College Bound Planner For
12th Grade/Senior Year
September:
- Check your transcripts to make sure you have all the credits you
need to get into your college(s) of choice. Find out from the colleges to
which you are applying whether or not they need official copies of your
transcripts (transcripts sent directly from your high school) sent at the
time of application.
- Register for October/November SAT I, SAT II, and ACT tests.
- Take another look at your list of colleges and make sure that they
still satisfy your requirements. Add and/or remove colleges as necessary.
- Make sure you meet the requirements (including any transcript
requirements) for all the colleges to which you want to apply. Double
check the deadlines, and begin your applications.
Take some time to think about and outline any essays required.
- Give any recommendation forms to the appropriate teachers or
counselors with stamped, college-addressed envelopes making certain that
your portion of the forms are filled out completely and accurately.
- Most early decision and early action applications are due between
October 1 and November 1. Keep this in mind if you intend to take
advantage of these options, and remember to request that your high school
send your official transcripts to the college to which you are applying.
October:
- Make a final list of schools that interest you and keep a file of
deadlines and required admission items for each school.
- Take SAT and/or ACT tests. Have the official scores sent by the
testing agency to the colleges/universities that have made your final
list of schools. Register for December or January SAT I and/or SAT II
tests, if necessary.
- Continue thinking about and beginning writing (if you have not
already started) any essays to be included with your applications.
November:
December:
- Early decision replies usually arrive between December 1 and
December 31.
- If you haven't already done so, make sure your official test
scores are being sent to the colleges to which you are applying.
- Schedule
any remaining required interviews.
January:
- Complete and submit your college financial aid application and
the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) between January 1
and February 15, and check for other financial aid options. (In other
words, get money.) In
order to be considered for financial aid, you will need to submit these
forms even if you have not yet been notified of your acceptance to the
college(s) to which you applied.
- Go to FAFSA on the
Web form now. You can transfer the data directly to the online FAFSA
using the FAFSA
Transfer module in TexasMentor.
- Request that your high school send your official transcripts to
the colleges to which you are applying.
- Make sure your parents have completed their income tax forms in
anticipation of the financial aid applications.
- Contact
the admissions office(s) of the college(s) to which you have applied to
make sure that your information has been received, and that they have
everything they need from you.
February:
- If you completed the FAFSA, you should receive your Student Aid
Report (SAR) within four weeks. Make the necessary corrections and return
it to the FAFSA processor as soon as possible in order to have your forms
processed quickly.
- Complete your scholarship applications.
- Contact the financial aid office of the college(s) to which you
have applied to make sure that your information has been received, and
that they have everything they need from you.
March/April:
- You will probably hear from the colleges as to whether or not you
are accepted by April 15.
- Compare your acceptance letters, financial aid, and scholarship
offers.
- When
you choose to accept a college's invitation to attend the institution, you
will be required to pay a nonrefundable deposit for freshman tuition
(this should ensure your place in the entering freshman class).
May:
- Take exams for any AP and other honors-level subjects you studied
in high school.
- You should make a decision by May 1st as to which college you
will be attending and notify the school by mailing your commitment
deposit check. Many schools require that your notification letter be
postmarked by this date.
- If
you were placed on a waiting list for a particular college, and have
decided to wait for an opening, contact that college and let them know
you are still interested.
June:
- Have your school send your final transcripts to the college that
you will be attending.
- Contact
your college to determine when fees for tuition, room and board are due
and how much they will be.
- Participate
in any summer orientation programs for incoming freshmen.