Your Senior Year ChecklistPreparing For College

NameName of Chapter

Date

Ready! Set! Go!It’s time to start your

college preparation now.

Higher education optionsType of institution Degrees offered Examples

Community colleges Associates degreeCertificates

Mountain View CollegePalo Alto College

Technical colleges Associates degreeCertificates

ITT Technical InstituteTexas State Technical College

Public universities Bachelor’s degreeMaster’s degreeDoctoral degree

University of California at Los AngelesUniversity of Texas at AustinFlorida State University

Private universities Bachelor’s degreeMaster’s degreeDoctoral degree

Stanford UniversityNotre Dame UniversityHarvard 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 Gradeso Grade point average (GPA)o Courses takeno Class ranko Admissions exams (i.e. ACT/SAT)o Extracurricular activities, leadershipo Community serviceo Employmento 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 – 11th grade• 11th grade – Fall Semester

o Take the PSAT exam in October to be considered for national scholarships

o Talk to your counselor about your college planso Review your high school graduation requirementso Take college-level classes (i.e. advanced placement, IB, honors,

dual credit)o Study for your SAT and/or ACT examso Visit colleges and universitieso Participate in your school’s college fair

College checklist – 11th grade• 11th grade – Spring Semester

o Continue to focus on academic – your GPA this semester is generally the one used for college admissions

o Study for your SAT and/or ACT examso Take the SAT/ACT exam for the first timeo Visit colleges and universitieso Apply for college summer programso Be active in extracurricular activities and community serviceo Prepare your college portfolio including a resume

College checklist – 11th grade• 11th grade – Summer before your senior year

o Visit colleges and universitieso Participate in a summer campo Prepare your college portfolio including a resumeo 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 – 12th grade12th grade – Fall Semester 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 – 12th grade12th grade – Spring Semester 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 – 12th grade12th grade – Summer Semester 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 AidFour 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 collegeso Corporations, businesses, private organizationso 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 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 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

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