September Spotlight:

The college planning process involves budget considerations, communication within families, choosing a college, and much more. UCanGo2's new 2024-25 publications are now available and they provide valuable resources and tools for students, parents and educators to make the college-going process manageable. It’s never too early to start making plans for an education after high school so it’s important to start the process as soon as possible. Our resources provide guidance and support to help students with each step along the way.

A Plan of Action illustrates how to use our college planning materials with your students throughout the school year. It highlights how to utilize the High School Student Workbook, the companion Instructor’s Guide, College Planning Checklists, educational publications and more.

Understanding Postsecondary Campus Types defines the different types of colleges, universities and career technology centers in Oklahoma. When students are aware of the numerous types of schools available, they can research and explore the best institution that aligns with their goals. This is a simple first step to get students involved in planning for their education.

Need help understanding federal and state financial aid programs? If so, check out Are You Looking for Money? This booklet covers each type of federal and state aid program as well as providing tips on applying for scholarships, writing essays and finding free money to help with educational expenses. The Scholarship Success Guide provides links to several scholarship search programs and tribal organizations statewide that provide funding to their members.

Taking a college tour is a great way to learn about the institutions you may be interested in attending. The Making the Most of Campus Visits Guide has informative details on Places to Visit on your tour as well as a Campus Visit Checklist to help you set up an eventful tour while on campus. The Getting Answers on Campus section provides questions for students to ask as they learn more about each school and eventually make an informed decision on where they may wish to attend.

If students are unable to visit their chosen college or may be unable to afford a trip across the country for a campus tour, many schools offer virtual tours. Check out OKcollegestart.org to find links to Oklahoma institutions that provide informative virtual campus tours.

Completing the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the first step in applying for federal and state financial aid to help cover educational expenses. To access and sign the FAFSA, students and parents will create a StudentAid.gov Account. We encourage current high school seniors to set up their accounts NOW!

This username and password will serve as your electronic signature on the FAFSA. Students and parents will use the same account username and password every year to access and complete the FAFSA. The StudentAid.gov Account Worksheet (also in Spanish) guides students and parents through the account creation process and offers users a way to save their login credentials. The Creating a StudentAid.gov Account PowerPoint takes students and parents through the creation process step by step.

Parents without a Social Security number are also required to create a StudentAid.gov account to access and sign their student’s FAFSA. Check out the Creating a StudentAid.gov Account Without a Social Security Number PowerPoint for more information.

Oklahoma College App Week (CAW) is an opportunity for high school seniors to receive hands-on assistance from knowledgeable volunteers while they learn about colleges across the state and complete admission applications. Oklahoma College App Week (CAW) will be held September 23-27, but if that time frame isn’t suitable for your school, no problem. Our materials are designed to work with your schedule. Participating schools may choose a week, a day or several days to host their events from September through November. If you choose to take part in this beneficial event for your students, complete the registration form so that we may provide you with guidance and materials for your CAW.

The UCanGo2 Outreach Team is available to provide free presentations or Zoom webinars at your school, library or community center on college planning and the FAFSA! We can also share information about Oklahoma’s Promise, finding scholarships, and creating a StudentAid.gov account. To request a workshop: