[00:00:00] Okay, let’s get started. We’re right at six 30 here. Uh, welcome. Thank you for joining. Uh, my name is Jennifer Bento Pinion. I am director of K 12 Services at MEFA. And today we’re going to talk about college admissions and specifically how to use tools in MEFA Pathway to help support the process. Uh, just a few logistics before we get started.

The chat is disabled during this presentation. If you have any questions, I ask that you hold those until the end. We’ll leave uh, a few minutes, uh, and you can put those in the qa if you’d like to see the closed captions, you can enable the live transcript. And if you need to, uh, leave early. No worries. We are recording and we’ll send a follow up probably tomorrow, uh, with the recording and the slides that we’re going through.

So you have those in hand. Alright. A little bit about MEFA. Uh, [00:01:00] we are the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority created over 40 years ago, uh, with the continued mission to help families plan, save, and pay for college. Now MEFA Pathway falls under the suite of offerings that MEFA provides. It is a comprehensive college and career planning website.

It is free of cost and it is an open platform for students. So I’ll be pointing to various MEFA pathway, uh, features throughout and looking at how those, uh, tools can support, help support the college admissions process. All right. And this, uh, these are the topics that we will cover here tonight. So we will be looking at current trends in college admissions.

We will be looking at how to build out a college list, talk about campus visits, um, the application process a little bit on financial aid. And then we also will be, uh, providing a, a handful of free resources for you to take advantage of. [00:02:00] Okay, so let’s start by talking about trends in college admissions.

Uh, one trend that we’re seeing is that students are applying to a, a greater number of colleges. And this is partially because students can easily apply to multiple colleges using the common app. Um, and we’ll talk about common app, that application process. Um. And a little bit, but admissions can be competitive and many colleges are selective.

So it is suggested, uh, to apply to multiple colleges to have options and good choices. Um, applying to five to eight schools is the typical range these days. Um, another trend that we’re seeing is something called demonstrated interest and how that is playing a factor in admissions. Um, colleges are paying attention to students who may reach out to them directly, maybe have spoken with a rep at a college fair, uh, maybe did a virtual tour on their website.

Um, colleges do keep track of these things, so if a student is [00:03:00] seriously interested in a college, make a point of taking part in some of the examples I just shared. Uh, most of all, um, colleges have social, um, most if not all, that is colleges have, uh, social media accounts, um, so you can follow them, you can see what they post and maybe find out what’s happening on campus.

It’s a great way to get familiar with the college. Uh, although, uh, one thing to be careful of, um, as a student is your social media presence and what you’re posting and making sure to keep that appropriate. Uh, colleges can view. And you just wanna be careful. Um, cost is a, a, a factor of course. Um, this is something to be aware of and pay attention to through the college admissions process.

Uh, we are seeing more and more ways to interact with colleges virtually, um, especially college visits, uh, which I will speak to more toward in the later on a little bit. Um, we’re really starting to [00:04:00] see, uh, these offerings, um, since COVID, we, we saw them kick up a notch, uh, during COVID when students couldn’t actually get on campus and needed to act, uh, virtually.

There are also more test optional colleges, meaning that they do not require a standardized test, so something to pay attention to, and I’ll speak more to that, uh, a little bit later as well. Um, then there are, uh, direct admissions, uh, which is fairly, fairly new. Um, this is when an admissions acceptance is received, um, even before you’ve applied.

So the college received information from the a CT or, or SAT or from the Common app saw, saw your stats. And that you’d be a great fit for that school. Um, the college would then send a shortened version of the application and you would be admitted. It’s great for students who may not have necessarily considered that particular option.

Okay. And then of [00:05:00] course, there are longer wait lists and we’ll go into that and some more specifics, um, later on in the presentation as well. Okay, staying organized, super important to stay organized. Students, you don’t wanna miss a deadline, um, that, whether that’s an application deadline, a financial aid deadline, because something may be required.

Um, and you need to keep track. Of all of the, those dates. Um, and you can use, um, what you’re seeing on the screen here as you can use mi a’s application manager, um, to keep track of deadlines. Or you can just use a, a sprint, a simple Excel spreadsheet, no matter how it’s done. Just make sure you’re, you’re keeping track, um, because colleges aren’t as forgiving.

