Post Secondary/ Paying for College
- College can be expensive. With planning and hard work, you can make it affordable. One of the first things you need to do as a senior is to fill out the FAFSA.
- Juniors should also begin looking at ways to pay for college. Scholarship opportunities are not limited to seniors, and preparing for senior scholarships should start your junior year.
- Online searches can bring a wealth of scholarship information from outside sources.
- Other scholarship opportunities can come from the college within the university itself. Explore what they have to offer and apply.
- Have your resume finished early, and use the tools the school has given you to prepare for scholarships.
- You may need up to 3 references. Ask at least 3 weeks before you need the reference to give them time to prepare.
- Don't put off sending your applications. Deadlines are deadlines, so play it safe: prepare and be early.
The presentation below has information on college visits, financial aid, scholarships, and individual plans of study. Please reach out to your grade level counselor with any questions.
Creating an FSA ID
Before students can complete the FAFSA, the student and all parents/guardians in the household must register and create an FSA ID.
Click HERE for instructions on creating your FSA ID.
To create your FSA ID go to: FSA ID Website.
How to Create an FSA ID Video
2025-26 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
The 2025-26 FAFSA will open on December 1, 2024. Select groups of students will be able to access and submit the form as early as October 1, 2024. The early access is part of a beta testing process designed by the Education Department to identify and fix FAFSA issues before the form’s public debut. Students enrolling for the academic year 2025/2026 can submit their FAFSA; families should use their 2023 income tax information. Before students and parents can complete the FAFSA, the student and all parents/guardians in the household must create an FSA ID. To create your FSA ID go to FSA ID Website.
FAFSA Tracker - Kansas
From failing to complete a FAFSA, it's estimated Kansas students left $25.5 million on the table in unclaimed Pell Grants in 2017 alone. Let's change that! Visit: Kansas FAFSA Tracker
Scholarship Resources...
There are innumerable scholarship search resources online. The best search services are free, so there is no need to spend any money to use one of the services.