Will you be applying to college this fall? There is no need to retype your information for every college on your list. Using The Common Application, you complete one online application (and perhaps supplemental forms for each of your individual colleges) and electronically send this application to all of your participating schools. You will be able to view your application progress on your dashboard and will receive alerts when important deadlines are approaching.

The Common Application is accepted by more than 750 colleges and universities. Participating schools accept the Common Application in place of their own institutional application. Using this form is time saving and simplifies the application process. For more information about the Common Application, including the essay prompts for 2018-2019, see our Application Components page here.

You can create your Common App account now or whenever you are ready and it will be available for you this fall as you start to apply to college. Better yet, get a jumpstart on your application this summer to make your senior year a little less hectic!

Questions about using the Common App? Call us at 888.747.2382, x119!

Summer is the perfect time for soon to be high school seniors to meet with one of the college counselors in the Center for College Planning. Whether you are finalizing (or just starting to build!) your list of possible colleges to apply to, have questions about college majors or would like to talk about how families pay for college, schedule your FREE 60 minute appointment this summer to get a head start on your college process. Call us at 888.747.2382, ext. 119 to schedule your FREE 60-minute appointment today!

Selecting colleges and applying for admission can be overwhelming. There are applications to be completed, deadlines to meet, essays to write, and policies to understand. Sign-up now for a FREE 90-minute college overview workshop at our Concord campus in September as we educate high school students and their families about the college admission process. While this workshop primarily addresses the immediate needs of those applying to college this fall, all high school students and their families are welcome to attend! Registration is required, so sign up today!

Congratulation Seniors, you’ve done it! You have made your college selection! How exciting is that? We know you are looking forward to taking it easy and relaxing this summer, but there are a few things you need to consider and some items you need to complete before classes start later this summer.

Securing your financial aid, specifically your Federal Direct student loan, is critically important to take care of right away. You are required to complete Entrance Counseling before your federal student loans can be disbursed to your school. Entrance Counseling is designed to help you understand your rights and responsibilities as a loan borrower. You will be asked to respond to a variety of online questions as you read through the material so that you can gauge your own competency with the process. In addition, completing your Master Promissory Note (or MPN) for this loan is essential. An MPN can be completed in about 30 minutes and, like Entrance Counseling, must be signed before your federal student loans can be disbursed to your school. You will need your FSA ID, which you created to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid ‑ or FAFSA, the name of a reference, and his or her mailing address and phone number. To access the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling website, please click here.

Make sure to attend your school's summer orientation ‑ it will be one of the most important things you can do prior to the beginning of school. It is the true start to your personal college experience. It will be the first time you spend time on campus with other students, faculty, and college officials partaking in fun events and activities. Orientation gives you the opportunity to meet classmates and potential roommates, pick up your student ID, and learn your way around campus. You may even register for your first semester courses during orientation. Orientation programs like this help you get comfortable with the academic and social setting you will be calling home for the next four years.

As amazing as it would be to simply kick back in all the summer's lazy, hazy splendor, help yourself prepare financially for college by working at least part‑time to earn some pre‑college money. Think about the things you'll need as you head off to college: textbooks, new clothes, dorm supplies, food, etc. These are all items that won’t be included in your official school bill. The more money you save now; the less money you will have to borrow in the future.

So, now it's time to embrace summer! Enjoy the nice weather and time off from your studies, but be certain to read all correspondence from your school and take all of the steps necessary to ensure you'll be fully prepared to start college in a few short months!

Don’t text and drive ‑ an important life lesson for everyone and a scholarship opportunity open to all high school and college students! If you take your eyes off the road for five seconds – the average amount of time it takes to send a text – do you know how far you will have driven on the highway? The length of an entire football field! Imagine what could happen along that stretch while your eyes and attention are elsewhere. This scholarship was established to help students understand the risks of texting while driving.

Who may apply: Applicants must be currently enrolled in high school, college, or graduate school (at any level) and must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident. Home-schooled students are eligible to apply. There is no age limit.

How to apply: Complete the application form including a 140‑character message about texting while driving. The top 10 applications will be selected as finalists. The finalists will be asked to write a full length 500- to 1,000-word essay about texting while driving.

Deadline: September 30, 2018 to coincide with September's No Texting While Driving Day.

How the winner will be selected: 10 finalists will be selected based on the content of the 140-character message. The winner will be selected based on the content and creativity of the 500- to 1,000-word essay.

Awards: The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Enter the “I Am College Bound” promo contest to be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card if you answer our quiz question about college admissions or financial aid correctly!

The “I Am College Bound” campaign provides New Hampshire high school students with the inspiration, information and planning support to pursue higher education goals. The Center for College Planning (CCP) team especially encourages low‑income students, their parents and their mentors to recognize that New Hampshire campuses and the U.S. Department of Education offer strong financial aid programs which enable eligible individuals to access financial assistance in paying for education beyond high school.