Things to Do In Your Senior Year

The following is a list of tasks that seniors who are applying to college should complete. The timing will vary somewhat from student to student. Most regular decision application deadlines fall between January 1 and February 15. Most financial aid deadlines are in late January or early February. For the most complete information about programs and requirements, consult individual college websites.

September

• Begin to narrow your list of colleges to 5 to 10. Plan to visit as many of these colleges as possible. Attend classes. Make appointments for interviews with admissions counselors or alumni at colleges in which you are interested. Schedule overnights at a few colleges that you are considering seriously.
• Use (or open) your Naviance Family Connection account to do further college and career research. Complete the Senior Questionnaire for College Conference. Make an appointment for your senior meeting with Ms. Ross, the college advisor. It is wise to meet with her whether or not you had a junior meeting.
• Check in with teachers who agreed to write letters of recommendation for you. Remind them that the letters are due on Naviance and in the Guidance Office on October 22 if you are applying early and on November 16 if you are applying regular decision.
• If you are an athlete planning to continue playing a Division I or II sport in college, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/) after July 1. They will require official SAT scores, which you should send after you have completed your testing.
• Register to attend college visits scheduled at ARHS. Choose colleges that interest you. Often these representatives will be reading your application. At least stop by and say hello!
• Develop a plan for fall testing if your colleges require it. The SAT is given in October, November, December and January. The ACT is given in October and December. If you are on free or reduced price lunch, see a Guidance secretary to arrange for waivers for testing and college application fees.
• Create a master list or calendar that includes:
  • Tests you’ll take and their fees, dates, and registration deadlines.
  • College application due dates.
  • Financial aid application deadlines and the forms required. (Note: The deadlines are different from application deadlines.)
  • Other materials you’ll need (recommendations, transcripts, etc.).
  • The ARHS application processing deadlines.

October

• Attend the ARHS College Admissions Night for helpful tips, and the Hampshire County College Fair if you are still looking for college information.
• Try to finalize your college choices.
• If you’re submitting essays, write first drafts and ask teachers and others to read them
• After completing the Senior Questionnaire for College Conference, talk to your guidance counselor about writing your counselor recommendation, which will be required by most private and some public colleges.
• Prepare Early Decision, Early Action, or rolling admissions applications as soon as possible. On Naviance Family Connection, request that transcripts and recommendations be sent to your college(s).
• If you are applying early, be sure to contact the College Board or ACT to be sure your scores were sent.

November

• Use Naviance Family Connection to request transcripts and recommendations at least three weeks before your colleges require them.
• Complete at least one college application by Thanksgiving even if you are not applying early. Remember that many colleges require essay supplements as well as your personal statement. There’s a lot to do.

December

• Attend the ARHS Financial Aid Night for detailed financial aid information.
• Remember to keep your grades up. We send your second trimester progress reports to all colleges.
• Be sure that your test scores have been sent officially to your colleges from the College Board or ACT.
• Make sure that all of your transcripts and recommendations have been requested in Naviance. Check their status.
• Work hard on those applications! Many private college regular decision deadlines are January 1 or 15. As you finish and send your applications and essays, be sure to print copies before submitting your applications online. Photocopy all print materials you are sending as well.

January

• Complete your applications.
• Encourage your parents to complete the family’s income tax forms as early as possible. You will need this information to complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile(if required).
• Get a FAFSA PIN at www.pin.ed.gov.
• Complete the required financial aid forms. Attend the ARHS FAFSA completion event if you need help. Financial aid deadlines are usually February 1 or 15, but they are often earlier. You must submit your forms by the first deadline. Read college websites for deadlines.

February - March

• No senioritis, please! The college at which you choose to enroll will look at second and third trimester senior year grades.
• College decision letters will begin arriving. Read them carefully, including any instructions. Recently some colleges have been asking for refundable deposits very early. You can request an extension in writing if you need it. They are required to grant the request. The official Student Reply Date, by which you must declare your intentions officially is May 1.
• Keep active in school. If you are wait-listed and still interested in the college, admissions officers will want to know what you have accomplished between the times you applied and learned of the decision.

April

• You should receive all acceptance letters and financial aid letters by mid-April. Carefully weigh all possibilities in light of your priorities. Promptly appeal financial aid offers, if necessary.
• If you have not done so yet, visit your final colleges before accepting one. As soon as you decide, notify a Guidance secretary and your counselor of your choice.
• Wait-listed by a college? If you would enroll if accepted, tell the college’s admissions contact person your intent and ask how to strengthen your application. Send strong letters of interest and supporting documentation. Need financial aid? Ask whether funds will be available if you’re accepted from the waitlist.
• Planning to defer admission and take a gap year? Most colleges will honor that request, but some will not. Ask anonymously during the admissions process, or certainly before accepting an offer of admission. It is rarely possible to defer admission from a college at which you were waitlisted.

May

• Colleges cannot require a deposit or commitment to attend before May 1. By that postmarked date, you must inform every college of your acceptance or rejection of the offer of admission and/or financial aid. (Questions? Talk to your counselor.)
• Send your deposit to one college only. It is considered unethical to double deposit
• Work with a counselor to resolve any admissions or financial aid problems.
• Complete the Graduation Survey in Naviance Family Connection. It gives us permission to send your final transcript to your chosen college.

June

• Graduate!!

Source: Adapted from College Times® (published by the College Board)