Um, missing a deadline is maybe, um, you know, if you miss a, a, a deadline for a, a, a history paper in high school. So very important to, to stay organized. Okay, so now how do you get rolling with this process? Research, researching colleges is the first step. Um, there are a number [00:06:00] of different search engines that you can use, uh, you can see here on the screen.

Um, we have College Navigator, college Scoreboard, big Future, um, with slightly different purposes. Um, you can see College Scorecard is a little more focused on what happens after college, but then MEFA Pathway offer. Also offers a terrific search feature. Um, students can use, uh, the more interactive match me tool or activity where students can go in, apply a location, uh, a desired size of a school, a particular program of study, and that will populate a college list based on what they applied in those, in those filters.

Students can then, uh, build and save a list of colleges and then come back to that when they’re starting to assess what colleges they’ll actually be applying to. And then MEFA Pathway also has, uh, what we call a college compare tool that students can, uh, select up to [00:07:00] five colleges and build out a chart to see how they actually fit into the school’s profile.

So make sure to check that out. That’s nefa pathway. Okay. College factors to consider. Uh, we’re thinking about size and location of a college. Do you want to be in the city versus a more rural area? Do you want to go stay in state or go out of state? How about a larger small school? Uh, do you prefer smaller classes as opposed to larger?

So all considerations. Academic fit is really important and you want to be with students who are like you academically. Uh, if you know what you’re intended major in, you’ll wanna make sure the college offers that particular program. Um, also thinking about learning style, um, goes back to the size of the school.

Do you work better in a larger classroom setting or smaller? Um, so that’s something important to [00:08:00] consider. Um, thinking about campus culture. Um, values, traditions, behaviors, and atmosphere of the school. Um, you can get a feel for a college, uh, by visiting the campus or, or just reaching out. And we’ll talk more about campus visits in a little bit too.

Um, you wanna see what’s offered on campus for activities. Are there clubs or sports or religious groups that are important to you? Um, think about the things that you enjoy doing and that would make your college experience complete. Uh, study abroad programs. Is that something that’s important to you? Um, if, if so you wanna make sure that that’s offered at the schools that you’re applying to.

Um, does the sc does the, the college have strong career services and internship opportunities? Um, if you’re thinking that an internship opportunity is important, you definitely wanna make sure that’s offered. Then of course, affordability. You need to look at the cost, the financial aid that’s available, and what that [00:09:00] may mean for your family.

Okay? Campus visits, both formal and informal. As mentioned, most uh, colleges offer a virtual option for campus visits. Um, although there is something to be said, uh, for actually visiting a campus, if you can, uh, for informal visits, you can take a walk around the campus, get a sense of the culture, look at bulletin boards, but you can also take advantage of a formal visit where you can sign up for a tour with the admissions office.

Uh, and that’s demonstrated interest at work. Again, um, you can take a, a guided tour around the campus, check out the dorms, maybe even the library. Uh, and if you go on one of these formal visits, you know, make sure you come equipped with some questions. Um, sometimes these visits are led by students and they love to talk about their campus.

Um, they’re, they’re attending there. They enjoy the school more than likely, and, [00:10:00] um, they’re happy to, to answer any questions that you, that you may have. Uh, and we are also so lucky here in Massachusetts because we have so many different colleges, pretty accessible no matter where you live in the state.

So if you’re even looking for a college out of state that you can’t travel to, you could possibly visit a similar type of campus here in Massachusetts to get a feel for it. So think about that as well. And of course, those virtual offerings, most colleges have a, a vir, a virtual offering that you can take advantage of if you can’t get to the campus.

Alright, college fairs. Great way for students to learn more about a college. Uh, many college fairs are offered. Um, and you can see what’s coming up on these two organizations on the screen here. Nacac, in the AK a. There’s a list of upcoming colleges. You can, you can, um, college fairs, you can, you can check that out to see what’s forthcoming.

Um, fairs are great because they typically have lots of [00:11:00] colleges participating and you can walk about. And meet admissions representatives from the colleges without having to travel to each of the colleges. Um, so if there’s one that you can attend, sign up. Check out who will be there beforehand. Have a plan before you start because there are some of these bigger college fairs have upwards of 200.

