Rising Seniors….
Now is the time to organize your college folder.
POSTSECONDARY PLANNING TIMELINE (LINK)
Summer between Junior & Senior Year:
- Narrow down your college choices.
- Investigate all application requirements of the colleges you are interested in. Be careful to note any SAT/ACT testing requirements.
- Look at what each college requires – do they require an essay? Letters of recommendation? SAT II’s?
- Visit any colleges in which you are interested, if possible.
- Spend your summer doing something meaningful – volunteer; go to summer school, work and read, read, read..
- Study to improve ACT or SAT scores if you need to take them in the beginning of your senior year..
- Work on college essays if colleges you are applying to require them.
Fall of Senior Year:
- APPLY EARLY: Take advantage of the expected low volume of applications that colleges receive at the beginning of the admissions cycle. A lower volume of applications may also mean lower average GPA’s and test scores for admission as compared to the possibility of higher averages later on in February, March and April.
- Carefully watch college deadlines and apply on time. Send all completed applications in by their required deadlines..
- Continue to investigate colleges – attend fairs, and college visits at MAST. Look at your high school transcript – make sure there are no mistakes before sending it to colleges.
- Complete PROFILE Financial Aid form if required by your college – check to see if colleges you are apply to require this form.
- Keep copies of EVERYTHING you send to colleges, scholarships, and financial aid.
- Ask teachers and counselors for letters of recommendation (college admissions offices advise the students to ask teachers if they will write you a favorable one) – most counselors require 5 days notice
- Research financial aid requirements at each college – some colleges require the CSS Profile financial aid form to be completed in the fall.
- Retake SAT, ACT, SAT II if necessary.
- Apply for Fla. Bright Futures Scholarship December 1st even if you are going out of state. Many students return after a year, and you have up to 3 years after graduation to begin using it (not if you don’t apply, though)
- Continue to get good grades – most colleges request a mid-year report from the high school which shows the first semester grades, and every college acceptance is contingent on the student’s 12th year grades.
January – June of Senior Year:
- In January, file the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as early as possible.
- Continue to apply for scholarships.
- Retake SAT/ACT/SAT II if necessary.
- Check with colleges to be sure that they have received everything for application, financial aid.
- Beware of senioritis!
- Investigate housing at colleges you have applied to and send in housing deposits on time.
- Before May 1st – decide on your final choice of a college & send in your tuition deposit.
- At the end of the school year request that the registrar send to your college your final transcript. This is a requirement of all colleges that you decide to attend.
