The College Applications Are Done. Now We Wait.

As a college financial planning professional and mom of a Class of 2027 senior, I'm experiencing FAFSA, CSS Profile, college applications and the emotional side of senior year firsthand.

I spend my professional life helping families navigate the financial side of college. But this year, I’m experiencing the college application process from a very different perspective: I’m also the mom of a Class of 2027 high school senior.

And somehow, before we’ve even reached October 1 (thanks in part to a Nor'easter,) I can say it:

We’re done.

The college applications are submitted.

The essays are finished.

The recommendation letters are in.

The music school prescreens are complete.

The FAFSA is submitted.

The CSS Profile is submitted.

Because the 2027–2028 FAFSA and CSS Profile opened before October 1 this year, we were able to complete the financial aid applications early, too.

I have to admit, it feels pretty amazing to type those words.

But before another Class of 2027 parent reads this and thinks, Wait—what? We’re nowhere near finished! please know this:

You are not behind.

Every student, every family and every college list is different. We were fortunate to be able to get an early start, and my daughter was ready to get her applications and prescreens submitted.

There is no prize for being first.

There is, however, a tremendous sense of relief in knowing these pieces are finished.

And now we wait.

Going Through College Applications as a Professional...and a Mom

Through my work at College Financial Prep, I help families make smarter financial decisions about college. I work with parents on college affordability, FAFSA, CSS Profile, scholarships, financial aid offers, appeals and the many financial decisions that come with sending a child to college.

I know this process professionally.

But going through it with my own daughter has reminded me that knowing how the process works doesn’t take the emotion out of it.

This is my child.

I’ve watched her work on essays about who she is and who she wants to become. I’ve watched her prepare recordings and put herself out there artistically.

Because she is applying to study classical voice, finishing the applications doesn't mean we're anywhere near the end.

Now we wait to find out which music schools and conservatories will invite her for a live audition.

Then there will be:

More waiting.

Admissions decisions.

Financial aid offers.

And eventually, a decision.

It really is a long process.

One Thing That Helped Us: We Divided the Work

One of the most important practical lessons I’ve taken from this experience is that the student and parent can be working on different parts of the college process at the same time.

My daughter needed to own her applications, essays and music school prescreens. Those needed to be her work and her voice.

But while she was doing that, I could handle much of the parent side.

I could organize deadlines, gather financial documents, prepare for the FAFSA and CSS Profile and keep track of what had been submitted and what was still outstanding.

Though my daughter did take ownership of much of it, we worked in parallel.

Parents sometimes worry that helping means taking over. It doesn’t have to.

Your student can own the admissions side while you help manage the organizational and financial side.

And you don't have to wait until every college application is submitted before you start thinking about financial aid.

If FAFSA and CSS Profile are still on your family's to-do list, my Parent's Guide to FAFSA & the CSS Profile is a good place to start.

Organization Makes a Huge Difference

There are so many moving pieces during senior year.

Application deadlines. FAFSA. CSS Profile. Scholarships. Recommendation letters. Transcripts. College portals.

And for students applying to music, theater, art or other specialized programs, add prescreens, portfolios and auditions to that list.

My advice is simple: create one central place to track everything.

For each college, know what is required, when it is due and whether it has actually been received.

And after you hit “submit,” check the college portals.

Submitting an application or financial aid form doesn't necessarily mean you're finished. Colleges may request additional documents, and financial aid offices may need information beyond the FAFSA or CSS Profile.

Staying organized won’t eliminate the stress, but it can eliminate a lot of those “Wait, were we supposed to do something else?” moments.

Don't Wait to Think About the Cost of College

This is the part I especially want parents to hear.

While your student is working on essays and applications, you can be working on the financial side of college.

Project college costs.

Understand which colleges require the FAFSA and which also require the CSS Profile.

Research merit scholarship opportunities.

Gather your financial information.

Know your family's college budget.

And start having conversations about affordability before the acceptance letters arrive.

An acceptance is emotional. Your child may fall in love with a school.

That is why I believe the financial conversation needs to start much earlier.

A college list isn't just an academic decision.

It's a financial decision, too.

If you're unsure whether you're approaching the financial side of college strategically, you can learn more about how I work with families through College Financial Prep. Sometimes one conversation can help you understand what you should be focusing on next.

And Then There’s the Part That Isn’t on Any Checklist

This is where being the professional ends and being the mom takes over.

I'm excited.

I'm excited to see where my daughter is invited to audition. I'm excited to watch her take this next step after years of working on her music. I'm excited to see where this journey takes her.

But there is something else underneath that excitement.

My daughter is going to college.

As a divorced mom, that realization has another layer.

When she leaves, I won't simply have one fewer child living at home.

I'll be living alone (well...I'll have our pup).

I'll be a solo empty nester.

That is a strange thing to write.

There is excitement about what comes next for her, and even curiosity about what comes next for me.

But there's sadness, too.

The driving. The meals. The reminders. The conversations from another room. The ordinary moments that don't seem particularly important until you realize they aren't going to be part of everyday life forever.

We talk so much about preparing our children for the transition to college.

Maybe we don't talk enough about the transition parents are going through, too.

And for separated and divorced parents, college can bring an entirely different set of questions; financial, practical and emotional. That's a big part of why Divorce & College Planning has become such an important part of my work.

For Now, We Wait

There will be plenty more to do.

Hopefully, there will be live auditions to schedule and attend.

Eventually, we'll have admission decisions and financial aid offers to compare. We'll look at scholarships, calculate the real cost of each option and determine whether financial aid appeals make sense.

But not today.

Today, I’m allowing myself to appreciate what we’ve accomplished.

My daughter has done her part. I’ve done mine.

And now we wait to see which doors open.

If you're navigating the college process with your own child and you're feeling overwhelmed by FAFSA, CSS Profile, college costs, financial aid or simply figuring out what you should be doing next, please reach out.

You don't have to figure everything out at once and you don't have to figure it all out alone.

Not sure where to start? A complimentary 10-minute introductory call is an easy first step. Tell me a little about your family's situation, and we can determine whether I may be able to help.

Schedule a complimentary 10-minute introductory call:
https://collegefinancialprep.hbportal.co/public/6978fbb1e436dd0027dd4e90/1-Schedule_an_intro_call

About the Author

Vicki Vollweiler, MBA, CDC, is the founder of College Financial Prep and a college financial planning professional who helps families make smarter financial decisions about college. She works with married, separated, divorced and widowed parents on college affordability, financial aid strategy, FAFSA and CSS Profile, scholarships, financial aid offers and appeals.

Vicki is also the author of College Planning for Divorced & Widowed Parents and, this year, is experiencing the college process personally as the mom of a Class of 2027 high school senior.

Continue Exploring College Financial Prep

Work With Me:
https://www.collegefinancialprep.com/work-with-me

Parent's Guide to FAFSA & the CSS Profile:
https://www.collegefinancialprep.com/the-parent-s-guide-to-fafsa-the-css-profile

Divorce & College Planning:
https://www.collegefinancialprep.com/divorce

College Financial Prep:
https://www.collegefinancialprep.com/

Helping families make smarter financial decisions about college.