Schools attending, and obviously you’re not gonna hit every, every school. So look at who’s going to be there, have a plan of attack, um, and you could even schedule a one-on-one meeting with a college or two if that’s available. And also if there are any informational sessions being offered, check those out too.

Those can be quite valuable. Uh, and, and remember that if you chat with, uh, a representative of the co of the college, make sure you have, um, them document that you spoke with them. ’cause that’s, that demonstrated interest again. And a lot of the faires will actually have a little scan code now nowadays. So it makes it easy, um, for those representatives.

[00:12:00] Just scan your, scan your code, and then they have you in your, in their database. Okay, so now we’re going to assess prospects for admission. The students will need a mix of likely possible and reach schools on their college list. On account of colleges being more competitive, a student could very likely end up attending one of the likely schools, so likely.

Our GPA or test scores that are above the school’s average, the acceptance rate is high, and where you feel most confidently you’d get in possible is where you have a strong chance of being admitted GPA and your test scores fall right in the middle, and acceptance is realistic. And then for those reach schools that are less likely and highly competitive and highly [00:13:00] selective.

The most important thing to do right now is to determine the right possible schools for the list, so places that your student knows they would like to attend. Make sure there is at least one college that is likely and affordable, and make sure that the student would be happy to attend any school on the list that they’re applying to.

Nothing’s a guarantee. Students can check admitted student profiles on the college’s website to find out where they might fit best and to determine likely possible and reach schools. So how many, how many schools should be on your list? That that is a family decision. It may differ based on your intended major or program, but again, the average is five to eight.

And each school again, should be one that you could see yourself on campus and having an enjoyable experience [00:14:00] there. And a question we often get, and I’m just gonna add it in here right now, can colleges see where else a student has applied to? And the answer is no. So colleges cannot see from college to college, um, where students have applied.

Do you get that question often? Okay, so now we’re going to talk about college admission, excuse me, college application types. So first we have early action and early decision, and these. Have deadlines that are typically in the fall. Um, some colleges don’t require students to apply early and they, if they want to be considered for merit aid or for a particular program.

So that would be some, so something to look at. Some colleges do require students to apply early if they are to be considered for merit aid. Uh, research each, each college thoroughly for this information. So you’ll wanna know that. Um, there can be advantages to [00:15:00] applying early, both in admissions and financial aid.

So an early submission equals earlier decisions. So if you’ve been accepted, there’s more time to compare colleges, maybe visit the campus again and review your financial aid offers. So where an early submission may not be a good idea is if your application isn’t ready or you need more time to strengthen your essay.

So just something, something to think about when you’re determining when you’ll. Apply. Uh, so early decision and early action often involve an earlier financial aid deadline as well. So you wanna check with the college to find that out. So what’s the difference between early decision and early action? Um, early decision is, is a binding decision.

Early action is not. If you get into a college early decision. You have to rescind all other applications and not being, not be able to compare financial aid offers. So it’s a, [00:16:00] it’s a big commitment and should be e early decision should be your absolute top choice. If you apply early decision or early action to a school, you’ll either be rejected outright deferred to the regular admission pool or accepted.

So three options there. So apply to the college by a specific early deadline. That is usually November or December. Um, and for early action colleges, the deposit is still not, um, due until May 1st. So you have all that time to decide even if you are applying for, um, additional school’s regular decision. So speaking of regular decision, regular decision is where you apply by the college’s regular deadline.

So that’s usually early winter. Uh, so this may be for if a student needs senior grades to boost the application, um, that regular decision may be a better option. Um, rolling admission. This is where [00:17:00] applications are reviewed as they are received. So for rolling admission, best to submit your application as soon as you decide to apply as chances for admission may be better.

And if the admission is rolling, keep in mind that maybe other deadlines for other processes, um, such as housing, that’s an example. Um, financial aid resources can run out. Toward the end of the rolling admission process, so best not to wait to apply. And then we have, um, open admission. So this is where a college admits almost all of their applicants with a high school diploma or a GED.

A lot of our community colleges, um, some colleges have open admission for some programs, but not for all. So, so good to check. So that’s kind of a theme throughout. Is there Good, good to check. Uh, and we get this, this question often, um, in our office. Um, will students get more financial aid if they apply early?[00:18:00]

And the answer is that some colleges dole out funds equally across all application deadlines, where some give more merit aid in the early round. So it’s a great question to ask of the college. And of course you wanna be aware of your deadlines.

