SENIOR YEAR TIMELINE

October

• Take the SAT, SAT Subject exams and/or ACT as appropriate.
• Continue to research schools to narrow your list to roughly 6-8 schools.
• Take advantage of college fairs and virtual tours.
• Complete your applications if you are applying early decision or early action
• Research financial aid and scholarships. (College Board and Naviance are great resources for this).
• Get your college essay in shape. Get feedback on your writing from at least two people
• Request your high school transcript and check it for accuracy.
• Keep track of all application components and deadlines: applications, test scores, letters of recommendation and financial aid materials. An incomplete application will ruin your chances for admission.

November

• Register for the December SAT or ACT if appropriate.
• Take the November SAT if appropriate.
• Don’t let your grades slide. It’s easy to be distracted from school work when working on applications. Senior slump can be disastrous for your admissions chances.
• Make sure you’ve submitted all components of your applications if you are applying to colleges with November deadlines for early decision.
• Put the final touches on your application essays, and get feedback on your essays from counselors and/or teachers.
• Continue to research scholarships.

December – January

• Complete your applications for regular admissions.
• Make sure you’ve had your test scores sent to all colleges that require them.
• Confirm that your letters of recommendation have been sent.
• Submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Financial Aid).
• If you are accepted to a school through early decision, be sure to follow directions carefully. Submit required forms, and notify the other schools to which you applied of your decision.
• Continue to focus on your grades and extracurricular involvement.
• Have midyear grades sent to colleges.
• Continue to keep track of all deadlines and application components.
• Continue to research scholarships. Apply for scholarships well in advance of deadlines.

February – March

• If you submitted the FAFSA, you should receive the Student Aid Report (SAR). Carefully look it over for accuracy. Errors can cost you thousands of dollars.
• Contact colleges that didn’t send you a confirmation receipt for your application.
• Don’t put off applying to schools with rolling admissions or late deadlines — the available spaces can fill up.
• Talk to your school about registering for AP exams.
• Keep your grades high. Colleges can revoke offers of admission if your grades take a nosedive senior year.
• Some acceptance letters may arrive. Compare financial aid offers and visit campus before making a decision.
• Don’t panic; many, many decisions are not mailed out until April.
• Continue applying for appropriate scholarships.

April

• Keep track of all acceptances, rejections, and waitlists.
• If waitlisted, learn more about waitlists and move ahead with other plans. You can always change your plans if you get off a waitlist.
• Keep your grades up.
• If you have ruled out any colleges that accepted you, notify them. This is a courtesy to other applicants, and it will help the colleges manage their waitlists and extend the correct number of acceptance letters.
• Go to accepted student open houses if offered.
• A couple circumstances may warrant an appeal of a college rejection

May-June

• Avoid senioritis! An acceptance letter doesn’t mean you can stop working.
• Most schools have a deposit deadline of May 1. Don’t be late! If needed, you may be able to request an extension.
• Prepare for and take any appropriate AP exams. Most colleges offer course credit for high AP scores; this gives you more academic options when you get to college.
• Have your final transcripts sent to colleges.
• Send thank you letters to everyone who helped you in the application process. Let your mentors and recommenders know the results of your college search.
• Keep on top of procuring student loans. Notify your college if you receive any scholarships.
• Graduate. Congratulations!

July-August after Senior Year

• Read all mailings from your college carefully. Often important registration and housing material is sent in the summer.
• Register for your classes as soon as possible. Classes often fill, and registration is usually on a first-come, first-served basis.
• If you get your housing assignment, take advantage of the summer to get to know your roommate (email, facebook, the phone, etc). Figure out who will bring what. (You won’t have room for two fridges, microwaves, televisions, etc.)
• Off to college!

ANATOMY OF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION (THE BEAST)

All of the parts of your college application come together to give admission officers an picture of who you are. Not every college requires all of these elements (for example: some colleges don’t ask for admission test scores). Make sure to talk to your counselor about which of these items you have to send and which items your high school will send.

