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BRACE NEWS

This page contains information that will help you get started with the application-to-college process. Obviously, not all students will attend college following graduation, but ALL students should know where to get help in planning their futures. Mrs. Solovay, our BRACE Advisor, is an individual with whom you should acquaint yourselves! Her office is located on the second floor, room 703A. Stop by to make an appointment. This can be a very scary but exciting time in your life!

Make the task easier with the assistance of Mrs. Solovay. The application process to public 4-year universities should begin NOW, especially for rolling admissions schools! Rolling admissions schools evaluate and admit students as applications are received. Therefore, the earlier the application is complete, the better the chances for admission due to smaller applicant pools.

DO NOT WAIT FOR SAT OR ACT SCORES TO IMPROVE!!! Colleges will not deny admission if your first scores were less than what you had hoped for! Your applications will be kept on file until you retest & resend new scores. All applications should be done on-line, as soon as possible. For a list of public state university application deadlines, follow the link above.

Most Florida colleges will be visiting our campus this fall. If you wish to attend any of these presentations, you must sign up in the BRACE Office and obtain a pass, which must be signed by your teacher. You will have ONE WEEK to sign up for these visits, so take it upon yourselves to check posted lists of visiting colleges at the link above, listen to PA announcements, and watch for posters around the school.

Scholarship bulletins will be published twice each month. Follow the link above to view Western’s scholarship bulletins. Many awards listed on the bulletin can be applied for on line. For students who prefer to submit paper applications, these will be available in the BRACE Office. If you hope to receive scholarship money from your college of choice, you must first apply to that college, get accepted and THEN apply for financial assistance. Some colleges may offer you money, using your admission application for awarding scholarships. This is a very good reason to apply for admission early!

You can also check out the following scholarship websites;

If you plan to attend a public 2-year college, the application process does not have to begin at this time. Only if you will be graduating early, (December/January) should you consider applying by October or November. For spring graduates, the application process should begin in February '09. Remember, 2-year colleges also offer scholarships to qualified students.

Keep your grades up and take courses that show you are challenging yourselves. Community service and school activities can be a very important part of a scholarship application. Get involved. Letters of recommendation from teachers, a community leader or club sponsor can be very impressive to organizations awarding scholarships.

The Bright Futures Scholarship application process does not begin until December 1st. This will be an on line application. The Financial Aid (FAFSA) process for seniors will begin after January 1, 2009. Paper applications will be available in the BRACE Office in December. The on line system will be up by January 1st. Seniors will be using 2007 family income information to begin the process. You will be able to update information as you receive your 2008 tax returns. Encourage parents to file EARLY, as Federal financial aid is given on a first come, first served basis. Don’t wait until April 15th and expect to get a good financial aid package! Many scholarships are based on financial need, so filing the FAFSA is imperative, if you feel you may qualify for need-based aid.

Mrs. Solovay has an open-door policy. Students in all grade levels are welcome to stop by at any time to learn about future educational options.

Distinguished Scholarships for 2009 Graduates