Okay, so college application forms. Um, you wanna check each college website to determine the type of application required and how to submit that application. So we have, um, a couple options here for colleges. Um, we have the common app that has, um, over 1100, uh, member institutions. Uh, we have the Universal College app that has 18 to 50 member institutions, and that depends on the cycle.

You can look, you know, you can look this up right online. Our links are here to see which colleges are doing what. Uh, the co the coalition application has approximately 170, uh, [00:19:00] that use, um, the coalition, uh, many of which also use the common app. So that platform provides, uh, a single centralized toolkit for students to organize, build, and refine their applications, um, to numerous institutions.

The coalition app. Uh, that provide substantial support to lower, lower resourced and underrepresented students. So. Offer responsible, uh, student financial aid support and demonstrate a commitment to student graduation. So that’s the, the coalition app. Um, and then of course there’s the, the college website where you can apply right from the, right directly from the, the website of the college.

And then we still have a, a few paper apps floating around there. Some of the community colleges, um, still have this option. So again, you’ll wanna check each college’s website to see what they, how, how they will receive your application. Okay, so now let’s talk about the college application components. [00:20:00] Um, requirements may vary at each college, so make sure you have a grasp on what these components are.

Uh, if you’re applying to a specialized program, for example, in the arts, you may be required to submit a portfolio or an audition. Um, so just make sure that you’re not missing anything. And you can see some of the, um, components listed out here. Um, treat your application like a work of art. You know, make sure you’re using, um, your capital.

I know it sounds silly, but capitalize your name. Um, look at a preview before you submit it to make your, your using, um, proper formatting so it looks okay. Um, remember that your application is representing you. Um, and also college applications can have Hep D fees, so keep that in mind. Um, and there are fee waivers, um, available for, uh, those lower income students, so you can take advantage of that as well if you qualify.

Okay, so moving on. Academic readiness is still the most important component in [00:21:00] college admissions, uh, rigor of the high school transcript is assessed. Uh, so rather than just grades, has a student challenge themselves with the courses they’ve taken, um, you’ll want to, um, colleges will look to see how well a student has challenged themself over time.

Based on the academics offered at the school. So looking at the willingness to push themselves, preparing for that college level work. Um, students in high school, if possible, should match the students’ indicated, intended program of study. So the subjects that you take in school. Line up with what you wanna, what you wanna study in college.

Uh, remember that senior grades are still very important. Don’t let those senior grades drop. Um, colleges do have the right to rescind admission to a student if the, if the senior grades are not satisfactory. So just don’t, don’t fall off. Uh, you know, come, come senior year though. Then, [00:22:00] um, the siding scale for public.

Colleges and universities. Um, you can, you can look up that, um, those ranges. Um, and remember that there is a, a college for everybody. So just because you’re not a straight A student, straight a honor student doesn’t mean you’re not college bound. So keep that in mind and keep that in mind when you’re looking at the profiles of the schools too.

Okay. Alright, so now standardized tests. The PSAT, uh, is taken first as a, the pre, pre, uh, practiced, and students can design a free SAT prep based on their PSA scores on the Ts, uh, on the SAT website through Khan Academy. So that’s pretty cool. Uh, and we get this question often, um, you can see it on the screen here, but what’s the difference between the SAT and the A CT?

Um, the SAT. Test for analytical critical [00:23:00] thinking, whereas the A CT is curriculum based and test science knowledge. So those are the differences. Which one should you take? If you’re not sure, try taking both once and then you can focus on the test you did well in for the second round. That said, research shows that test scores often improve after a second try, but usually do not improve after three tries.

So some colleges take the best score from each section of the test while others just take the overall best score from the test date. So we also have over 2004 year. Schools that do not require the SAT or a CT. So those are test optional and you can get the list, um, right on that fair test.org. Um, however, test scores may be required to be considered for merit scholarships, um, or placement once enrolled.[00:24:00]

Um, and then almost all test optional school schools, uh, your test scores will be considered. So if you send them in. Do, do send them in if, if you did well, um, if a student does not submit their test scores at, at a test optional school, other parts of the application will be weighed more heavily. All right.

