Deadlines for Student Commitments Extended

Great news for students waiting on financial aid packages! Schools are starting to extend commitment deadlines due to the late release of FAFSA information to colleges. FAFSA data is used by college admission and financial aid teams to evaluate need based and institutional aid. Without FAFSA data, many schools have nothing to work from...

Some schools do not require the FAFSA for institutional aid (merit), while others require a FAFSA be on file the first year. Be sure to check with your admissions rep for the schools you have been accepted and make a note of any commitment deadlines. Additionally, some schools require a housing deposit before joining the assignment list. Be sure to verify if the deposit is refundable (or a portion) if you choose not to attend that school...the kicker is some schools, like Purdue University, have a first come-first served mentality when making residential hall assignments. Better to pay the deposit, lose a small amount if there is a change of heart than to wait and get waitlisted for a preferred dorm - or any dorm at all! There are some east coast schools facing housing shortages as well.

So far, California's University system, Oregon State University and the University of Illinois-Chicago have extended commitment deadlines. I suspect more schools will follow with May 15 or later deadlines.

AgDiscovery Summer Program-2024

Interested in plant and animal science, biotechnology, veterinarian or wildlife biology? Check out the USDA AgDiscovery Summer program.

This FREE program covers tuition, room and board, meals, lab supplies and activity fees! To be eligible, check the "grades" for the 20 participating schools - including Purdue University. Eligibility applies to current academic grade level. Then, apply!

The program focuses on four areas: agribusiness, plant, animal and combination. Students must be able to attend the camp in its entirety and can apply for a different program the following year. This is an amazing opportunity! Applications are due by April 5, 2024 by midnight.

Take advantage of Student Wellness Centers!

Many parents and students are scheduling tours in the upcoming months to take advantage of spring break as well as other free days. These tours are excellent opportunities to see the campus and check out the culture. I'll have more on this in future posts...however, I want to focus on Student Wellness Centers (or clinics).

What about student wellness and health care options? When you are visiting a campus, be sure to inquire about student health and wellness opportunities. Smaller schools may not offer a student clinic, but will likely (or should) offer some counseling. Counseling is different than academic advising...while they may share the same office space, the focus is different.

Academic advisors are the course planners, the go-to's for information on scheduling courses and mapping an academic plan for graduation and/or transfer. Counselors offer mental health care which may include wellness workshops, meditation, relaxation, social events or any variety of things focused on the student's mental well-being. Both are important to student success!

What about health care services? Larger schools may provide walk-in services in a Student Wellness Center or even an on-site nurse, nurse practitioner or medical staff. For students not tied to a sport or in the athletic department, these clinics provide a variety of accessible services and most handle insurance payments, even if out of state. I highly encourage parents and students to learn more about the on-campus options in the event a medical need arises. These needs may be minor like a small cut, a sprain or need for over the counter medicine for pink-eye. In the interest of keeping the student body healthy, as well as staff, faculty and support personnel, these clinics are significant to academic success. AND....you pay for it with your tuition and fees!

During your college visit, ask for a breakdown of how fees are allocated on campus. Likely, there are athletic fees to attend sporting events or there may be tech fees to use computers on campus or special equipment in the library. There may be recycling, textbook, special course AND medical/clinic fees, among others. If there are medical/clinic fees, be sure to take advantage of all the offerings which may include massages during finals week, contraceptive access (most are free), band-aids, cough drops/masks, hand sanitizer...you get the idea. Be sure to investigate all of the "hidden benefits" on your college tours - it may save you additional money!