The college admissions process can be a stressful time for students and parents. The Weston Branch Library is hoping to ease some of that strain with a series of free Ready for College workshops scheduled for this month.
“Applying for college is an exciting, but overwhelming, process. Therefore, it is important for families to acquaint themselves as soon as possible with the process,” notes Librarian Senior Keva Turner. “Ready for College workshops provide guidance to both teens and parents and lets them know what to expect during each step of the process.”
Each workshop tackles a different part of the college application process: Scholarships and Naviance; Financial Aid Planning; and Applying for College. The program is facilitated by Broward Advisors for Continuing Education (BRACE) from Broward County Public Schools. BRACE Advisors work with guidance counselors throughout the school year to support students with career awareness and the college application process.
“The workshops are a combination of lecture and hands-on format,” explains Ms. Turner. “The goal of each workshop is to have high school juniors and seniors complete, or at least start a part of the college application process. For the Financial Aid Planning Workshop, parents are expected to bring the necessary documents required for filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). During the Applying for College Workshop, students have the chance to start a Common or Coalition application with a BRACE counselor in the room.”
The Ready for College workshops are scheduled for the first three Saturdays in August, from 2-4pm. They are funded by the Broward Public Library Foundation.
The Scholarships and Naviance Workshop will take place on August 3rd. During this program, students will learn how to effectively use Naviance, Broward County Schools’ college planning tool, to search for scholarships and how to organize their search to find the best scholarships.
During the Financial Aid Planning Workshop on August 10th, the presenter will explain the FAFSA, different types of aid, the do’s and don’ts of financial aid, and common terms to know about the process. This is a hands-on workshop during which students and families will leave with a completed financial aid application provided they bring all needed materials, this includes the student’s and parents’ Social Security Number, copy of 2017-2018 taxes, parents’ date of birth, and email address for both student and parent.
The final step is the Applying for College Workshop on August 17th. This program will help students identify the best colleges for them based on academics, achievements/involvements and test scores. Students will receive step by step instructions on how to complete college applications and complete at least one application provided they bring an unofficial transcript or copy of Virtual Counselor’s Graduation Information with all courses listed, Social Security Number, and email address.
- Space is limited for the Ready for College Workshops; preregistration is required at www.broward.org/Library/Pages/SATACTProgram.aspx. For more information call 954-357-5420.