And that AP exam is showing your subject knowledge. See that there? Okay. All right. So now looking at, um, activities and your resume. Also an important component of the college application. So colleges are looking for leadership. They’re looking for resiliency responsibility. A student whose resume shows that they work 20 hours a week at Dunking Donuts to help support their family financially is just as impressive as the captain of the lacrosse team.

I not sure what to list student’s. Not sure. Think of [00:25:00] all the great things you do both inside and outside of school. Um, let the colleges know of the leadership and initiative you’ve shown in your activities. Um, colleges wanna see a passion behind the extracurricular activities rather than a list of activities intended to impress them.

And you can use Mefa Pathway to keep track of everything. Sports clubs, volunteer work, certifications earned. You can build on this through your profile from year to year. So when you need to compile for a college application, it’s all in one spot. So you can start building on that in the, in your, in your early years.

And then again, it’s a great place to keep track of all the great things you’re doing both inside and outside of school. Okay, now talking about your college essay. College essay should paint a picture of the student. You don’t wanna treat it as a research paper, but as a personal story. It says a lot about [00:26:00] you, some tips you wanna start writing early.

Um, the common app prompts, which I’ll show you on the next screen, usually don’t change too much year to year. And it, you can at least start thinking about what you want to write about early. Maybe just get it going in your brain a little bit. You wanna concentrate. On describing your current self, not necessarily a story that shows yourself in the past.

Um, you’ll probably want to write a number of iterations, so take your time, uh, maybe even have a family member or a school counselor give it a read, uh, to provide your feedback, to provide their, their feedback. Um, and also, um. Noting that colleges take plagiarism very, very seriously. So a students should ensure that their essay is their own work.

Very, very important. Um, also something to note is that, um, [00:27:00] there are schools that have a, require a supplemental essay. So make sure you’re aware if that’s, if that’s the case, and you can, you can find that right on the, the requirements of the college when you’re going to apply. And one last thing is that college ad admissions counselors, they read so many essays.

So you wanna think about that when you’re writing yours. And if yours can evoke some emotion or reaction out of the them, whether it’s laughter or sadness or surprise, you’ll make, you’ll make an impression. And that’s what you’re striving for. You want them to remember your essay. Um, and good news is that if you have a great essay, you can also use it for, for when you’re applying to scholarships, you can repurpose, repurpose that, that, uh, essay.

So something to spend some time on for sure and put some effort in. And here are those, uh, common app essay prompts. These are for the, the fall 2026 season. Um, you can find these online. Um, but again, these don’t [00:28:00] change too much year to year. So these are the, the seven, the seven prompts.

Okay, so now let’s talk about letters of recommendation. You wanna first at your school, at your high school, where you go. You wanna find out how you ask for letters of recommendation. Some schools have an actual form that needs to be filled out. So you wanna see what that process is. It could vary from high school to high school, so you can, and you can potentially start to ask your teachers at the end of junior year so they can think about it over the summer.

’cause the teachers, they do put quite a bit of effort in, um, for, for your letters. So it’s something that they want to think about as well. So you wanna give them a little. Little time. Um, it’s helpful to seek out teachers that, um, taught you in core subjects, not just, um, club advisors. Um, and especially thinking about, uh, teachers that you may have had for honors, uh, and or AP [00:29:00] courses.

So also helpful to seek out teachers who may have taught you in a, a subject you plan to major in, uh, seeking out teachers that know you well. And something to think about is that colleges can set a limit as to how many letters of recommendation that they will take, that they will accept. Uh, so make sure you are aware of that and only send the number of letters that they’ve asked for.

No more. And this may sound like a little bit, um, old fashioned, but write thank you notes after the fact. Um, your teachers, again, they spend time and effort in, in write, putting these letters together and being thoughtful. Uh, so a thank you note always, um, goes a a long way.

All right. Interviews, if you, if offered at a college. An, an interview is a great way to make a positive impression and get that face-to-face advantage. Um, so there are two types of [00:30:00] interviews. Um, there’s that informational, uh, interview. Uh, this is, uh, for students to ask questions and learn more about a school.

And then we have a evaluative, and that is where admissions ask the questions as part of that decision process. So two different types. Um, if a school encourages an interview. Definitely do it. Um, if they’ve, if they have any immediate interview requests res, respond immediately to those. Um, so take advantage of an interview.

