The events page of Portola High School shows that on October 19, 2026, all seniors attend a Financial Aid Workshop during their regularly scheduled English class, and the school marks it as mandatory for seniors. The workshop is hosted by a financial aid student services specialist from Irvine Valley College (IVC), covers an overview of financial aid and the steps needed to prepare for the application process, and gives students the chance to create their Federal Student Aid account (FSA ID) on the spot. This Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) session takes place during class time without parents present, so the parent side of the preparation has to be finished before October 19.
Who Is Affected by the Portola High School Financial Aid Workshop
Portola High School seniors graduating in 2027 who plan to apply to U.S. colleges, and their parents. The account a student creates at school is the student’s own; a parent’s account must be created separately. The Federal Student Aid account page states:
| Item | Federal Student Aid guidance |
|---|---|
| Who needs an account | Students, parents, and borrowers each create their own account to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and manage federal aid |
| What is needed | A Social Security number, if the person has one, and the person’s own email address |
| Time | The page lists about 7 minutes |
Accounts and email addresses cannot be shared: the student uses the student’s email, the parent uses the parent’s email, and the two accounts log in separately when completing the form.
What to Do Now About the Portola High School Financial Aid Workshop
Parents create their own FSA ID before October 19. Use the parent’s own email address and Social Security number so that, after the workshop, the student can follow the steps at home and complete the form together. The 2027-28 FAFSA opening date and the California state deadline are in FAFSA Is Open; California Deadline March 2.
Early applicants prepare the CSS Profile at the same time. Institutional aid at private universities also requires the CSS Profile; its opening date and early deadlines are in CSS Profile Is Open; Early Applicants Submit in November.
Write down unanswered questions after the workshop. The host, Irvine Valley College, is profiled at Irvine Valley College; the college planning calendar for the five Irvine high schools is in the Irvine High School Admissions Guide, and overall application and aid planning is covered by the EDUBUS University Admissions Planning service.
Sources
- Portola High School: Financial Aid Workshop (Mandatory for Seniors) (accessed October 11, 2026)
- Federal Student Aid: Create an Account (accessed October 11, 2026)
- CSU Transfer Priority Filing Ends Nov. 30CSU priority filing for fall 2027 transfer applicants ends November 30, 2026; $70 per campus. ADT admission guarantee, upper-division requirements, and next steps.
- Notre Dame REA Nov. 1; Tests Required Fall 2028Notre Dame Restrictive Early Action closes November 1, 2026. Scores stay optional this cycle; SAT or ACT is required for fall 2028 entry. Dates, essays, and rules.
- Pomona Two Essays, Early Decision Due Nov. 8Pomona College Early Decision I closes November 8, 2026, decisions by December 15. Two supplement prompts of 150 and 250 words, plus recommendation and testing rules.
- Rice Three Essays, Early Decision Due Nov. 1Rice University Early Decision I closes November 1, 2026, decisions by mid-December. Three supplement prompts of 150, 150, and 500 words, plus testing policy.
