FAFSA 2016-2017

Seniors and parents, do you have any plans for this Saturday, October 1st?  If you are looking for something to do, you can file the FAFSA!

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) has always been known to become available on January 1st.  This has changed, and it is going to make applying for financial aid a lot easier for families.  The October 1st opening date allows families to use prior-prior tax returns.  This means that if the student is enrolling in college for the 2017-2018 school year, the 2015 tax returns can be used.  The early date should make it a lot easier to complete the FAFSA and enter accurate tax information.  For additional information about the FAFSA, click here!

With anything that goes along with the college application process, students should be double checking all college financial aid deadlines.  This also includes the CSS Profile if that is required as well.

Lowell Catholic will be hosting it’s annual Financial Aid Information Night on Thursday, October 27th at 6:30 in the auditorium.  A representative for MEFA will be here to explain the financial aid process and answer any questions you may have.  You don’t want to miss this very important night!!!

50 States, 50 Colleges – Oregon

I just looked and the last 50 States, 50 Colleges post is from DECEMBER!  Our blogging got away from us last year and we’re heading into a new year with a commitment to update more regularly.  We have some fun ideas for the new school year and hope that you’ll get involved and let us know what you want to learn more about.

So, let’s get back into things with a new 50 States, 50 Colleges!  For those of you who are new to the blog, we started this feature a few years ago.  We’re working our way through the US and highlighting one school in each state.  We’ve learned so much from our research and hope that you’ll be inspired to look at schools that you may have never heard of.  There are lots of hidden gems out there!

College in the Spotlight:  Willamette University

Location:  Salem, Oregon

Enrollment:  2,017 (undergrads)

Willamette University is located in Salem, the capital of Oregon.   The capital building is across the street from campus, giving students some amazing internship opportunities.  Some lawmakers, lobbyists, and State Supreme Court Judges serve as professors.  Think of what that may mean for future job prospects!

Willamette has its own forest on campus.  The University Forest at Zena is 300 acres of forest and 5 acres of farmland.  It serves as an outdoor classroom to students from many different disciplines.  “Zenafest” is held every fall to celebrate and highlight all the work that happens in the forest.  Last year’s schedule included tours, apple picking, cider pressing, and hikes.

Have you ever been to Oregon?  It is an absolutely beautiful place!  The Pacific Northwest is the perfect backdrop for all kinds of outdoor activities.  The Outdoor Program plans trips and rents out gear to students who want to take advantage of Oregon’s varied landscape.   Some recent trips include deep-sea fishing, horseback riding on the Central Oregon Coast, and snowshoeing at Crater Lake.

Willamette competes in NCAA Division III Athletics; the Bearcats compete in the Northwest Conference.  Fun fact about the football team:  the Willamette Bearcats faced off against the University of Hawaii in Honolulu on December 6, 1941.  The following day, the team and their supporters were preparing to tour the island when Pearl Harbor was attacked.  The head coach volunteered all the men on the trip to guard a nearby school, which they did for ten days.  The women on the trip were volunteered to be nurse’s aides at a Naval hospital.   They remained on the island until December 19th, when they could be transported home by ocean liner.

There are so many amazing things about Willamette University – check them out at http://www.willamette.edu