Um, the importance of the interview varies widely from school to school, so you wanna kind of determine the importance at each of the colleges, um, the admission staff, a current student or an alumni could, could interview. Could it interview you? Um, yeah. Be prepared to answer open-ended questions to tell your story, uh, and be prepared to tell your story.

[00:31:00] Yes. Um, ask thoughtful questions. Uh, try and relax and be yourself. It’s, um, maybe easier said than done. Uh, maybe do a little practice run before you go. Uh, and again, follow up with a thank you.

Okay, now we’re going to speak to the admissions decisions. Um, it’s important to note that most colleges send their decisions now through email. Or post those decisions on their online portal. So students make sure you’re checking your email and that you’ve created an account to the college’s, um, online portal.

So very important. Um, some may still, you know, send them out, uh, through the mail, but most are doing, um, electronically now. So the different decisions admitted. Some students are accepted. This is means you’re, you’ve been [00:32:00] accepted to that college and you must, you start at the fall semester. Um, deferred means that you were not accepted through early action or early decision, but would be considered in that regular applicant pool.

Denied means that you are not accepted and waitlisted means that you are not yet accepted and you may not be. So some things to, to some things about the wait list, um, some schools may have a very long wait list. Um, you must, um, submit an enrollment deposit at an accepted school, and this is usually not refundable.

So. Thinking about that, um, if you are accepted off of the wait list, you might get minimal financial aid. Um, so you, you wanna have, you wanna have another, you wanna have another college? Definitely. Um. Maybe as that backup, you don’t maybe wanna put your eggs in the [00:33:00] wait listed schools basket. Um, so some steps that you can take when you’re on the wait list.

Uh, maybe write a short note to the admissions counselor. Update the school with any recent grades or awards, and then students typically have to accept their place on the wait list. So if you wanna take your place on the wait list, make sure you, uh, reach out to the college and, and tell ’em that. Okay, so now understanding college affordability.

Alright, cost, attendance. What is the cost of attendance? Cost of attendance is for one year, and it includes tuition fees, housing, meal plan, books, any personal expenses, and maybe even health. Health insurance. Most families will not pay the full cost of attendance due to financial aid offered from many resources.

Um, you wanna keep your financial aid deadlines and requirements in mind. This is so [00:34:00] important. So, again, deadlines, this is coming up throughout this, this, um, this presentation. Deadlines so important. Um, so need, need-based aid. Um, versus merit-based aid. Need-based aid is, uh, based on financial circumstances and merit-based aid is based on academics, athletics, or other achievements, um, regardless of financial need.

So it’s a great time for parents to have conversations with students about what that family can’t afford in regards to college costs. And student loan debt. We call those kitchen table conversations really important. Um, ’cause you wanna be, you know, honest about um, what what is affordable and, um. Also thinking about, uh, private scholarships, so you can start looking for those anytime.

And MEFA Pathway is a great way for students to search for scholarships. So we have a national database that comes from [00:35:00] Peterson’s, so students can search based on specific criteria and start to build a list of those they will apply to, and they can also, uh, update the status of that award. Uh. Remember that if a private scholarship is awarded, students are expected to report those to the colleges.

So these count as part of the total financial resources. So schools need to factor those in because students can’t receive, uh, aid beyond the cost of attendance. So apply for as many as you can get your hands on. A lot of, uh, scholarships go un awarded each year because students don’t apply. Uh, so does, it does take a little time and, you know, again, you can potentially use an essay that you’ve already, uh, written to repurpose for a, for a scholarship, um, but well worth the time and effort because this is free money that you do not have to pay back.

Okay. [00:36:00] Net price calculators. Um, every college has a net price calculator. You can go right on the college website. Um, and also MEFA Pathway, uh, has a link to the college’s net price calculators on each of the college’s details page. Um, the, so the number of ways to, to, to get to these net net price calculators.

Um, the information you get from the calculator is only as accurate as the information you put in. So different schools have different questions on their calculators. Something to note. Um, the net price calculators, they do include the full cost of the college. So if you’re thinking about commuting and not living on campus, you will see the housing costs within the net price calculator output.

Um, so you can just subtract that. Um, if you plan to, to commute. Okay. So getting into a little bit on, uh, financial aid, applying for financial aid, it suggested that every family submits the fafsa, the free [00:37:00] application for federal student aid. Some colleges do require. Submission of this for merit aid to be awarded.

