- Apply to the college that’s right for you (our college partners waive application fees)
- Review financial aid award package
- Register for classes
- Take advantage of on-campus resources – advising, tutoring, career, counseling, etc.
Many colleges require applying students to test their skills prior to enrollment in order to qualify for college level courses. Accuplacer is a commonly used assessment tool but you should prepare in advance for the test. While you may have to refresh your skills in a so-called developmental course, it’s best to minimize the number of these courses you have to take, as they do not accrue credit toward your degree. Even a couple of hours of preparatory study can make the difference between almost-passing and passing the test.
Ask your Graduate! Philadelphia advisor for information on math and english refresher workshops led by our advisors or our partner advisors.
Once you are accepted into a college, you will receive information about your financial aid award package. If you need more money to attend, don’t be afraid to negotiate with your financial aid counselor. They sometimes can offer you additional scholarship money to help offset tuition costs.
Read your financial aid letter information carefully as you will need to understand how much you will receive in grants (state and federal) and how much you will need to borrow (and repay!) in student loans. Be careful if you are considering several schools as the financial aid letters are not always in the same format.