12th Grade/Senior Year
August/September:
- Review your high school transcript. Will you meet all graduation and college entrance requirements?
- Narrow your list of schools; request catalogues and admissions information.
- Register for October SAT and/or ACT.
- Sign up for ACT or SAT prep courses.
October:
- Review admissions applications; begin writing essays.
- Meet with college admissions representatives or schedule visits to schools you are interested in attending. Talk with students and staff.
- Register for December ACT and/or SAT.
- Attend college fairs and financial aid nights.
- Request recommendations from teachers, employers, and guidance counselors.
- If applying for Early Decision, send in application.
November:
- If you haven't already, register for December ACT and/or SAT.
- Watch for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will be available from your high school counselor, the financial aid office of the school you plan to attend, or www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- Continue working on application essays.
- Begin preparing your college applications.
- Watch scholarship deadlines.
December:
- Register for January SAT and/or February ACT.
- Finalize application essays and complete the admissions procedures for your top school choices.
- Remind your references of application deadlines. Send thank-you notes to these people.
- Mail all applications or turn them in to your high school, depending on the system your school uses.
- Keep copies of all admissions applications.
January:
- If accepted for Early Decision, withdraw other applications.
- Gather the information necessary to complete the FAFSA. Submit as soon as possible after January 1.
- Keep copies of all financial aid applications.
February:
- Register for March SAT and/or April ACT.
- Obtain a physical examination. Forward to each school requiring a physical exam as a condition of admission.
- Review college acceptances and compare with financial aid offers.
- Make sure that mid-year transcripts have been sent to the school to which you have applied if required.
March:
- Register for May SAT.
- Make a final decision about a school. Send in a deposit and notify other schools of your decision.
- Request course descriptions and schedules from the school you have chosen.
- Watch for your Student Aid Report (SAR); review it for accuracy.
April:
- Register for June SAT.
- Confirm housing arrangements. If necessary, send in deposits.
- Research Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examinations Program (CLEP) exams.
- If you do not qualify for need-based aid or need additional financial assistance, consider other sources such as loans, work-study, or cooperatives.
May:
- Register for June ACT.
- Complete AP examinations.
- Submit scholarship acceptance forms.
- Make sure you have returned all financial aid award notices.
- Plan to attend freshman orientation and registration.
June:
- Make sure your final transcript is sent to the school you will be attending.
- College can be expensive. A summer job can help pay some of your expenses.
July:
- Make a list of what you will need to take with you for your dorm room.
- If you haven't met your roommate, call, write, or e-mail to get acquainted.
August:
- Make sure housing documentation is quickly accessible when you move into the dorm.
- Review a campus map. Learn how to get around at your new school.
- Buy your books and supplies after the first class meeting.
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Planner Timeline
