Despite your earlier preparations, keep in mind your senior year of high school will be the most important time in the college admission process.
September:
Request all high school transcripts.
Check your transcripts against the admissions requirements for the colleges of your choice, making sure you have all the necessary credits.
Determine each college’s respective requirements with regard to official high school transcripts.
Official transcripts must be sent directly from your high school to the college at the time of application.
A majority of four year colleges and universities require an official transcript.
Register for the October SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and/or ACT test. Be certain to register for all standardized tests required by the colleges to which you will be applying.
Reevaluate your college selections, determining whether all choices still satisfy your particular personal wants, needs, and expectations. You may even want to make detailed lists of pros and cons in order to assist in this decision, adding and removing colleges as necessary.
Verify that you possess all necessary materials required for submitting your applications to the colleges to which you want to apply.
Begin preparing all early decision and early action applications. Remember to check and double-check all applicable deadlines.
Print and distribute the required recommendation forms to the appropriate teachers or counselors.
Include stamped, college-addressed, envelopes.
Be certain to fill out your specified portion of each form, completely and accurately.
It may also be helpful to follow up on your recommendation letters a few weeks later, just to make sure your recommenders have followed through.
Begin submission of all early decision and early action college applications. These are generally due between October 1st and November 1st.
Request your official high school transcripts for each college to which you are applying.
October:
Create your finalized list of potential colleges. Maintain a file containing all deadlines and required admission items for each school to which you anticipate applying.
Take all standardized exams still needed to complete your pre-admission requirements; this includes the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and/or ACT Test.
You should have all testing completed following these exams, as any later exam dates may begin to put you at risk for late-arriving applications.
Arrange to have your official scores sent by the testing agency to the colleges/universities that have made your final list of schools.
Register for the December or January SAT Reasoning and/or SAT Subject Test, if necessary.
Begin preparation of any essays required as part of your various applications. Do not dismiss these essays as immaterial. Outline, draft, and edit carefully.
November:
Submit all remaining college applications. Keep in mind, excessive delay in your submissions could hinder or hurt your chances of acceptance to some colleges and universities.
Register for Advanced Placement (AP) exams for all AP courses you will be taking in your senior year. The AP tests will be administered in May.
December:
Replies regarding admission to early decision applicants usually arrive between December 1st and December 31st.
Ensure that your official test scores have been or are being sent to all appropriate colleges, if this has not yet been done.
Contact the colleges to which you are applying to schedule any remaining interviews required for admission.
January:
Go to FAFSA to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The FAFSA is required by colleges in order to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid.
Even if you are not planning on taking out student loans, you should complete the FAFSA because it will determine if you are eligible for free money options such as grants and scholarships.
Submit the FAFSA on or after January 1st.
Contact the Financial Aid Office located at your selected colleges to determine if you need to complete additional financial aid forms.
In order to be considered for financial aid, you will need to submit these forms to all of your potential colleges, even if you have not yet been notified of your acceptance.
After you submit the FAFSA, visit College Spot to start your search for scholarships and for information on federal student loans and private student loans .
Request that your high school send your official transcripts to all applicable colleges, should they have not already done so. This process should be easily accomplished through your high school’s administration office.
Verify that your parents have completed this year’s income tax forms in anticipation of the financial aid applications. Information contained on their yearly income tax forms is required on the FAFSA. However, if they have not completed their taxes, providing estimated figures would also be acceptable.
Contact the admissions office at each college to which you have applied to ensure that your information has been received. Also verify that your application file has been reviewed for completion and that each college has everything they need from you.
February:
If you completed the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR).
If you have applied via paper, you should receive your SAR within 2-3 weeks.
If you applied online, you can receive your SAR by e-mail the next business day following your electronic submission.
Should you find inaccuracies in the SAR, correct and return it to the FAFSA processor promptly. The report will contain instructions for submitting corrections.
Search for scholarships and submit all scholarship applications.
Contact the financial aid office at each college to which you have applied to ensure that your information has been received and to verify that each college has everything they need to complete your file.
March/April:
If you have yet to receive any admissions response from the college(s) to which you applied, contact each appropriate admissions office.
Evaluate all of your acceptance letters, financial aid options and scholarship offers. You will want to select the school the benefits you the most on an economic, personal, and academic level.
You may be required to pay a nonrefundable deposit for freshman tuition when you confirm enrollment with your final college selection. This will guarantee your place with the incoming freshman class.
May:
Take Advanced Placement (AP) exams for all AP subjects studied during your senior year of high school.
Decide which college you will be attending.
Notify the school by mailing your commitment deposit check by May 1st.
Many schools require that your notification letter be postmarked by this date.
Verify this vital deadline with each and every college to which you applied.
If you were placed on a waiting list for a particular college and have decided to wait for an opening, contact the admissions office at the college.
Let them know that you are still very committed to attending their school.
