Resource guides

It's never too early to start planning for college. There are many benefits to planning well in advance. You have an important view on what a college education can offer your child and the effort it takes to get there. Our resources guide provides some tips for college planning, whether your child is 7 or 17.

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Making the decision to go to college requires thought and careful planning. You must consider your goals in life—both educational and personal—and then decide how college might help you achieve those goals. Our resource guide provides you some of the benefits of completing a college degree to help you weigh your options.

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Starting college or returning to school as an adult is becoming more common. Our resource guide answers common questions about college for nontraditional students. These answers can help you plan which steps to take to achieve your education goals.

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Congratulations on making the decision to go to college—now it's time to pick a school. Our resource guide details common factors to consider when beginning your search.

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Early preparation is the key to helping home-schooled students succeed in the college admissions process. This information can help home-schooled students and parents understand what they can do to best prepare.

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Colleges use many criteria to make an admissions decision. Your high school transcripts, essay and/or personal statement, letters of recommendation and standardized test scores are considered during the admissions process. The information colleges gather about you from these sources gives them a full picture of the type of student you are and how well you will fit with the school's academic culture. Learn the basics of our college entrances exams with our resources guide.

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Figuring out how to pay for college can be a daunting task. One way to make up the difference between what your family can afford to pay and what college costs is through financial aid. Most students currently enrolled in college receive some sort of financial aid to help pay their college expenses. Learn about the different types of financial aid and how to apply for federal financial aid in our resource guide.

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You've paid your housing deposit, purchased your books, and have a few days left before classes begin. What now?

Whether your school is across country or just across town, you'll have to make some adjustments to college life. Our resource guide provides nine things you can do on and around campus to help you settle in.

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One way to save time and money in college is for students to earn college credit during high school. Our resource guide details the ways to accomplish this.

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ECMC is committed to the success of all students, regardless of their immigration status. We've gathered some resources to help guide you through the process of accessing and succeeding in college as an undocumented student for the states of Minnesota and Oregon.

California
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Minnesota
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Oregon
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Virginia
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As you prepare to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), this worksheet will help you gather information necessary to complete the application.

2019-2020 academic year
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2020-2021 academic year
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Follow the steps in this guide to create an FSA ID. The FSA ID username and password are used to sign the FAFSA and other important financial aid paperwork. Each student and at least one parent must have a unique FSA ID in order to electronically sign the FAFSA.

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Scholarships are one way to pay for college and students need to start the scholarship application process early and apply for as many scholarships as possible. The scholarship application process requires time, effort, and most students liken it to a part-time job. Use this resource guide to gather information necessary to complete the scholarship application process.

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Did you know the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the gateway to more than $120 billion dollars in federal aid to help pay for college or a career and technical education (CTE) program? Follow the steps in this guide on how to navigate the financial aid process and you will be on your way to fulfilling your higher education goals and dreams.

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