Make Your List, Check It Twice

If you're a high school senior, now is a great time to review your college list to make sure you end up with some good choices. And if you're not a senior, you'll still want to keep an eye out for these topics as you build your college list. Make sure you know the answers to these questions for all the colleges you have applied to. Good news: If the answers you get don't work, you still have time to find another college or two to send your Common App to.

• Have you done the net price calculator to get an estimate of costs? Make sure you have applied to at least one-- and ideally more than one-- affordable choice.

• Have you checked each school's scholarship requirements to see if any require additional applications? Have you researched departmental scholarships or other scholarships for which you're eligible?

• If you're taking AP, IB or other college credit courses, what's the school's credit policy? Do you get credit for those classes, placement without credit, or nothing? If credit is offered, is it credit towards your major or just gen ed credit? Is there a minimum test score for credit?

• Did your FAFSA and CSS Profile get sent to each school?

• Are your test scores good relative to the college's student body? (Look up test score ranges for each school at Collegedata.com.) If so, you're probably better off submitting them.

While you're at it, check each admissions portal to make sure you've submitted everything: supplemental essays, letters of rec, any required portfolio items, housing application (if applicable), application fee or fee waiver request.

Need a spreadsheet to keep track of all of this? My College Research Worksheet is available for download here. It's also included in my book, How to Pay for College, along with so much more: strategies for negotiating aid awards, developing a spending plan for college, claiming education tax credits, applying for outside scholarships and m