The Foreign Service Journal, December 2018

96 DECEMBER 2018 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT Once you have that information, you canmake sure that, if needed, you have colleges on your list that demonstrate a tradition of generous financial aid and merit scholarships, especially if your fam- ily doesn’t qualify for financial aid. (And even families who do qualify don’t usually get enough.) So, let’s assume it’s now late December. You’ve had the financial conversation, you’ve caught up on sleep and you’ve stuffed yourself with holiday foods. Time to get that college list together. Are you ready to do this? Let’s get started! Here’s your seven-day program. Day 1: Organize a system. First, you will need a way to record notes on each college. You can do this electronically on a spreadsheet, in Google docs/sheets, OneNote or other online soft- ware; or you can keep handwritten notes in a notebook or portable filing system. Your high school might even offer software like Naviance or College Planner Pro that will allow you to record and organize the information. If not, the very practical website www.admissionpossible.comhas different organizers and checklists avail- able for downloading. For your filing or spreadsheet system, you will need the following categories, some of which can be combined: • Name of College or University (location/URL) • Tuition, Room and Board Costs • Majors, Classes and Activities that you’re interested in • Deadlines for Application and for Scholarships (which are often earlier than the general application deadline) • Type of application: Common Application, Coalition Application, Universal Application or the college’s own unique college application. • Number of Essays Required. (Start