1. College Applications and Financial Aid

2. Fall of Junior Year Take the PSAT in October
Research colleges on Naviance, collegeboard.com, princetonreview.com
Keep your resume on Naviance updated with extra-curricular activities (clubs, sports, employment, volunteer activities, honors, awards, etc.)

3. Fall of Junior Year Keep your grades up, improvement counts!
Maintain a good rapport with your junior year teachers, most likely these will be the teachers who will write letters of recommendation for you.
Sign up for the SAT question of the day at CollegeBoard.com and practice!

4. Winter of Junior Year
Study Hard! Remember how important Junior grades are for your GPA and college apps!
Read over break!
Continue with extra-curricular activities
Plan a challenging Senior Year curriculum

5. SAT/ACT Testing
Considering applying to a college Early Action or Early Decision? Take SATs twice in Junior Year
February: register for SAT if you would like to take it in March
March: register for the SAT if you would like to take it at WHS in May
April: register for the June SAT – a good time to take SAT Subject tests
Prepare for the SAT or ACT!

6. Spring of Junior Year Attend College Fairs
Write letter of intent to Military Academy if interested
Refine your college list
Study for finals!

7. Summer between Junior and Senior Year
Arrange college tours for the summer
Athletes: register with NCAA Clearinghouse after July 15th
Keep extracurricular activity and community service efforts going

8. Fall of Senior Year
Your college list should be narrowed to about 5 or 6 schools with a good spread
View on-line college apps for those schools
Request letters of recommendation if your colleges want them
Take SAT/ACT as needed (PREP!)

9. Fall of Senior Year
Don’t procrastinate with your apps! The earlier the better
Complete all college apps by December 1st
Once you have completed apps, request that your transcript be sent to the college by your HS counselor
Send Thank you notes to anyone who helped you

10. Fall of Senior Year
Don’t procrastinate with your apps! The earlier the better
Complete all college apps by December 1st
Once you have completed apps, request that your transcript be sent to the college by your HS counselor
Send Thank you notes to anyone who helped you

11. Winter of Senior Year
January 1st – first day to apply for financial aid using the FAFSA
February 14th – finish FAFSA – your gift to yourself!
Mid February: Mid-year grades will be sent – keep your grades up!

12. When Should I Apply to College?
If applying to a four-year college: 
    Strong students apply early in the Fall
If applying to a two-year college or technical school:
    Apply for Fall admission during the prior Spring semester

13. What Really Matters to Colleges?
There is no “magic formula”
There are no “rules”
Small Schools pay greater attention to the person
Large Schools often use a mathematical formula based on GPA, ACT/SAT and favor in-state applicants

14. What Really Matters to Colleges?
Courses Taken – colleges want to see academic discipline and a challenge
Grades Received
Rank
SAT/ACT Scores
Essays
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
truly commit to 2-3 activities
Interviews

15. Most Significant Factor in Admission:
Grades Earned in ACADEMIC Courses! 
Transcript is the BIGGEST DRIVER in the whole process!!
*Admissions counselors report that 
colleges recalculate GPA, using 
only academic courses

16. College Application Process in 14 Easy STeps
Senior Year Reference
College Application Process in 14 Easy STeps
1.  Narrow College choices to 5-8 schools. 2.  Make a list of choices. 3.  Visit School Counselor and list schools to which you are applying.  (Be sure to tell your School Counselor if you are using the Commonapp for any colleges). 4.  Check College application Deadlines. 5.  Complete Teacher Letter of Recommendation request forms and ask two teachers for letters. 6.  Go to colleges’ websites, click on Admissions/Undergraduate Admissions and complete applications on-line. 7.  Request official scores from Collegeboard and/or ACTstudent. 8.  When you have finished applications, tell your School Counselor to send your transcript and letters of rec. 9.  Go to FAFSA.ed.gov and create a PIN number.
10.   Go back after Jan 1 and complete your FAFSA. 11.  Wait for notification from colleges.
12.  If colleges send s or letters saying items are missing, call the admissions offices to double check. 13.  Receive admission or denial letters from colleges. 14.  Send in “Intent to Register” notification to colleges by May 1 along with housing deposit.    

17. SAT/ACT Testing Schedule 1
  SAT/ACT Testing Schedule 1.  October Junior Year - take PSAT (about $13, scores not reported to colleges). 2.  Fall or Winter Junior Year - Take SAT/ACT practice test (about ($10, scores not reported to colleges). 3.  Winter of Junior Year - begin SAT and/or ACT prep. 4.  March and/or May of Junior Year - take SAT*. 5.  April of Junior Year - take ACT. 6.  May or June of Junior Year/Fall and/or Winter of Senior Year- take SAT II’s if needed (look at the colleges’ admissions websites to see if they require SAT II’s). 7.  Fall and/or Winter of Senior Year - re-take SAT and/or ACT to improve scores if necessary**. *when registering for SAT and/or ACT be sure to take advantage of the FREE score reports and send scores to colleges to which you might apply. **if re-taking the SAT/ACT, be sure to PREP!

18. Two-Year College or Tech School Application Process
Senior Year Reference
Two-Year College or Tech School Application Process
Applications are completed after the first of the year for fall admission.
1.  Visit college/Tech school website and go to “Admissions”.
2.  Download paper application (or complete on-line application and then notify your school counselor).
3.  Complete paper application.
4.  Submit paper application along with application fee to your school counselor.  Your counselor will mail your application, fee and transcript to the College/Technical School. 5.  Schedule the Accuplacer (placement exam)
a.  SCC: take the Accuplacer at WHS, meet with a college advisor to choose courses
b.  All other community colleges and Tech Schools: you will receive communication from the school indicating when you can take the accuplacer/placement test and meet with an advisor to choose courses.
c.  Explore specialty programs (Nursing, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Sustainable Energy Technology, etc) to determine admission requirements*
* You may need SAT or ACT scores

19. The Application and Fee
List Basic Information about yourself
Your school and Family information
GPA and standardized test scores
Extracurricular and awards earned
Application Fee $30-$60 and many schools offer fee waivers for applying online

20. Transcripts
Request official high school transcripts (some college require them to be mailed directly)

21. SAT or ACT Score Report
Request that your score report be sent directly to your prospective colleges.
Schedule your test with enough time to receive your scores and have them sent to your colleges of choice.

22. Letters of Recommendation
Most colleges require two or three letters of recommendation
Pick those who know you well and can speak to your strengths
Make your requests about two months prior to application deadline
Personal Statement
Tell what makes you unique and what you can bring to a given campus

23. Financial Aid
Applying for admission for admission and applying for financial aid are two separate processes
Complete and submit your FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible
Research student loan options thoroughly before borrowing