How Do I Prepare For The ACT?

• ACT Online Prep™
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  The official ACT prep guide—the only one that includes three actual retired ACT tests—each with an optional Writing Test.
• Preparing for the ACT (PDF; 80 pages, 1,075KB)–FREE
  A free student preparation booklet available from most high schools and colleges—includes test information, complete practice tests with scoring keys, and a writing prompt with sample essays.
• Practice test questions–FREE
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Why Go To College?

Whether you are uncertain about going to college or you just need some reassurance you're on the right track, here are a few reasons to go to college: Every bit of education you get after high school increases the chances you'll earn good pay. Most college graduates earn more money during their working years than people who stop their education at high school earn. The more education you get the more likely it is you will always have a job. According to one estimate, by the year 2028 there will be 19 million more jobs for educated workers than there are qualified people to fill them. Continuing education after high school is much more important for your generation than it was for your parents' generation. Today most good jobs require more than a high school diploma. Businesses want to hire people who know how to think and solve problems. Education beyond high school gives you a lot of other benefits, including meeting new people, taking part in new opportunities to explore your interests, and experiencing success.

Expected lifetime earnings Professional degree $4.4 million Doctoral degree $3.4 million Master's degree $2.5 million Bachelor's degree $2.1 million Associate's degree $1.6 million Some college $1.5 million High school graduate $1.2 million Non-high school graduate $1 million Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Apply Early For Financial Aid

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1Before Beginning a FAFSA

2Filling Out a FAFSA

3FAFSA Follow-Up

• Updated information available for the new TEACH grant.

You can use FAFSA4caster to learn about the financial aid process and get an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid.

Link to FAFSA4caster

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We have simplified the process of filling out the FAFSA. You can follow each section all of the way through for a comprehensive set of instructions.

Get organized!
To simplify the application process, gather required documents and other information ahead of time.

• Determine Your Dependency Status
• FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
• Search for School Codes
• Students & Parents Apply For a PIN
• Check Application Deadline Dates

Fill out the application!
The FAFSA contains questions that ask about you, your financial information, your school plans, and more.

• Fill Out Your FAFSA
• Open Your Saved FAFSA or Correction Application
• Sign Electronically With Your PIN

View your results online!
You can check the status of your application, make corrections to a processed FAFSA, and get other information.

• Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA or Print Signature Page
• Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA
• Add or Delete a School Code
• View and Print Your Student Aid Report

FAFSA ALERTS:

FAFSA Deadlines:

Submit 2008-2009 Corrections on the Web forms by midnight Central Daylight time, September 21, 2009

Submit 2009-2010 FAFSA on the Web Applications bymidnight Central Daylight time, June 30, 2010. More»

State deadlines are normally much earlier than Federal deadlines. To find your state's deadline, select state deadlines.

NCAA Eligibility

All prospective student-athletes must complete the amateurism certification questionnaire. If you are looking to enroll fall 2009, you will need to login and request final amateurism certification by signing the 10.1 statement now. (If you enrolled full time in a Division I or II institution prior to 2007, you do not need to complete the amateurism questions.) NOTE: Test scores must be reported directly from either ACT or SAT using code 9999.

