Fall and Winter College To-Do List for Seniors

The fall semester is an exciting time for seniors as they begin the end of their high school careers and eagerly dream of their futures. However, it is also a stressful time. From college and scholarship applications to fitting in one more ACT and SAT score, seniors may feel in over their heads. This helpful to-do list is compiled of useful information and important dates regarding what seniors should be doing to stay ahead of the curve in preparing for higher education.

Below is a summarized To-Do list:

Fall

Finalize college list: Refine your college list based on your research and campus visits.
Request recommendations: Ask teachers, counselors, and mentors for letters of recommendation well in advance of deadlines.
Complete financial aid forms: Submit the FAFSA and any other required forms, like the CSS Profile, as early as possible.
Write and edit essays: Draft and finalize your college essays, getting feedback from as many people as possible.
Submit applications: Complete and submit early action and early decision applications by their deadlines.
Send official documents: Request that your official high school transcript and standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) be sent to your colleges.
Stay engaged: Keep your grades up and stay involved in extracurriculars, as colleges still review your senior year performance.
Create a calendar: Make a calendar to track all deadlines for applications, financial aid, and scholarships.

Winter

Submit regular applications: Finish and submit regular decision applications before their deadlines, ideally before winter break.
Follow up: Check to confirm that all colleges have received all application materials, including test scores and recommendations.
Apply for scholarships: Continue to actively research and apply for scholarships throughout the winter.
Submit mid-year grades: Be prepared to send mid-year grade reports to colleges if they require them.
Attend events: If possible, attend any remaining college fairs or virtual events to demonstrate interest.
Prepare for next steps: Make decisions based on any early application results, and start planning for enrollment if you have been accepted early.

College List: Finalize your college list. Hopefully, you have already given some thought as to which colleges you want to apply to. A good college list consists of about 5-8 schools: 1-2 safety schools (these are the schools you know you’ll get accepted by), 2-4 target schools (these are the schools that you think you could get in to), and 1-2 reach schools (these schools are a little bit more difficult to get accepted by). A great way to narrow your list is to choose schools that 1) have your major and/or are prestigious in your academic field, 2) are the size you prefer, 3) are in a good location or close to your home, and 4) are within your price range. Choosing a school is like choosing a house; you want to ensure it’s the right fit. That is why campus visits that let you see your school up close and personal are a good idea. I know you’re excited about your future schools, but we’re a long way off from signing the contract.

Applications: Once you have a few schools picked out, it’s time to start the dreaded college applications. This process can be overwhelming for many seniors, so let’s break it down. There are a few different ways to apply to a school: through an online application like Common App, Coalition App, or QuestBridge App, and the traditional way, which is to apply through the college’s website.

Online Applications: If you are applying to many schools at once or just want an easy way to track your application, online applications are the way to go. Common App allows you to apply and monitor your application for up to 20 colleges. Online Applications are easy to use. All you have to do is 1) make a username and password and 2) fill in your personal information and academic information (this is your birthday, graduation date, expected major, GPA, ACT/SAT score (optional), extracurriculars, sports, clubs, and more).

Once you have all your information put in, it’s time for the fun part: adding the colleges you want the application to go to. You can preview, add, delete, and/or change any information you want before you send your application. You can also see when important dates are, such as Early Action (non-binding early applications), Early Decision I (legally binding application - you must attend that school if you get accepted), and Regular Decision (non-binding regular application). If the school is prestigious or highly selective, it may be a good idea to submit your application as Early Action so that you can increase your chances of getting in.

Traditional Applications: Applications through the specific school’s website are called traditional applications. Some schools will not accept applications through online websites other than their own, so traditional applications are a good idea. Filling these out is not difficult but rather tedious. If you are filling many of these out, it is a good idea to keep your information on a separate Word or Google Docs Document, so that you can copy and paste your information into many applications. To fill out an application, you must 1) choose a username and password (the username is usually an easily accessible email address), 2) answer the questions about your personal, academic, and extracurricular information, and 3) answer any essay questions.

Letters of Recommendation: An important part of any college application is the letters of recommendation. These are essays from teachers, counselors, coaches, administrators, and/or mentors that sing your praises. Letters of recommendation are a way for colleges to understand you better as a person and student. They are also a great way to brag about yourself.

Submit Applications: When you have finished your college application, it’s time to submit! Online applications will let you know when you have successfully submitted your application and when the school has downloaded it. Otherwise, the colleges you applied to will notify you when they have received your application. Be careful! Often, there are more documents (like official transcripts, official ACT/SAT scores, and more) to add after your application has been submitted. Only councilors can send official documents, so make sure to stay in touch with your school’s councilor.

What to do Next: As winter approaches, the hard part is over! Once you apply to college, it’s smooth sailing. Make sure to keep your grades and participation in extracurricular activities up. You still have time to squeeze in one more ACT/SAT score! Colleges will be notified if you improve your score even after your application has been submitted. It is also important to keep an eye out for scholarship applications. (You can reuse your information and essays from your application for scholarships.)

Congratulations! Way to take your future into your own hands and be proactive. For more information and resources, visit the links below!

Application Information:

BigFuture

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Common App Information:

CommonApp

https://www.commonapp.org/apply/first-year-students

Scholarship Information:

Scholarships.com

https://www.scholarships.com

FAFSA Information:

Federal Student Aid