Advice for Parents of High School Seniors Applying to College

Before the pandemic, schools were already looking at the inequity placed on students by college entrance exams like the ACT and SAT. The pandemic highlighted those inequities even further, causing many schools across the country to go test-optional for their applicants.

University of Bridgeport remains test-optional for undergraduate admissions. Students not submitting ACT or SAT scores must submit a personal essay with their application. The personal essay is optional for students who choose to submit ACT or SAT scores with their application.

Taking the idea of going to college from dream to reality can seem daunting — especially for first-generation college students and their parents. When applying to college, you and your child will submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA application helps our Financial Aid department understand your family’s finances and assess your child’s eligibility for grants and loans.

FASFA applications open on October 1 and must be submitted by March 1. The sooner your student submits the FASFA application, the better.

Four Ways To Help Finance Your Child’s College Education

• Grants - no repayment required
• Scholarships - no repayment required
• Student Loans - to be repaid in a variety of ways
• Work-study Program - provides your student with a steady paycheck on campus

99% of UB students receive receive grant or scholarship aid. (fall 2021)

Understanding the costs of your child’s education is an important part of applying to colleges.

The Overall Cost of Post-Secondary Education Includes

• Tuition and fees
• Room and board
• Health Insurance
• Miscellaneous fees and deposits

To help your family know the approximate costs of attending University of Bridgeport, we’ve created a Net Price Calculator.

Payment arrangements must be made at least two weeks before classes start each term. Your student’s acceptance package will include important deadlines such as UB undergraduate admissions deposit day — usually in the spring before your student’s fall semester.

Rolling admission offers you and your student flexibility while you work to figure out their post-secondary plans. Your child can apply to University of Bridgeport at any time — you won’t have to wait until after an application deadline to find out if your student is accepted to UB if they apply early in their senior year.

Apply Early Action

• Early Action I Deadline: December 1, 2023
• Action II Deadline: February 1, 2024
• Rolling Admissions after February 1, 2024

Important Financial Aid Deadlines

• March 15: Deadline for CT residents to qualify for state funding for 2024-25
• April 1: UB Priority FAFSA deadline for 2024-25