While some Skyline Seniors are receiving their acceptance letters, others are still planning. If you want to apply to college for the Fall of 2025, it is not too late. Below, The Skyline Post has gathered information on which schools are still accepting applications here in Michigan.
Can I still apply to college?
Yes, you can still apply to college. There are a number of different in-state rolling admissions universities with later deadlines that still have open applications.
How do I start?
The Common Application is the best way to start. If you need to create a Common Application account, select “First time applicant”. You only need to fill out all of your information once, and it saves it and shares it with the colleges you decide to apply to. It will show you your deadlines, whether you need essays or not, and if there are any other questions asked by each university.
If you are a graduating senior (class of 2025) and want to attend college next Fall, the term you would apply to is either incoming freshman, class of 2029, or freshman Fall of 2025.
From there, you fill out your personal and family information.
How am I going to pay for college?
Through applying to scholarships, merit-based aid, and FAFSA, you will receive different financial aid packages from each school, which will tell you how much each school costs to attend, along with living and other expenses.. Private universities are going to be more expensive, public universities vary, and community colleges in Michigan are free.
How do I apply for Scholarships?
There are some really great general different scholarship platforms, such as:
These platforms will have you create a profile that will allow them to match you with scholarships that are major or identity specific, there are tons of opportunities out there. Some require essays, some don’t.
There are also university specific scholarships that you can apply for, which usually require both admission to the university and essays/additional information.
What is a merit scholarship?
Upon application and acceptance, Universities will typically send out a financial aid package after they look at your transcripts and information a second time. This is different from need-based financial aid, which is given to you both by the school and by FAFSA. On the other hand, they will award you merit-based aid based on your grades and test scores (if you submitted them), to lower your cost of attendance. Once they receive your FAFSA, then they will offer you the entire breakdown of all the fees and costs of attending their specific college, living expenses, and additional costs you need to pay.
What is FAFSA?
FAFSA stands for free application for federal financial aid, and you apply using your parent/guardian’s financial information. The government basically then takes a look at your household income, and either communicated to the school to get you grants (free money based on needs) that you don’t have to pay back, to aid in your cost of college, or loans that you are allowed to take out (that have very little interest rates when you do pay them back). You can apply to FAFSA here. Through FAFSA’s website, you send your information to each individual school that you apply to, in order to get your custom financial aid packages.
Community college:
Applying to community college is different. Upon filing your FAFSA, the State of Michigan grants you full tuition to your local community college, given that you are going to be a full-time student. They will also offer an additional $1k as a “Michigan Achievement Bonus award” for eligible students, which can be used toward additional college costs.
Application deadlines for community colleges vary, but are typically later than regular college deadlines, and can be applied to on Michigan Reconnect.
What in-state colleges and universities are still accepting applications for Fall of 2025, and when are the deadlines?
Here is a table with all the things you need to know about the colleges that are still accepting applications for the Fall 2025 semester:
