October Means Action
And just like that, it’s October 1st! How did that happen? For most of us, fall sports are now accompanied by fall weather (although in Texas it still feels like summer), pumpkin spiced everything, and a sense of excitement as we’re now in the full swing of things for another year. Halloween aside, things can begin to feel a little spooky when it comes to deadlines for high school seniors but have no fear as this is what you need to know.
Financial Aid Deadlines
The 2026-2027 FAFSA form is available for you to complete. Colleges and universities use the FAFSA to decide how much financial aid you can receive. This is then presented to you in your financial aid package that can include options like grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. The FAFSA is a form that you will submit each year but the process is straightforward and only takes a few minutes.
If you have any questions regarding how to start your FAFSA form, their three minute support video is a great resource. Better yet, bookmark their YouTube channel for future reference.
Note: There are multiple deadlines for you to be aware of since the FAFSA determines federal, state, and school financial aid.
It’s important to beware of your state deadlines, since some states utilize the FAFSA to determine grants, scholarships, and loans. I always like to remind families to think of this as a reservoir and although you can wait until the deadline, there’s no guarantee that the resources will still be available so it’s best to complete as early as possible.
In addition to the FAFSA, approximately 400 colleges and universities also utilize a tool called the CSS Profile to determine and award institutional financial aid based upon family financial details. The CSS Profile costs $25 to submit to the first institution and $16 per school thereafter. Fee waivers are available for students who qualify. If the student qualifies for the SAT fee waiver or if the family adjusted gross income is less than $100K or if the child is an orphan/ward of the court they may submit the fee waiver for free.
If you have questions regarding how to complete the CSS Profile, here is a three minute support video via The College Board.
Application Deadlines
When we turn the calendar to October and begin to see some application deadlines approaching, things begin to feel a little more real. Staying organized and grounded in your approach is critical. Many schools have their Early Action (EA) and Early Decision (ED) deadlines in November. These deadlines typically fall on November 1 or November 15, with some extending to around December 1. While most of the super competitive schools use these dates, a handful of others set earlier or later deadlines.
Take our hometown school for example, University of Texas at Austin has an October 15 EA deadline, with a deadline of October 22 for supplemental materials to accompany the candidate’s EA application. In other words, students must have their official ACT/SAT scores sent from the testing agency and received by UT Admissions by 10/22 or their application is transferred to the Regular Decision candidate pool.
Why this matters: applying EA to UT gives you the best opportunity to stand out in a highly competitive pool. With over 90,000 applicants last year and very strong demand for competitive majors, UT's admissions process is highly selective. Since students are admitted by major, applicants must clearly demonstrate why they are well-prepared to succeed in their chosen field and this begins with applying early.
Note: Always check the exact deadlines for each school. It is critical to be aware of application deadlines well in advance of those dates.
Let’s Game Plan
At POLARIS, our game plan maps out your financial aid and application deadlines, so you can focus on what matters most to you. As you navigate this busy season, remember that staying informed and proactive is your best advantage. From financial aid to application deadlines, the details may vary, but the key is to start early, stay organized, and ask for help when needed.