Happy New Year’s, seniors! It’s a new year and your last one here at East Noble. Graduation’s less than six months away. While that seems like a long time, or not to some of you, there’s still a lot for you to be doing to prepare for it and college.

Financial aid. It’s that season, students. While the application deadline for the Noble County Foundation scholarships has past, there are still plenty of opportunities to earn scholarships locally. In the guidance office, there’s a still stacks of potential scholarships for you to apply for. It’s your responsibility to know which ones you might the requirements for. Mrs. Benedict has sent out several emails regarding these scholarships. Also, make sure you’ve completed FAFSA. FAFSA is crucial to get any aid from the Federal government and your college.

This is also the time to be finalizing which college you want to go to. If you haven’t finished applications yet, you need to do so. If you’ve already received answers from the colleges you’ve applied to, be considering which one you want to accept. If you’re still having doubts, take a campus visit. Seniors get two a school year, but you can also go over breaks and on weekends if it’s offered. You can only accept admission from one college. If you’ve already made up your mind on your college and have been admitted, go ahead and accept. Accepting it allows you to get started on all the details you still got to do.

Once you’ve been admitted and accepted, which it not required until May 1^st so you still have time wait and weight your options, allows you to finish registering as a student. You’re able to sign a contract for housing next fall, if you’re going to be living on campus, register for admitted students’ tours, and accept finical aid, and more. If the college has found anything missing in your FAFSA or in need of something else to give you scholarships or grants, you’ll be able to see what the college still needs and send it in.

Lastly, finish these last two trimesters strong. Colleges will be watching your final grades. While senioritis might be sneaking up on you, fight it. If you need help in any of your classes, ask your teacher to help your outside of class or talk to Mrs. Benedict about getting a tutor. It’s important to develop good study habits now to make it easier later.

Good luck, seniors.