1. Is it too early to start the college process?

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• NOT at all! You can start now. Just keep in mind that your ACT scores may be changing. You will need to make sure everything you take the ACT, those scores are sent to the college/colleges you are interested in. Your scores will be used to determine scholarships. ACT allows you to send 4 score reports to 4 different colleges each time the test is taken. You can change colleges they are being sent to each time the test is taken as well. 

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• Be watching for "junk mail" and emails from colleges in the summer of your senior year through the first semester. Sometimes they will have free application codes you can use to apply there for free!  

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2. When is the earliest I can fill out the FAFSA?

 

• You can start now, but you cannot complete it until October 1st. Because this grant money is set up "first come first serve" it's important to complete filling out the FAFSA as soon as you can after the 1st of October. 

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3. Should I fill out the FAFSA at all? 

 

• I say yes! Even if you have money setback for college, you never know what can happen. It is always better to be prepared with a Plan B. You can signup for the FAFSA (Student and one Parent will need to create an account) at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa. SAVE THIS INFORMATION SOMEWHERE YOU REMEMBER WHERE IT IS! You will use it to log in your account every year when you fill out the next year's FAFSA. 

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4. Where do I find Scholarships?

 

• This is a complicated question! Scholarships literally can come from everywhere. The main source of money for scholarships will be through colleges. They offer scholarships for two main things- Standardized test scores (ACT, SAT, CLT-some colleges), athletics, and sometimes both. That is why preparing for these standardized tests and taking them multiple times is important. We offer the ACT at Mobile Christian several times a year. You can find all the testing dates (for any school testing not just Mobile Christian) if you Google ACT testing dates for the current year. I will also send those dates out periodically. Past colleges, there is scholarship money that comes from "outside" sources. Local scholarships are probably the best option of these sources but please understand- most of these scholarships are geared toward a certain type of student (of the source's choosing). Meaning, they are very specific with what type of student they are looking for. Some examples might be: looking for students with low financial means, but who are also great athletes and have a 3.5 or higher GPA. OR they could be looking for students who have gone through hardships and have overcome major hurdles in their life. So, your child may or may not fit the criteria these scholarships are geared toward.

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•  If you would like to research scholarships, here are some places you can find many national/outside source scholarships: Fastweb, Cappex, Scholarship Owl. These sites are all free to sign up and use.

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5. What is the LOWEST score you can make on the ACT to start getting scholarship offers?

 

• The answer to this is different at different colleges. You will need to check with each individual college to find out this information. 

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6. What are Grants?

 

• Grants are like scholarships but this funding comes from the government. You may qualify for grant money depending on your income and personal circumstances. To find out if you qualify for this money, you will need to fill out the FAFSA. After you complete the FAFSA, you will be given an EFC number (Estimated Financial Contribution). This is what will be used to determine if you qualify for any grant money, or how much you qualify for. 

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7. Where do I get my transcript? 

 

• You can request your transcript through Parchment. You will go here to create an account. Your account information will be sent to you early senior year. Any time you need a transcript sent, just log in to Parchment and request it through their website. 

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8. What about my Dual Enrollment classes?

 

• You can go ahead and send your University of Faulkner transcript when you apply to college since you have already completed your hours through Faulkner. To send your Faulkner transcript click here. You will need a debit or credit card to complete the transaction. 

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9. How many colleges should I apply to?

 

• As many as you are interested in! A general rule is to apply for a "dream" school, a "middle of the road" school (I think I will get in) and a "for sure" school. Anything after that will just depend on if you want to pay for the application fees to more colleges or if you change your mind on where you want to go. Some colleges offer a window for free applications! Pay attention to what comes to your email and your mailbox! Many schools send out codes for free applications at the beginning of the fall semester. 

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10. What is state reciprocity?

 

• Sometimes neighboring states will give you in-state tuition. Each college is different, go to college websites you are interested in to see if they offer this. Or you can also request it and see what it said. 

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11. How do I figure out where I want to go to college and what I want to major in?

 

•  That's another complicated question! BUT MCS does have an online program that we will have each senior set up (hopefully!) by the end of August. You will be able to explore colleges, military options, scholarships, jobs, job outlook, degrees, and more! It is a great resource if utilized! It also will save anything that you are interested in for future reference. 

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• We also have a Life Skills class that each graduating senior is required to take their 12th-grade year. This class will aid in exploring college and career paths but also covers a lot more like budgeting, being an adult, parenting, etc! You will have projects and guest speakers focusing on career paths to also aid in career discovery. 

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12. How do I know that I have taken everything I need to graduate?

 

• Your classes and transcripts have been reviewed several times by the time you are a senior. You have been following a graduation track since you started your 9th-grade year. You have continued to follow that path each year with the course selection sheets you fill out and turn in. Your classes will be checked again (twice) before you graduate in May. By doing this, we are confident that you are on the path to graduation! If you have transferred to Mobile Christian, your track may look a little different than some of your classmates. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!

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13. When can I take the ACT? 

 

There are several dates that you can take the ACT every year including your Senior year. Keep in mind that larger state colleges and universities may cut off accepting scores in December. If that is the case, this means you can only test until December to qualify for scholarships at that college. MCS offers the ACT during the school day at school once a year for Seniors. It is usually offered around October 1st or the end of December. I will reach out to you on these dates a little later. You will not have to register for that test. But for any other test dates, you can register for those here. 

 

 

 

14. What is an ACT Super Score?

 

This is when colleges will create a new composite score by taking the very best scores from each subtest (if you take multiple ACT tests) and combine those scores for a new "superscore". I know Troy University and Spring Hill College have superscored in the past. This would be a good question for any colleges you are interested in!

 

 

 

15. Should my child take the SAT or CLT? Most colleges take the SAT or ACT. There are a growing number of colleges that are accepting the CLT as well. It is possible that your child might score higher on one of these other exams. Be aware though, there aren't as many schools in the south that offer the SAT and many less that offer the CLT. There is an option to take the SAT at Murphy High School and at Bayside in Daphne. The SAT isn't offered as many times as the SAT so keep that in mind as well. The CLT is offered all online, only 2 hours and you can have your results back immediately. There isn't a science section on the SAT or the CLT exam either. If you are interested in either of these tests you can find out more information here:

 

SAT 

CLT

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