Parent/Student College Prep – Junior & Senior Years

Junior Year

Fall

  • Meet with your school counselor to express your desire to attend college
  • Develop good study habits
  • Take Advanced Placement (AP) courses if possible
  • Begin to explore scholarship possibilities and options. Checkout databases like Tuition Funding Sources (tuitionfundingsources.com)

Winter

  • Meet with your counselor to help determine colleges that may be a good fit for you and your goals.
  • Begin to narrow your college choices.
  • Attend college presentations at you school
  • Prepare for the ACT/SAT
  • Take school prep courses if offered
  • Take the test in spring of this year.  You can retake the test again if necessary.

Spring/Summer

  • Visit college campuses

 

Senior Year

August-September

  • Plan for college admissions
  • Contact and meet with admission departments
  • Gather recommendation letters from teachers, fiends and family
  • Prepare application essays
  • Target and submit application well before the deadline for schools you are applying to..
  • Continue scholarship search ( tuitionfundingsources.com )
  • Compare estimated college costs and aid availability of your top colleges with the Net Price Calculator (NPC) on each college website

October

  • Create your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID at  fsaid.ed.gov
  • Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1 every year you plan to attend college at fafsa.ed.gov
  • Research the college of choice if it requires additional financial aid applications and pay close attention to specific deadlines for  completion .

November– January

  • Complete college applications
  • Ask your high school to send transcripts to the colleges to which you have applied.
  • Make sure all the information is correct and up to date when you receive your Student Aid Report
  • Apply for financial aid through all available sources

February – May

  • Keep an eye out for financial aid award letters and communication
  • Compare award letters to determine whether awarded financial aid and family resources cover college costs
  • If you have taken AP (advanced placement) courses, register to take exams at the end of the semester
  • Select the college of your choice and mail in your tuition deposit by the deadline to secure admission
  • Register for summer orientation at your college
  • Enjoy your graduation
  • Apply for additional financing , if needed
  • Prepare for college with a checklist of things-to-do.  Ask your mentor if they can help with this

June- July

  • Heads-up for all notifications from your college… (dorm selection – assignment, parking etc…)
  • Pay attention to fall deadlines for fall term class registration
  • Watch for college bills and make sure costs are covered by financial aid or your family
  • Check and check again your finances to cover initial costs.