It may also be helpful to write a letter to the admissions officers at the college re-emphasizing your positive attributes and deep desire to enroll there.
June:
Have your finalized transcripts sent from your high school to the college you will be attending.
Contact your college to ascertain all deadlines and costs associated with tuition, room, and board. Also verify any additional fees required or necessitated by your enrollment.
July/August:
Visit College Spot to get information on applying for federal student loans and private student loans .
Sign up for the summer orientation programs created for incoming freshman. While it would be helpful to attend many of the voluntary programs offered at the college, be certain to register for your mandatory freshman orientation.
Evaluate and consider obtaining student health insurance . Many family insurance programs have insufficient coverage for college students or fail to even provide coverage. Student health insurance is also a good option for all self-sustaining students.
Finally, look into applying for a student credit card or pre-paid student card in order to start building credit and to help you avoid carrying cash around campus.
College Planning Grade 12
Despite your earlier preparations, keep in mind your senior year of high school will be the most important time in the college admission process.
September:
Request all high school transcripts.
Register for the October SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and/or ACT test. Be certain to register for all standardized tests required by the colleges to which you will be applying.
Reevaluate your college selections, determining whether all choices still satisfy your particular personal wants, needs, and expectations. You may even want to make detailed lists of pros and cons in order to assist in this decision, adding and removing colleges as necessary.
Verify that you possess all necessary materials required for submitting your applications to the colleges to which you want to apply.
Begin preparing all early decision and early action applications. Remember to check and double-check all applicable deadlines.
Print and distribute the required recommendation forms to the appropriate teachers or counselors.
Begin submission of all early decision and early action college applications. These are generally due between October 1st and November 1st.
Request your official high school transcripts for each college to which you are applying.
October:
Create your finalized list of potential colleges. Maintain a file containing all deadlines and required admission items for each school to which you anticipate applying.
Take all standardized exams still needed to complete your pre-admission requirements; this includes the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, and/or ACT Test.
Begin preparation of any essays required as part of your various applications. Do not dismiss these essays as immaterial. Outline, draft, and edit carefully.
November:
Submit all remaining college applications. Keep in mind, excessive delay in your submissions could hinder or hurt your chances of acceptance to some colleges and universities.
Register for Advanced Placement (AP) exams for all AP courses you will be taking in your senior year. The AP tests will be administered in May.
December:
Replies regarding admission to early decision applicants usually arrive between December 1st and December 31st.
Ensure that your official test scores have been or are being sent to all appropriate colleges, if this has not yet been done.
Contact the colleges to which you are applying to schedule any remaining interviews required for admission.
January:
Go to FAFSA to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Submit the FAFSA on or after January 1st.
After you submit the FAFSA, visit College Spot to start your search for scholarships and for information on federal student loans and private student loans .
Request that your high school send your official transcripts to all applicable colleges, should they have not already done so. This process should be easily accomplished through your high school’s administration office.
Verify that your parents have completed this year’s income tax forms in anticipation of the financial aid applications. Information contained on their yearly income tax forms is required on the FAFSA. However, if they have not completed their taxes, providing estimated figures would also be acceptable.
Contact the admissions office at each college to which you have applied to ensure that your information has been received. Also verify that your application file has been reviewed for completion and that each college has everything they need from you.
February:
If you completed the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR).
Search for scholarships and submit all scholarship applications.
Contact the financial aid office at each college to which you have applied to ensure that your information has been received and to verify that each college has everything they need to complete your file.
March/April:
If you have yet to receive any admissions response from the college(s) to which you applied, contact each appropriate admissions office.
Evaluate all of your acceptance letters, financial aid options and scholarship offers. You will want to select the school the benefits you the most on an economic, personal, and academic level.
You may be required to pay a nonrefundable deposit for freshman tuition when you confirm enrollment with your final college selection. This will guarantee your place with the incoming freshman class.
May:
Take Advanced Placement (AP) exams for all AP subjects studied during your senior year of high school.
Decide which college you will be attending.
If you were placed on a waiting list for a particular college and have decided to wait for an opening, contact the admissions office at the college.
June:
Have your finalized transcripts sent from your high school to the college you will be attending.
Contact your college to ascertain all deadlines and costs associated with tuition, room, and board. Also verify any additional fees required or necessitated by your enrollment.
July/August:
Visit College Spot to get information on applying for federal student loans and private student loans .
Sign up for the summer orientation programs created for incoming freshman. While it would be helpful to attend many of the voluntary programs offered at the college, be certain to register for your mandatory freshman orientation.
Evaluate and consider obtaining student health insurance . Many family insurance programs have insufficient coverage for college students or fail to even provide coverage. Student health insurance is also a good option for all self-sustaining students.
Finally, look into applying for a student credit card or pre-paid student card in order to start building credit and to help you avoid carrying cash around campus.