As the cooler temperatures and holiday cheer of fall are upon us, there is another reason to get excited about the upcoming season.

That’s right; it’s time to register for spring classes and FAFSA.

While those two things may be less than thrilling, their completion is something every student is definitely going to want to check off their to-do list in the next few weeks.

Fortunately, IVCC has several resources available to make this process as seamless as possible and get students back to enjoying everything an Illinois Valley autumn has to offer.

First, if enrolling at any college or university during the 2019-2020 school year, completing the FAFSA is the place to start.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid opened on Oct. 1, and students are highly encouraged to begin the filing process as soon as possible. While the deadline is not until June 19, 2019, it is important students look into the deadline for the institution they plan on attending next year.

For IVCC, students must have the FAFSA completed in order to be eligible to apply for 2019-2020 Foundation scholarships, due in February. If students have questions about the filing process as they go along or just don’t know where to get begin, IVCC has help open to all students in the Financial Aid and Veterans Affair office.

They are holding information sessions 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16 and 9-11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 5 in the counseling center computer room (CTC202R).

All students need to have on hand is their FSA ID (which can be set up at fafsa.gov), password, and 2017 tax return.

Spring Registration: Nov. 7

With the fall semester already at midterms, it’s time to start looking ahead to spring courses. The counseling center has had a busy few weeks, with scheduled appointments booked nearly until November.

As always though, students are welcome to walk in to counseling at any time, with slots available on a first come first serve basis.

At an appointment, students can expect to have a full 45-minute to one-hour block to talk to their counselor, which is if a student has transfer questions or is considering a program change.

Alternately, at a walk-in there may be less time to discuss these details in depth, but both ultimately have the same end goal: set up a schedule that will work with the student’s career ambitions.

After meeting with a counselor, students will have all their courses set up in their WebAdvisor shopping cart, so all they have to do on Nov. 7—the first day classes open to register—is sign in and confirm. This ensures that students are able to take the specific sections and classes they want without all the uncertainty that can come from having to rush to meet with counseling as well.

As Vice President for Student Services, Mike Grzybowski, said, “It’s better to do everything early. Whether it’s registering for classes or paying for tuition, the sooner the better.