—Please share the following information with your son or daughter:
Students who don't do their own work put honest students at a disadvantage. Whether it's using a cheat sheet, copying someone else’s work, or sending another person to take a test for them, we all feel cheated when someone tries to game the system.
You deserve a level playing field to show what you’ve learned, and ACT has designed its testing procedures to give you, and all honest students, an equal opportunity to demonstrate your own academic achievement.
If you suspect that someone is trying to game the system or encounter anything else out of the ordinary when you take the ACT, please report it. You can make an anonymous report about test security concerns by calling the ACT hotline number (1-877-777-7296) or through our security website (http://act.alertline.com/).
Keep the ACT fair. Report cheating.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010–2011 ACT Test Dates
| Test Date |
Registration Deadline |
Late Registration Deadline |
| February 11, 2012* |
January 13, 2012 |
January 14-20, 2012 |
| April 14, 2012 |
March 9, 2012 |
March 10-23, 2012 |
| June 9, 2012 |
May 4, 2012 |
May 5-18, 2012 |
*No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February test date.
Thanks for reading. Please encourage other parents to subscribe to ACT Parent!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
