College Corner: Applications, Campus Visits & Financial Aid

“Exploring colleges, careers, and future opportunities."

by Jon Baker

College Application Season Is Here!

It’s college application season. Students applying early action, or early decision may have deadlines as early as October 15, or November 1. As a college counselor, it is my responsibility to keep students focused on their deadlines, help them with final essay review, and provide insights on the student when required by the college.

Seniors are working now on early action deadlines. Early decision is a binding agreement between the student and college that if accepted, the student will attend. Early action helps the student have an earlier picture of their future, but is not a binding agreement to attend that school, if accepted.

Juniors: Exploring What's Next

Juniors are writing drafts of college essays, as a prep for next year. They are also using SCOIR to learn more about their interests, careers that intersect those interests, and colleges that will help them qualify for their current career path.

SCOIR is our college search software and allows students to explore colleges using numerous filters, like field of study, region, size, college setting. These filters help students find the schools that offer the majors, activities, and support programs they desire. Here is a list of 18 schools that support neurodivergent students well.

Exploring College Opportunities

Admissions counselors from Maryland and regional colleges are visiting school this fall. They meet with our students, answer questions and focus especially on the support programs they have for neurodivergent students. These programs are expanding each year.

In the spring I take Juniors to visit Washington College so they have a college tour experience, with the hope they will seek out more tour opportunities over the summer. We also arrange for a meeting with staff from their Office of Academic Skills, which provides services for neurodivergent students. This is an opportunity for students to practice advocating for their study needs and they ask great questions during the session.

FAFSA: Getting Started with Financial Aid

Students and parents should be working together to make sure they file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). That portal is open now. Your child should begin this process by going to studentaid.gov and creating an account. Chesapeake College has compiled a step-by- step guide to creating this account. These accounts should be created using the student’s personal email account, not a WRUS account, as they will use the same login to complete these forms each year of their continuing education.

When that account is created parents will be invited to fill out their part of the application. The application process has been streamlined and estimates are that it only takes 15 minutes or so for the student and an additional 15 for parents to complete. The form will use your Social Security Number to access your 2025 tax returns to help determine your child’s Student Aid Index. It is important that your child lists at least one Maryland school on their list. This will make them eligible for Maryland State funding aid as well. Even if your child has every intention to study outside MD, it is a great idea to list at least one MD school on the FAFSA. While they will not be able to use state money for an out-of-state school, should their plans change and they transfer to a program in Maryland, they want to have this optional money available. State money can be tapped for two year college and trade programs as well, using this portal. This process must be completed by March 1 to access financial aid for the 2027-2028 school year.

Learn More

Contact me with any questions you might have about the process, or schools that fit your child. Email: jonbaker@wyeriverupperschool.org is best, as I also teach English and Finance Classes. If needed we can schedule a time when I am not teaching to talk on the phone.