Countdown to College Checklist for Juniors and Seniors

In your Junior Year you should do the following…..

August

• Review your high school courses and activities. Many colleges look for challenging course work, strong grades, and extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and volunteering.
  
• Get a social security number (or Resident Alien ID) if you don’t already have one.

September

• Start looking through college catalogs and guidebooks, and surf the Web for information.
• Put together a list of 10 colleges that you would like to attend.
• Talk to your parents and high school guidance counselor about that list.
• Register and study for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT).
• Check the times and places for college fairs and parents nights in your area.

October

• Take the PSAT
• Begin to research Advanced Placement (AP) or college courses you might take

November

• Learn about eligibility requirements for federal and private student loans. Talk to your parents and guidance counselors about how much you and your family can afford to spend for college.

January

• Plan for the next round of tests: the SAT I, SAT II, and the ACT. Talk to your guidance counselor about how you can start preparing for these exams.
• Check with the colleges you are applying to; find out what test they require you to take.

February

• Go through the catalogs and visit the Web sites of the three to six schools that interest you the most.
• Attend financial aid nights in your area, if you have not done so already.

March

• Start investigating private scholarships and other aid programs. Scholarships may be awarded by membership organizations or your parents’ employers. You may also be eligible based on your cultural background or intended course of study.

April

•  Register for SAT and/or ACT exams. Take an exam prep course to help you succeed.

May

• Schedule visits to the three to six schools on your final lists. If appropriate, apply for an interview and/or overnight stay. Visit each school’s financial aid office to find out what types of financial aid are available.
• Begin preparing essays for college admissions and scholarship applications.

June

• Take the SAT and/or ACT exams.
• Mark your calendar with the test dates and registration deadlines for the remaining SAT (I and II) exams.  It is wise to take the SAT exams more than one time (during your junior and senior years).
• Continue researching organizations that award scholarships to graduating seniors. You may have to apply the summer after your junior year.

Countdown to College - In your Senior Year you should do the following…..

August

• Review your career plans and decide which type of school is right for you.
• Visit the three to five colleges that interest you the most.
• Get registration materials and test dates for the SAT and/or ACT. Remember to take such test at least six weeks before colleges’ score submission deadlines.

September

• Meet with college admissions representatives visiting your school.
  Make a calendar of key application and financial aid deadlines.
• Ask teachers, guidance counselors and other adults who know you for letters of recommendation for scholarship and admission applications.

October

• Take the SAT or ACT exams if necessary.
• Work on admissions applications essays.
• Visit your top school choices. Talk face to face with current students and faculty members at those schools.
• Continue to seek and apply for scholarship awards.

November

• Take the SAT or ACT exams if necessary
• Obtain financial aid applications from your colleges of choice. Determine the info required and due dates.
• Prepare your college applications.

December

• Start gathering the info needed for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available at fafsa.ed.gov

January

• Submit your completed FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible. It’s helpful if your parents complete their income tax returns early - schools may request the tax returns to prove eligibility for financial aid.

February

• Check to see if your mid-year transcripts have been sent to the schools to which you have applied.
• If you are enrolled in AP classes, plan for AP exams or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams.

March

• Look for your Student Aid Report (SAR) in the mail. If you have not received your SAR four weeks after sending in your FAFSA contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

April

• Watch the mail for acceptance letters and financial aid award letters. Compare financial aid packages.
• Choose a school and send in a deposit by the deadline. Notify other schools that you will not be attending them.
• Contact the financial aid office at your chosen school to make certain your application is complete.

May

• Take AP examinations
• Write thank you notes to people who wrote letters of recommendation.
• Celebrate your high school graduation!

Information CollegeReady
A special publication for students and parents from Wachovia

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