Students - WSU GEAR UP

Washington State University GEAR UP

Students! You've worked hard to succeed in High School. WSU GEAR UP is here to help you explore the possibility of higher education, and help prepare you for success in college as well. We've collected some of the best resources we could find to help you navigate the process of preparing for college, choosing the best fit, meeting the entrance requirements, applying for admission, and paying for your education.

College Admissions

Visit the website(s) of individual colleges or universities for the admission requirements and deadlines specific to each college or university.
A Guide to the College Admissions Process - (Explore all the ins and outs of the college admissions process with this easy to follow guide provided by NACAC. Guide includes a quick introduction to the admissions process, action items for the junior to senior year of high school, tips on how the family can help with the process, and more.)
College Application Process and Timeline - (This college application timeline from The College Board includes an outline of the monthly steps needed for the college application process, considerations students need to pay attention to while searching for colleges, and additional resources for college and career preparation, and more.)
College Application Checklist - (All the steps to complete the application at each school to which you apply.)
Parent guide to the college admissions process - (This guide provides a quick overview on how a parent can assist their students through the college admissions process.)
Una guía para los papas sobre el proceso de admisión al colegio - (Esta guía ofrece una descripción corta sobre cómo los papás pueden asistir a los estudiantes con el proceso de admisión al colegio.)

Paying for College

FAFSA and Federal Student Aid - (ATTENTION Class of 2017 and beyond - Filing for FAFSA got easier! Starting October 2016, students will be able to submit the FAFSA earlier AND use earlier income information. This is due to the announcement made by President Obama on September 14, 2015. Learn more about this change here.)

FAFSA - (The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA available to students to continue with a post-secondary education. Students may receive (if eligible), grants, loans, and work-study funds based on the income eligibility.)
Estimate your federal student aid - (Use the FAFSA4caster to estimate your financial aid even if you aren't ready to apply for federal student aid yet.)
How to fill out the FAFSA in 7 easy steps - (Learn how to fill out the FAFSA in seven easy steps just under 10 minutes. Video provides the basics about the FAFSA application while reviewing how students and parents can prepare for the FAFSA, how to get started, student eligibility, student dependency determination, tax information and IRS data retrieval tools, and signing and submitting the FAFSA.)
How Financial Aid Works - (A walk through of how financial aid works, resources to pay for college, and loan repayment options..)
Programas de Becas Federales para Estudiantes - (El Gobierno federal otorga subvenciones (becas por necesidad) a estudiantes que asisten a centros universitarios, institutos profesionales y universidades. Las subvenciones, a diferencia de los préstamos, no tienen que devolverse. Los programas de becas federales para estudiantes más importantes se describen brevemente a continuación.)

Loans

Why get a Federal Student Loan? - (Quick overview of federal student loan porgrams, and the benefits of federal student loans.)
¿Por qué me conviene obtener un préstamo federal para estudiantes? - (Un resumen breve sobre los programas de préstamos federales disponibles para estudiantes. Al Igual que los beneficios de los préstamos federales.)

Dreamers (HB1079/DACA Students)

Questions and Answers on Financial Aid for Undocumented Students - (A guide with specific answers related to financial aid availability for undocumented students (often referred to as Dreamers.))
Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre la Ayuda Financiera Para los Estudiantes Indocumentados - (Una guía con respuestas específicas relacionadas a la ayuda financiera disponible para los estudiantes indocumentados (muchas veces referidos como Dreamers))
Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) - State financial aid for DREAMers. Visit this site to learn more about how students can qualify for the State Need Grant, College Bound Scholarship, State Work Study, or Passport Scholarship.)

Scholarships- (Scholarship lists for both Junior and Senior students.)

State Financial Aid for DREAMers

A new state law has expanded eligibility for the Washington State Need Grant to low income, non-citizen students who meet the program's eligibility requirements and also satisfy the residency criteria. Washington State joined California, New Mexico, and Texas by in enacting its own version of the Dream Act which extends state grants to undocumented students.