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Senior Year College Admissions Schedule

SEPTEMBER:

  • Meet with any visiting college representatives. Go to college fairs. Continue to visit colleges and do more online research.
  • If you have not already done so, register to take the SAT/ACT in October
  • Start requesting letters of recommendation.
  • Determine if there are colleges where you would like to apply Early Action, or a specific college where you would like to apply Early Decision.
  • Review transcript and make sure everything is accurate.
  • Take on leadership roles and stay involved in your extracurricular activities.
  • Continue to focus on grades. Remember, your final transcripts are sent to the schools where you have been accepted. If grades drop, schools have the right to rescind their offer.
  • If required, begin working on in-person, video and audio auditions, art and writing portfolios, and other application supplements.
  • Finalize essays. Ask several people to review and proofread your essays before you send them to the schools.
  • Register for October SATs, if necessary.

OCTOBER:

  • Submit Early Action Early Decision applications to colleges. Ask your College Advisor to send transcripts and other supporting materials to the Colleges.
  • Attend college fairs and continue to try to learn as much as you can about the schools on your list.
  • Visit as many schools as possible. The colleges like applicants that visit the campus.
  • Communicate with admission and financial aid representatives at the selected colleges.
  • Find out what financial aid forms each school requires, note the deadlines, and begin gathering the information that will be required.
  • Confirm that transcripts and test scores are being sent to the schools.
  • Review the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and get a pin number on www.fafsa.ed.gov.
  • Follow the progress of your Early Action or Early Decision applications on each school’s website. Most schools have this service. If not, call and confirm that the school has received all your materials.

NOVEMBER:

  • Continue working on applications and ensure all deadlines are met.
  • Keep copies of all documents in a specific folder created for each school.
  • Follow up with everyone who wrote letters of recommendation and confirm that the letters are on time and are being sent to the correct schools.  Send thank you notes to all who wrote recommendations for you.
  • Follow up with College Advisor to be sure that transcripts were sent to the colleges.

DECEMBER:

  • Try to have all applications completed and submitted before the holiday break.
  • If not already done, students and parents should get their FAFSA pin numbers.
  • Parents should file their taxes as soon as possible after January 1.
  • Continue searching for scholarships and grants.
  • Look for Early Decision and Early Action acceptances.

JANUARY:

  • Students should complete and submit the FAFSA form as soon as they know their parents financial information.
  • Continue to focus on grades.
  • If required, confirm that first semester transcripts are sent to schools.
  • Finalize and submit any remaining applications.
  • If you were accepted to a college Early Action or Early Decision and you will attend, notify the other schools to which you had applied and tell them to remove your application from consideration.
  • Follow the progress of your Regular Admission applications on each school’s website. Most schools have this service. If not, call and confirm that the school has received your materials.

FEBRUARY:

  • Parents should file their taxes.
  • Note the dates of upcoming AP exams and begin studying for them.
  • Submit the FAFSA. Watch for the Student Aid Report (SAR) and review it for accuracy.
  • Review all applications and make sure all required materials have been submitted and all deadlines have been met.
  • Continue searching and applying for scholarships and grants.
  • Send “thank you” notes to those people who wrote letters or recommendations on your behalf.

MARCH:

  • Look for summer jobs and volunteer opportunities.
  • If you are accepted to more than one school and unsure which to attend- consider revisiting the campuses, attend a campus “overnight”, speak to a professor, or observe a class to help in making the decision.

APRIL:

  • When school acceptances and financial aid packages arrive, review and compare them.
  • Determine the school that you will be attending by accepting their offer and sending any required deposits, usually by May 1.
  • Take notice of orientation, registration, and other important dates and deadlines for the upcoming school year.
  • Continue searching and applying for scholarships and grants.
  • Continue to work on finishing the school year with strong grades.

MAY:

  • Enjoy graduation.
  • Finalize summer plans.
  • Analyze the financial situation and work on a budget for the first year of college.
  • Save money from summer jobs.
  • Open a bank account.

SUMMER:

  • Work and continue saving money for college.
  • Attend orientation and any other activities for incoming freshmen.
  • Review materials the college suggests would benefit freshman.
  • Shop for dorm furnishings and make a list of things to pack.
  • Connect with future roommates.
  • Learn how to do the laundry.
  • Make sure you can get up and out of bed with just an alarm clock.