New Eligibility Rules - Click here to read about the changes. Important ADHD Treatment Guidelines - click here. U.S. Students Register Here For students who have attended a U.S. high school for all academic years and for those who have or will graduate from a U.S. high school (including home school or an American school abroad). Note: The eligibility center will not perform a final certification until you have graduated from high school. For home school information, click here. International Students Register Here For students who are attending or have attended high school (secondary school) outside the U.S. (Students educated outside the U.S. normally can only have their certification status evaluated after their final academic records are completed and forwarded to the eligibility center. See the country specific requirements here and then scroll to "Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility.") Registered Student Login For students already registered with the eligibility center. Hot Topics Test score rule: Test scores must be reported to the eligibility center directly from ACT or SAT. High school core-course list: Is yours up to date? Verify the classes you are taking and/or scheduled to take appear on your high school's approved core-course list. Amateurism questionnaire and final authorization signature: Remember to log back in to your account and finalize your amateurism questionnaire before you enroll in college. If you are beginning school in the fall semester (August), you will need to complete the amateurism questionnaire and sign the final authorization signature on or after April 1 prior to enrollment. If you are beginning school in the spring semester (January), you will need to complete the amateurism questionnaire and sign the final authorization signature on or after October 1 of the year prior to enrollment. What Do I Need To Do? Grade 9 Verify with your high school guidance counselor and the online core-course listing to make sure you are on track. Grade 10 Verify with your high school guidance counselor and the online core-course listing to make sure you are on track. Grade 11 Register with the eligibility center. Make sure you are still on course to meet core-course requirements (verify you have the correct number of core courses and that the core courses are on your high school's 48-H with the eligibility center). After your junior year, have your high school guidance counselor send a copy of your transcript. If you have attended any other high schools, make sure a transcript is sent to the eligibility center from each high school. When taking the ACT or SAT, request test scores to be sent to the eligibility center (the code is "9999"). Begin your amateurism questionnaire. Grade 12 When taking the ACT or SAT, request test scores to be sent to the eligibility center (the code is "9999"). Complete amateurism questionnaire and sign the final authorization signature online on or after April 1 if you are expecting to enroll in college in the fall semester. (If you are expecting to enroll for spring semester, sign the final authorization signature on or after October 1 of the year prior to enrollment.) Have your high school guidance counselor send a final transcript with proof of graduation to the eligibility center. Home School Information Use high school code "969999" as the high school code for any home school coursework. This information is for those who have attended a home school or nontraditional school for either all or part of their high school career. In order to evaluate your certification status for purposes of NCAA athletics initial eligibility, please submit the following information to the Eligibility Center: Completed student release form. Fee payment. Standardized test score (ACT and/or SAT). Must be submitted directly from the testing agency. Note that test scores received on a transcript cannot be used by the Eligibility Center. A Student Score Report or scores taken directly from a Student Score Report cannot be accepted by the Eligibility Center for initial-eligibility purposes. Home school transcript that includes: Course titles; Course grades; Units of credit for courses; Grading scale ( if numeric grading is used, alpha/letter equivalent grades are needed); and Signature of the home school administrator (the parent or other person who organized, taught and evaluated the home school coursework). Transcript from any other high school, college and/or nontraditional program attended (mailed directly from the issuing institution). Proof of high school graduation, including specific graduation date (month/day/year). Evidence that home schooling was conducted in accordance with state laws (a written statement from the home school administrator verifying compliance with state home school legislation). Please attach any supporting documentation. A statement of who taught and evaluated the coursework, awarded grades and issued credit. List of textbooks used throughout home schooling [course title, textbook title, publisher name and book level (if applicable)]. There are some examples listed below for reference including a home school checklist, transcript example and textbook list. This will help provide guidance on what the Eligibility Center needs regarding home school information. If your home school coursework was taken through an established nontraditional program (e.g., correspondence, internet, tutoring, etc.) that evaluated your coursework and issues transcripts, please have that program provide a copy of your transcript and provide contact information so the Eligibility Center can obtain further information, if necessary. The Eligibility Center will evaluate home school coursework only after all required documents have been received. After the information listed above is received, the Eligibility Center may need to request additional information or clarification before completing an academic certification. HOME SCHOOL EVALUATION ADDRESS: NCAA Eligibility Center (ATTN: Home School Evaluation) 1802 Alonzo Watford Sr. Drive Indianapolis, IN 46202-6222 Phone: 877/ 262-1492 or 317/ 223-0700. Follow the prompts or request to be directed to the home school department. If you were home schooled in New York, please note that the Eligibility Center cannot accept "proof of graduation" from a diploma issued by a home school in New York, because the state of New York does not recognize diplomas that are issued by a home school. If a student is home schooled in New York and does not graduate from a high school, that student would have to provide a GED certificate in order to meet the NCAA's graduation requirement. NCAA

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