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COLLEGE PLANNING CHECKLIST
SEPTEMBER | |
____ | Read or listen to the high school daily bulletin for college admissions, SAT/ACT test dates, financial aid, etc. |
____ | Either create a new, dedicated e-mail for all of your college and financial aid business, or create folders inside your existing e-mail account to put this information. Your email should NOT be foxychick@hotmail.com. It should be your name@gmail.com. |
____ | Keep a folder of all college correspondence with copies of applications, etc. Write down all user names and passwords or keep in phone. |
____ | If you have not yet taken (or plan to retake) a college admissions test, take the ACT in September, October or December or the SAT in October, November or December. Most colleges will not accept the SAT or the ACT taken after December 1 or the ACT taken after December 8. |
____ | Make sure your parents attend the senior parents’ college night on September 25 at 5:30 p.m. in the school library in English or September 27 at 5:30 p.m. in Spanish in the school library. |
____ | College bound student athletes who plan to participate in college athletics need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at http://www.eligibilitycenter.org. You need to send your SAT scores to code 9999. |
____ | Sign up for the October 27 ACT by September 21. Online registration is available at www.actstudent.org. |
____ | See Ms. Meineke to discuss if you should take the SAT Subject Exams. |
____ | Register for the October 6 SAT by September 7. Online registration is available at www.collegeboard.org. |
____ | Meet with college admissions representatives visiting our school. The calendar of visits is available on our counseling website at shusd.schoolwires.com. |
____ | Schedule college campus visits. Check the College Preview Day list on our website. |
____ | If you are having trouble selecting a college, make an appointment with Ms. Meineke. |
____ | Register for the November 3 SAT by October 4. |
____ | If you are applying to a private college, start your application on commonapp.org. Make sure you complete the supplemental questions for each school (waive rights to see letters of recommendation). |
____ | Don’t forget to release your SAT and/or ACT to the colleges you plan to apply. |
____ | See Ms. Meineke if you plan to apply for Early Decision or Early Application. |
____ | Start preparing essay notes and an outline now for your college and/or local scholarship application. |
OCTOBER | |
____ | Start on your local scholarship application. The application is available online at the SHHS website. You should also talk to your parents about writing their essay about you. |
____ | For private schools you may need to submit the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE online at www.collegeboard.org. Click on students, then college planning, then pay for college, then click on CSSPROFILE. |
____ | If you plan to apply for Financial Aid, both you and your parent should apply for your unique FAFSA PIN number, which lets you sign your name online electronically. You can get a FAFSA PIN at www.pin.ed.gov. |
____ | Schedule an individual student/parent conference with Ms. Meineke if necessary. |
____ | Applications for all California State University and University of California campuses must be submitted online. The CSU site is www.csumentor.edu. The UC site is www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply. You can start these applications in October. |
____ | Analyze college application instructions to find out what information is required and when it must reach the college. Check your e-mail frequently. |
____ | Talk to Ms. Meineke and teachers you are asking for recommendations and give them copies of forms provided by the colleges to which you are applying. If you are applying online with the common application at www.commonapp.org, make sure you invite the teachers so they get a link to complete your recommendation. |
____ | Give Ms. Meineke the Secondary School Report section of your private college application forms and a current resume this month. If you are applying online with the common application at www.commonapp.org, make sure you invite Ms. Meineke as your counselor so she gets a link to complete your school reports online. |
____ | Complete your admission essay/personal statement this month. Talk to your English teacher, Ms. Meineke or Ms. Swan about evaluating it and leave ample time for revision. |
____ | Submit the initial Local Scholarship Application to Ms. Meineke by October 19. |
NOVEMBER | |
____ | Register for the December 1 SAT by November 1. |
Submit your online completed CSU application beginning Nov. 1 through Nov. 30. Be sure to print a copy of your completed online application. | |
____ | Submit online your completed UC applications between November 1 and November 30. Be sure to print a copy of your online application. |
____ | Register for the December 1 ACT by November 1. |
____ | Investigate all potential sources of financial aid. Write to any private programs you have located to ask for information and application materials or go online to their web site. Use the collegeboard.org scholarship information or fastweb.com. |
DECEMBER | |
____ | Remind teachers that recommendations are due soon. Write thank you notes to your teachers. |
____ | Complete your applications for private and out-of-state schools and check the deadlines before Winter break. |
____ | Ms. Meineke will have the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms in December. You should, however, apply online at www.fafsa.gov. |
____ | Your family should be working on the FAFSA for mailing immediately after January 1. Apply for your FAFSA PIN number at www.pin.ed.gov so that you can submit the FAFSA online. |
____ | Prepare for your high school final exams. Your high school grades are important to colleges considering your application. Many schools ask for mid-year grades. |
____ | Watch your e-mail for messages from the schools to which you have applied. Most schools will instruct you as to how to create a web portal for further communication with them. |
JANUARY | |
____ | Submit the FAFSA online as soon as possible after January l. Be sure to print a copy of your completed FAFSA for your records. |
____ | Have your parents attend the Financial Aid Workshops. Dates and times to be announced. |
FEBRUARY | |
____ | Ask Ms. Meineke to submit mid-year grades if any of the colleges to which you have applied require them. |
____ | Respond promptly to all requests from colleges to which you have applied. |
____ | Pay close attention to housing information you receive from the colleges you have applied to. Some campuses require you to submit housing applications before you know whether you have been admitted. Read deadline information carefully. |
____ | FAFSA deadline is March 2 for Cal Grants. |
MARCH | |
____ | You should hear from most colleges between March 1 and March 31. Respond quickly to their notices. Check your e-mail frequently. |
____ | Continue to investigate all possible sources of financial aid. Submit your Local Scholarship update information to Ms. Meineke by March 22. |
____ | If necessary, sign up for college placement exams in English and mathematics. Registration deadline for the California State University system is early March. |
____ | Please let Ms. Meineke know when you have been accepted to a college and/or received financial aid or scholarships |
APRIL | |
____ | Selective colleges begin announcing their selections this month. Seniors accepted by more than one college must make a choice based on individual needs, interests, and preferences. In that situation, visits this month to college campuses may help you decide which to attend. |
____ | If you have been accepted to one or more colleges but have not heard from your 1st choice, contact that college or ask Ms. Meineke for help in getting a decision before any non-refundable deposits are due. |
____ | If you have chosen a Community College as your 1st choice, talk to Ms. Meineke about taking their placement tests and registering. Napa College and SRJC admissions counselors will be on campus this month to advise prospective students |
____ | If necessary, register for the University of California Analytical Writing Placement Exam. The exam date is May 11. |
MAY | |
____ | Take AP exams. |
____ | Most colleges require a statement or intent from you (with deposit) by May 1st. |
____ | If required, take the UC Analytical Writing Placement Exam on May 11. |
____ | As soon as you have decided which college's offer of admission to accept, notify all colleges to which you have been accepted of your decision. |
____ | Send acceptance deposit by deadline specified and sign-up for any required summer orientation programs. Check your e-mail frequently. |
____ | Finalize your college housing plans and send required deposits. |
____ | Senior Academic Awards on May 30 at 6:30 p.m. |
JUNE | |
____ | Ask Ms. Meineke to send your final transcript to your college. |
____ | Make sure you respond for Cal Grants, Pell Grants, and any other financial aid offered to you. Failure to do so will result in the aid offer being withdrawn. |
____ | Send thank you notes to the donors of any local scholarships which you received. |
