If you are applying to college, the first few months of your senior year will probably be the most hectic of your high school career. You will have to cram a lot of things into a very small period of time. You will spend a good deal of time filling out college applications and writing college essays. Remember the deadlines for sending them off: the colleges must get the application by November 1st or November 14th (the exact date varies from school to school) if you are applying early. Regular admission applications are usually due to colleges on December 30th, but keep in mind that some colleges may have a February deadline or "rolling admissions". Be prepared to work especially hard during the fall. Colleges are going to be very interested in your 1 st and 2nd term/quarter grades. After you are done with your college applications, get started on your CSS/PROFILE and FAFSA. Once you are done with your applications, don't get a case of senioritis. Colleges can refuse to take you in if your grades drop sharply in the end of the year. Usually you find out if you got in to a college during the month of April. Once offered acceptance, candidates must respond back to colleges by May 1st, please remember that you can only accept one school. Get some rest, make sure you have lined up a summer job or an internship experience. It will be a way to pay off some of the first college expenses in the fall. Try following this check-off list while you are applying. It is easy to print it out so you can check off every task when you are done.

September:

  • Meet with your guidance counselor. Check your transcript to see if everything is correct. Update your student files with you summer accomplishments.
  • Register for the October SAT or SAT II.
  • Adjust your course schedule if needed.
  • Work hard for good grades, colleges will be mostly looking at your senior fall grades.
  • Plan the remaining college visits.
  • Just like last year, investigate college fairs and visit them.
  • Consider Applying Early Admission or Early Action.
  • Begin writing college essays. You should be working on the rough draft of at least one or two essays. Ask a teacher or a mentor to respond to what you have written.
  • Ask two or three teachers whom you know well, to write recommendations for the colleges that you know you want to apply to. Give them a copy of your updated “resume”, the recommendation forms, and stamped addressed envelopes.
  • Begin filling out college applications.
  • Obtain a CSS/PROFILE in your guidance office, or call 1-800-778-6888. Or you can register on-line.

October:

  • Ask your parents to organize financial aid info such as tax returns and bank statements.
  • Register for the November ACT if you think you can improve your previous scores.
  • Send out your CSS/PROFILE as soon as possible.
  • Have you been working on your applications? Work on your essays and finish your applications.
  • Make sure that you have asked teachers about recommendations. If you haven’t, now is the time to do it.
  • Inform your guidance counselor if you are applying early.
  • Make sure that you have sent everything to the college that you are applying early to.
  • Check in with your guidance counselor about any questions you have about your transcript.
  • Narrow down the list of colleges where you want to apply to about four to six. Remember that college applications cost about $50 each and the CSS/PROFILE costs $15 for each college that you will send it to. Does your families income make you eligible for “waivers”?

November:

  • Attend a financial aid workshop with your family.
  • Register to take the December SAT or the SAT II, if you think you can improve your scores.
  • Make a schedule for completing college applications. Thanksgiving break is a good time to get work done.
  • Take any remaining standardized tests.
  • Remember that most early admission deadlines are November 1st or November 15th
  • Hand in properly completed forms and envelopes to your guidance counselor after Veterans’ Day.
  • Keep working on financial aid forms. Does your family have all the info necessary to complete the forms?

December:

  • Complete all your drafts of applications and essays. Check your college application deadlines.
  • Obtain a FAFSA form from your guidance office. You can also fill FAFSA out on-line.
  • Take the standardized tests, if you think you can improve your scores.
  • MAIL ALL APPLICATIONS BY DECEMBER 30th. PHOTOCOPY EVERYTHING YOU SEND OUT.
  • Complete financial aid forms.
  • Rest and have a good Winter Break.

January:

  • Photocopy all important forms and documents.
  • Mail all outstanding applications.
  • Do not let your grades drop after you send out applications. A college that you want to attend may be wait-listing you and your grades would matter a great deal.
  • Check with your teachers to make sure that your recommendations were mailed.
  • Continue to search for scholarships.

February:

  • Continue to look for scholarships.
  • Pay for your AP exams, if you are taking any.

March:

  • Decision letters begin to arrive late this month.
  • Do not let up yet.

April:

  • Decision letters will be pouring in.
  • Attend accepted students receptions.
  • Respond to wait lists.
  • Decide to visit specific schools to make final decisions.
  • Prepare to make final college choices.

May:

  • Accept an offer from only one school, and send a deposit there.
  • Decline any other offers of admission in writing.
  • Finalize your summer plans. Does your college specify how much money you need to contribute from your summer earnings?
  • Take the AP exams, if you have taken any AP courses.

June:

  • Relax!
  • Congrats, happy graduation!

Thank you to our colleagues at Boston Latin School for generously sharing their resources from the Boston Latin School College Handbook.


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