Uh, you also another, uh, financial aid form, uh, the CSS profile. So you’ll want to see if the CSS profile is required at any of the colleges you’re applying to. And then to, uh, see if there are any specifics to that college, um, any other financial aid applications that are required. So you can get a list, um, you know, you can get a list of all the colleges that require the CSS profile just by doing a, a, you know, easy Google search too.

And MEFA. Um, throughout the season, we offer a host of live and recorded webinars around financial aid paying the college bill, and we also offer, uh, live virtual support events to assist with filling out the fafsa. So, uh, you can always come back to MEFA.org and see what we have, um, lined up to help support, um, the financial aid process.

Okay, so paying for [00:38:00] Massachusetts, paying for college in Massachusetts, you definitely have options. Uh, we have different programs in MA Massachusetts that offer affordable options for paying for college. We have mass transfer, um, and MEFA Pathway has a tool that you can use where you can select a community college to start at.

Then the four year public to transfer to, and it will calculate out the estimated savings for each of, uh, each of the programs, um, that are offered the Commonwealth Commitment, A to B program and the Jet End Foundation program. Um, or you could go right directly onto the mass, um, transfer website. Um, and they have a great tool on their website as well.

Um, we have some newer Massachusetts programs, uh, mass Educate being one. Um, this does require submitting the fafsa, so something to think about. Uh, also the Massachusetts Tuition Equity law where students who aren’t eligible to submit the FAFSA can receive mass, uh, state aid and other I tuition rates.

And then we also have a tuition break, which is offered by Nebi, [00:39:00] uh, NE’s website. Also has a list of New England colleges and universities that participate. So all these links are within this, um, this PowerPoint, again, you’ll, you’ll get this, uh, tomorrow. All right. So staying on track through senior year, many things you can do.

Um, spring, summer of junior year, you’re researching your colleges, you’re visiting your campus, you’re getting asking your teachers for letters of recommendation, uh, maybe starting to write that college essay. Uh, whereas in the fall of senior year, you’re maybe you’re retaking the, the standardized test, um, securing your letters.

Finalizing your essay, um, completing your admissions applications, submitting your fafsa. So a lot of things to do within, um, you know, a kind of a short amount of time. Uh, so winter senior year, you are submitting your applica, your, your applications, applying for scholarships, maybe sending in your midyear grade report, uh, grade, uh, reports.

Then spring of senior year, super exciting time. You’re receiving [00:40:00] your admissions and financial aid offers. Um, maybe you’re attending one of our, uh, one of our, uh, webinars that we offer, uh, maybe attending the open house programs and, uh, choosing your college by May one. So exciting time. What can you do now?

Uh. You can sign up for upcoming mefa webinars. Um, you’re starting to research your colleges and starting to create your college list, so just some things that you can do today. Um, and then using MEFA as your resource. Um, sign up for you. Probably f already maybe signed up for our emails ’cause you found this webinar.

Um, you listen to our podcast, we have so many great podcasts, um, that are available. So many different topics. We have articles, blogs, um, calculators, uh, recorded webinars. You can also, um, take advantage of one-on-one counseling, um, with, uh, the, the MEFA team. Uh, we [00:41:00] answer, uh, we’re available nine to five every day, um, speaking with families and, and educators.

And, uh, so you can, you can call us or you can request a, a virtual appointment if you wanna meet with, um, one of us on the team. Um, one-on-one. So you have all these QR codes. Again, you’ll get this. Then connect with us on social if you haven’t already, um, through Facebook or LinkedIn. Um, through, uh, x uh, we have again, our podcasts, um, and we have a lot of our offerings on YouTube as well.

So let me just, um, here’s our contact information and let me just quickly look at the QA to see if there are any questions in the, in the. Chat here and I don’t see that there are any open questions, so maybe I was quite thorough, so that’s good. Um, but you can always reach out to us. If nothing pop, nothing pops into your head right now as far as a [00:42:00] question goes.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out. That’s what we’re here for and um, we wish you all the luck, um, exciting time for a lot of students and families and, uh, I’m gonna sign off. You don’t see any questions. Enjoy, um, the rest of your day and thank you for joining me here. It’s great. Thank you.