The Summer Before Your Senior Year
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Visit as many college campuses as you can.
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Work to save money for college.
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Prepare a resume to help you complete your college admissions applications.
September
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Meet with your guidance counselor to review your college plans. Ask your counselor about guidelines your guidance office has for applying to colleges.
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Create a schedule of college admission and financial aid deadlines.
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Begin writing your college essay.
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Take the ACT if you haven't already.
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Ask for letters of recommendation from your teachers, employers or coaches.
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Search and apply for outside scholarships. However, most local scholarships become available the beginning of November.
- Apply for RISLA's Knowledge For College scholarship each month.
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Decide if you are going to apply early decision or early action at any schools.
October
- Register for a Federal Student Aid Personal Identification Number (PIN). You will need this to complete the FAFSA.
- Apply early for financial aid. Complete all financial aid forms (FAFSA, CSS Profile, etc – check with your school on their requirements). Many early action schools have early financial aid deadlines.
- Ask your high school to send a copy of your first semester transcript to the colleges you have applied to.
- Have someone proofread your college essay.
- Request that your ACT, SAT and SAT II scores to be submitted to your colleges of interest.
- Work on your college applications and submit early decision/early action applications with upcoming deadlines.
- Attend a financial aid workshop.
November
- Spend time exploring scholarships available in your guidance office.
- Request that your ACT, SAT and SAT II scores to be submitted to your colleges of interest.
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Obtain financial aid information from each of your prospective colleges.
- Complete and submit college essays and applications. Make a copy of everything you send.
- Confirm with guidance that your transcript will be sent to your colleges of choice.
December
- Continue to search for local scholarships.
- If you haven't done so already, fill out your FAFSA and CSS Profile (if needed).
January
- Continue to monitor the status of your college applications.
- Your financial aid award letters and your college admission acceptance letters should start arriving soon! Determine which package best meets your financial and personal needs.
- Make enrollment decisions at the schools to which you were accepted.
February
- Follow up with colleges to make sure they received all necessary application materials from you and your high school.
- Your financial aid award letters and your college admission acceptance letters should start arriving soon! Determine which package best meets your financial and personal needs.
- Make enrollment decisions at the schools to which you were accepted.
March
- Look into Advanced Placement (AP) exams, if applicable.
- Apply for more scholarship opportunities.
- Your financial aid award letters and your college admission acceptance letters should start arriving soon! Determine which package best meets your financial and personal needs.
- Make enrollment decisions at the schools to which you were accepted.
April
- For regular decision applications, your financial aid award letters and your college admission acceptance letters should start arriving soon! Determine which package best meets your financial and personal needs.
- Make enrollment decisions at the schools to which you were accepted.
May
- Look into low cost financing options that can help cover college costs.
- Take Advanced Placement tests, if applicable.
- Follow up on pending scholarship applications.
June
- Ask your high school to send a final transcript to the college you will attend.
- Find out when your tuition payments are due.
- Work to help save for college.
- If you need to borrow to pay for school, make sure you understand your education financing options.
- Start planning for college orientation!
