Your Senior Year Checklist
Preparing For College
Name
Name of Chapter
Date
Ready! Set! Go!
It’s time to start your
college preparation now.
Higher education options
Type of institution
Degrees offered
Examples
Community colleges
Associates degree
Certificates
Mountain View College
Palo Alto College
Technical colleges
Associates degree
Certificates
ITT Technical Institute
Texas State Technical College
Public universities
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree
University of California at Los Angeles
University of Texas at Austin
Florida State University
Private universities
Bachelor’s degree
Master’s degree
Doctoral degree
Stanford University
Notre Dame University
Harvard University
Health-related and
professional institutions
Professional degrees
(law and medicine)
John Hopkins University
Getting into college
• Every university has different admissions requirements.
• Common admissions requirements include
o Grades
o Grade point average (GPA)
o Courses taken
o Class rank
o Admissions exams (i.e. ACT/SAT)
o Extracurricular activities, leadership
o Community service
o Employment
o College essays and interviews
Getting started
• Time to start getting ready for college
• Graduation will be here before you know it
• Use this checklist to help take the right steps to prepare for
college
College checklist –
•
th
11
grade
11th grade – Fall Semester
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o
o
o
o
o
o
Take the PSAT exam in October to be considered for national
scholarships
Talk to your counselor about your college plans
Review your high school graduation requirements
Take college-level classes (i.e. advanced placement, IB, honors,
dual credit)
Study for your SAT and/or ACT exams
Visit colleges and universities
Participate in your school’s college fair
College checklist –
•
th
11
grade
11th grade – Spring Semester
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Continue to focus on academic – your GPA this semester is
generally the one used for college admissions
Study for your SAT and/or ACT exams
Take the SAT/ACT exam for the first time
Visit colleges and universities
Apply for college summer programs
Be active in extracurricular activities and community service
Prepare your college portfolio including a resume
College checklist –
•
th
11
grade
11th grade – Summer before your senior year
o
o
o
o
Visit colleges and universities
Participate in a summer camp
Prepare your college portfolio including a resume
Draft a list of college choices and visit as many as possible
Congratulations!
You’ve made it to your senior year.
This time next year
you will be starting college.
College checklist –
th
12
grade
12th grade – Fall Semester
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Make a college to-do calendar with important deadlines
Double check you graduation requirements
Register for and take the SAT and/or ACT exam
Research deadlines for admissions/scholarships
Submit your college applications
Schedule your interviews and auditions (if required)
Write your college essay
Find out about on-campus housing options
Research scholarships and requirements
College checklist –
th
12
grade
12th grade – Spring Semester
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Follow-up on your admissions applications
Complete your income tax return (and encourage your parents to do the
same) in order to complete your financial aid applications
File your financial aid applications by the priority deadline
Follow-up on your financial aid award letter (4-6 weeks after applying)
Keep applying for scholarships
Stay focused on your academics, every grade still counts
Pay your housing deposit and your enrollment deposit (if required)
Register for freshman orientation
College checklist –
th
12
grade
12th grade – Summer Semester
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GRADUATION!
Complete any pending financial aid documents required
Attend your freshman orientation
Contact your roommate and introduce yourself
Finalize travel arrangements if your college is out-of-town
Make plans for your move-in day to the residence hall
Using Financial Aid
Four types of financial aid available to students
• Grants are free money for students based on financial need
• Loans are money that must be paid back
• Work study requires students to work part-time
• Scholarships are free money for students based on academic merit
Applying for financial aid
• Students must apply for financial aid after January 1st of
their senior year of high school.
• Parents must prepare their tax returns early to ease the
submission of their financial aid application.
• Financial aid deadlines vary by college. Students should
inquire at their college for priority and final deadline dates.
Applying for financial aid
• U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents and certain eligible non-citizens
must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA).
Apply online at www.FAFSA.gov
• Some states provide limited financial aid for undocumented
students. Students should inquire with the Financial Aid Office at
their college to determine eligibility and application requirements.
Applying for scholarships
• Scholarships are offered by
o Universities and colleges
o Corporations, businesses, private organizations
o Non-profit organizations and foundations
• Deadlines and application requirements vary by scholarship.
• The peak period to apply for scholarships is November to March of your child’s
senior year.
• Students should speak to their counselor to learn more about scholarship resources.
How to stay organized
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Create a College Portfolio to track all of your information
Keep a college calendar and checklist
Keep copies of all of your documents
Organize your e-mail (get an e-mail if you don’t have one
yet)
Write down the name and contact information of the
people you speak with about your applications
Enjoy your last two years of high school
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Finding the right college for you takes a little effort and is a
big decision
Do your research
Stay organized
Don’t miss deadlines
Ask questions
Have fun
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS