SENIOR CHECKLIST
August/September
- Register for the SAT and/or ACT if you didn’t take it as a junior, or if you aren’t satisfied with your score and want to take it again. (remember that Mrs. Hobbs can help you with fee waivers)
- Take a look at some college applications and consider all of the different pieces of information you will need to compile.
- Take every opportunity to get to know colleges: meeting with college representatives who visit your high schools during the fall, attending local college fairs, visiting campuses (if possible). Ask your counselor if they know of special campus visitation programs.
- Narrow down your list of colleges and begin to consider “safe,” “reach,” and “realistic” schools. Make sure you have the application and financial aid information for each school. Find out if you qualify for any scholarships at these schools.
Create a checklist and calendar to chart:
- Standardized test dates, registration deadlines, and fees
- College application due dates
- Financial aid application forms and deadlines
- Other materials you’ll need for college applications (recommendations, transcripts, essays, etc.)
If you are free or reduced lunch you qualify for a fee waiver for any college application!
October
- Some colleges will have deadlines as early as this month. These would include rolling admission, priority, early decision, and early action deadlines.
- If you cannot afford the application fees that many colleges charge, ask Mrs. Hobbs to help you request a fee waiver.
- Finalize your college essay. Many schools will require that you submit at least one essay with your application.
- Request personal recommendations from teachers, Mrs. Hobbs, Pastors/Preachers or employers. It helps to provide the appropriate college forms, and an outline of your academic record and extracurricular activities to each person writing you a recommendation.
- Research possibilities of scholarships. Ask Mrs. Hobbs, your friends, and your religious and civic groups about scholarship opportunities. You should never pay for scholarship information.
- The FASFA is available to file as of October 1st.
November
- Finalize and send any early decision or early action applications due this month. Have a parent, teacher, or Mrs. Hobbs review the application before it is submitted.
- Every college will require a copy of your transcript from your high school. Be sure to ask Mrs. Hobbs to send one. (REMEMBER if it is not on a post-it note on her desk, she will not remember!!! LOL)
- Make sure testing companies have sent your scores directly to the colleges to which you are applying. Also, if you plan to play college sports have your scores sent to NCAA and NAIA.
December
- Most Colleges will have a dead line for their institutional scholarships this month (December 1)
- Begin to organize regular decision applications and financial aid forms, which will be due in January and/or February.
January
- Many popular and selective colleges will have application deadlines as early as January 1. Others have deadlines later in January and February. Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork.
- If necessary, register for the February ACT (some colleges will be able consider it).
Feb/March/April
- While most of your applications will be complete and you are waiting to receive admission decisions, don’t slack in the classroom. The college that you do attend will want to see your second semester transcript. No Senioritis!
- Acceptance letters and financial aid offers will start to arrive. Review your acceptances, compare financial aid packages, and visit your final choices, especially if you haven’t already.
May
- May 1 is the date when the colleges you plan to attend may require a commitment and deposit. When you’ve made your college decision, notify Mrs. Hobbs and the colleges. Send in your deposit by the postmark date of May 1. If you’ve been offered financial aid, accept the offer and follow the instructions given. Also notify schools you will not attend of your decision.
- Make sure that you have requested that your final transcript be sent to the school you will be attending. If Mrs. Hobbs doesn't know where you plan to attend, she cannot send your transcript there!
- If you are “wait listed” by a college you really want to attend, visit, call and write the admission office to make your interest clear. Ask how you can strengthen your application.
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