Senior Year Information Guide

Fall (August-November)

• Decide post-high school direction
  • College, Trade, Military, Work Force
• Research options via online websites or personal visits
  • Choose 4-6 colleges/universities to apply to
  • Review application process on website
  • Learn application options (e.g., Common Application or college website)

• Register for early SAT Reasoning and/or SAT Subject tests or ACT to increase your scores

• Meet with your counselor to discuss the college process

• Attend local and national college fairs and open houses at your desired colleges
• Register for college representative visits in the Counseling Office
• From your list of colleges, find the following information for each school:
  • Application deadline and application options
  • Financial Aid deadlines
  • Institutional scholarship deadlines
  • If needed, other supporting documents (e.g., secondary school report, teacher recommendations, writing supplements, test score submission requirements, etc.)
• Start writing your college essays - Ask your English teacher or another qualified individual to review your essay before submission.
• Prepare your resume - All seniors are required to submit their resume to their school counselor for scholarship consideration and letters of recommendation
• Ask your teachers and counselor for letters of recommendations (LOR’s)
  •  *Not all schools require LORs – please check the colleges’ admission requirements before asking!
• Begin applying to colleges – check their websites for application instructions
  • *Take note of early deadlines for applications and financial aid (CSS Profile)! Most Early Action/Early Decision application deadlines are in November. Priority scholarship and certain programs/majors deadlines may be as early as December 1st (even for rolling admission schools!)
  • Request for transcripts to be sent to your colleges through your counselor
• Send official score reports from your College Board or ACT Student accounts to your colleges and/or NCAA
• Apply for outside scholarships and college-specific scholarships

Transcript Request Process

• Add schools to Naviance under the “Colleges I’m Applying To” tab
• Request teacher recommendations in Naviance only if required
• Complete online application and submit on the college website or via the Common App.
• Request transcripts in Naviance via the google form (for each college applied to).

Winter (December-February)

• Attend Financial Aid Night to learn about paying for college
• Complete the FAFSA to apply for federal aid and loans and other supplemental financial aid applications
  • *You may now begin to apply as early as October 1st with an earlier tax year’s information, referred to as prior-prior year (PPY)
• Continue applying to colleges and check that each prospective school has received all of your materials
• Continue applying for outside scholarships and college-specific scholarships
• Prepare for college interviews

Spring (March-June)

• Review all of your responses and financial aid packages from colleges
• Take the ASVAB (free) to help with career planning
•  Take the AP exams if you are enrolled in an AP course (May)
• Send Intent to Register to desired college and then withdrawal notification to colleges you are not attending
• Send deposit to matriculating college
• Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money
•  Notify your college about any outside scholarships that you have received
•  Request for final transcript to be sent to your matriculating college
• All male U.S. citizens and male immigrants, who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service

Summer (June-August)

• Prepare for matriculation into your selected college by attending summer orientation programs, applying for student housing, and registering for courses

 Learn about useful resources at your college and the surrounding community, such as the campus police, tutoring centers, mental health centers,