College Planning Timeline
College Planning Timeline for Juniors and Seniors
The following list provides you with some of the steps students and their parents/guardians will go through over the next few months.
1. Juniors should register to take the ACT or SAT in the spring. Many students will repeat these exams over the fall of their senior year. Practice tests and registration materials are in the guidance office. It is easiest to register on-line at www.Collegeboard.com or www.actstudent.org (Our high school code is _________)
2. Juniors should meet with their guidance counselors to discuss researching colleges. Parents are encouraged to call the counselor and attend an individual planning session.
3. Students and parents should make college visits during the spring and summer of junior year and the fall of senior year. Students who currently don't have any specific colleges in mind should visit some local colleges. This often helps students to determine which characteristics are important to them and ultimately helps them to develop a final list of colleges.
1. Students can write or call colleges to request applications and catalogs. They can also be requested through the Internet.
2. Students should write a draft of their personal statement and begin essays over the summer. Also, do not throw away graded papers, some schools will ask for a graded assignment.
3. Students may want to take an ACT/SAT prep class to improve their scores.
4. Students should read their college applications to see if they need to take the subject tests, formerly called SAT II's.
Fall Senior Year
1.Students, parents/guardians, and counselors should develop a final list of colleges by fall and determine if further ACT or SAT testing is needed.
2. Students applying for early action/decision must notify their counselors as soon as soon as they return to school in the fall. COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS NEED FOUR WEEKS NOTICE PRIOR TO THE APPLICATION DEADLINE.
3. Students must provide teachers who write letters of recommendation with application deadline dates. (Be sure to select teachers in major academic areas and interest areas.)
4. Students must provide their counselor with an activity sheet and a transcript release form. These forms are available in the Guidance office.
5. It is a good idea to have your applications in between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Early action/decision applications should be in by October. (Guidance department may take 2-3 weeks to get applications out depending on volume.)
6. Students who are hoping to play sports at the Division I or Division II levels must register with the NCAA clearinghouse. Students register at the start of their senior year at www.ncaa.org
7. Students should fill out an on-line form for each college that they apply to or bring their paper applications (including fee and essay) to their guidance counselor or the guidance secretary.
8. Counselors must be notified if a student applies online.
9. Guidance counselors will review the applications and essays if the student provides them before they are mailed.
10. Parents and students are responsible for mailing financial aid forms.