Application Forms

To fill in all the blanks on the application form itself, you’ll have to dig up documents or get answers from your parents. Most students use online applications, but paper applications are usually available too. (The Common App, however, is only online). There are also services that let you complete one application online and submit it to several colleges.

Application Fees

College application fees vary, but generally it costs from $35 to $50 to apply to each college. Fees are nonrefundable. Many colleges offer fee waivers to students who can’t afford to pay. If you need application fee waivers, speak with your counselor and the college to which you are applying.

Your Transcript

The record of the classes you’ve taken and your grades is one of the most important parts of your application. Your high school should send your transcript, along with a school profile, directly to the colleges you are applying to. Ask your counselor about how to arrange for this. And be sure to check the transcript for errors before it’s sent.

Final Transcript

At the end of your senior year, your high school will send a final transcript to the college you’ve decided to attend. This shows your college what classes you took and whether you kept your grades up during your last year in high school.

Admission Test Scores

Some colleges require or recommend that you send scores from tests such as the SAT or ACT. Colleges accept scores only from the testing organizations themselves. Visit the testing organization’s website for more information on how to send scores. Also be sure to see the college’s score reporting policies to see what is required of you.

Letters of Recommendation

Many colleges require letters of recommendation from teachers or other adults who know you well. Ask your references well in advance of the deadlines to write you a recommendation. You may want to give them a short written summary of your achievements to help them write about you. Make sure that the person writing your letter knows you well enough to write an in-depth letter.

Essays

Your essays are a chance for you to give admission officers a better idea of your character and strengths. Make sure to

• choose a topic that will highlight who you are
• keep your focus narrow and personal
• show who you are, don’t just tell
• use your own voice
• have at least two trusted adults proofread the essay for you
• remember to proofread your essays carefully before you send them in.

Auditions and Portfolios

If you’re applying to music, art or theater programs, the colleges may want to see samples of your work. This means you may need to audition or send portfolios or videos showing your artistic ability as part of your application. Check with the individual college to make sure you fulfill all requirements.

Interviews

It’s a good idea to ask for an interview, even if it’s not required. It shows you’re serious and gives you a chance to connect with someone in the admission office. Even if a college is far away, you may be able to interview with a local alumnus. Once again, check with the individual college for their procedure.

APPLYING EARLY

About 450 colleges offer early admission plans. Under these plans, students can apply to colleges early — well before the usual deadline — and get a decision early. Some students who apply under these plans have a better chance of getting in than they would through the regular admission process. Colleges benefit from the plans as well because they get students who really want to attend that college to commit early. Applying early can be a good idea if you’re sure which college you want to attend.

How to Decide If Applying Early Is Right for You

Applying early can be a good idea if you’re sure about which college you want to attend. That means you’ve researched its programs and, if possible, visited its campus.

But think twice about applying early if:

• You want to compare admission and financial aid offers from several colleges.
• You’d benefit from having another year of high school work to show colleges.

Early Admission Options

There are three main types of early admission plans. All three plans usually require you to apply in October or November. All the plans give you an early decision; you’ll know in December or January if you’ve been accepted.

Other parts of the plans vary by college, though, so talk with a counselor or teacher ahead of time to make sure you understand the rules. Here are some details about each option.

Early decision plans:

• You can apply to only one early decision college.
• If the college accepts you and offers you enough financial aid, you must go to that college. That’s why these plans are referred to as “binding.”
• Some colleges have two early deadlines, called early decision deadline I and early decision deadline II. They both work the same way, but the second deadline gives you more time to decide whether to apply early.
• Although you may apply to additional colleges through the regular admission process, you must withdraw all other applications if you’re accepted by this college.

Early action plans:

• You can apply to more than one early action college.
• If you’re accepted, you can say yes right away or wait until spring to decide.
• You can also decline the offer.

Single-choice early action plans:

• You can apply early to only one college. Otherwise, these plans work the same as other early action plans.
• You can still apply to other colleges through the regular admission process.
• You don’t have to give your final answer to the early application college until spring.

THESE APPLICATIONS ARE NORMALLY DUE IN MID OCTOBER OR EARLY NOVEMBER, YOU RECEIVE A RESPONSE IN MID DECEMBER