You picked your school.
Now here's what to do next.
Everything families need to do between Decision Day and the first day of class — financial, academic, and practical.
Still comparing schools? Use our toolFinancial Prep
Most urgent — do these first
Submit FAFSA at studentaid.gov (opens Oct 1 each year)
Go to FAFSA →Review your financial aid award letter carefully — separate grants from loans
Compare net price across all schools you got into
Use our compare tool →Appeal your aid package if your family situation changed
Search for scholarships specific to your major and state
Search Fastweb →Compare student loan rates before borrowing — rates vary significantly by lender
Compare rates on Credible →Open a student checking account (no fees, early direct deposit)
Chase College Checking →Understand federal vs private loans before borrowing anything
Learn the difference →See your actual student loan rates in 2 minutes — without hurting your credit score
Credible compares rates from multiple lenders at once. Most students save thousands by shopping rates.
Open a free student checking account before you leave
No monthly fees, early direct deposit, and overdraft protection designed for students.
SAT / ACT Test Prep
A higher score can unlock better schools and scholarships
Check if your target schools require or prefer ACT vs SAT
Take one official practice test to find your baseline score
Free SAT practice tests →Set a target score based on your schools' middle 50% ranges
Consider a structured prep course if you're more than 100 points below target
Princeton Review courses →Use Khan Academy for free, personalized SAT prep (official College Board partner)
Start free SAT prep →The Princeton Review — guaranteed score improvement or Your money back
In-person, live online, and self-paced SAT & ACT courses. Used by millions of students since 1981.
Academic Prep
Get ahead before classes start
Check if your AP/IB credits transfer at your school
Review your department's recommended prep courses
Take a free intro course in your major before classes start
Browse Coursera →Rent or buy textbooks — never pay full price at the campus bookstore
Rent on Chegg →Connect with your academic advisor before orientation
Understand your school's add/drop and withdrawal policies
Rent textbooks for a fraction of the price — save up to 90% vs. buying new
Chegg ships in 1–3 days. Return at the end of the semester. Free shipping both ways.
Take a free intro course in your major before classes start
Coursera has free courses from top universities — Computer Science, Business, Nursing, Engineering and more.
Dorm & Campus Life
The checklist parents actually need
Amazon Prime Student — free shipping on everything, plus free textbook rentals
Get dorm essentials delivered fast. After the trial, just $7.49/month with a .edu email.
Student Discounts Worth Knowing
Your .edu email unlocks serious savings
Amazon Prime Student
6-month free trial, then $7.49/month — free 2-day shipping, free textbook rentals, Prime Video
Microsoft 365 for Students
Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and 1TB OneDrive — free with a .edu email at most schools
Spotify + Hulu Student
$5.99/month for both Spotify Premium and Hulu (with ads) — verify with your .edu email
Apple Education Pricing
Save up to $200 on Mac and $50 on iPad with student pricing. Free AirPods with qualifying purchase (seasonal)
Need a new laptop? Check Dell's student store first
Dell offers up to 30% off for students with a .edu email. Also available: HP, Lenovo, and Microsoft through their education stores.
Health & Wellness
Easy to miss, important to get right
Check your school's required immunizations before arrival
Decide: school health plan vs staying on parent's insurance
Compare student plans →Transfer prescriptions to a pharmacy near campus
GoodRx for discounts →Find your campus counseling center — save the number
Register with campus disability services if needed
Still deciding between schools?
Compare real net prices side by side before committing. Takes 2 minutes.
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