College/Post-High School Resources

• Discuss goals with parents.

• Make a wish list of colleges.

• Use search engines to find schools that fit your criteria:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search/filters 
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ 

• • Parents may want to visit with tax advisor or accountant about reducing assets for FAFSA (the taxes you file at the end of this year will be the numbers considered for your first year contributions). 
  • Create a physical or digital file to store all of your college search information. 
  • Consider setting up an email address just for college-related emails. Make sure you check it! And make sure it sounds professional. 
  • Take the SAT/ACT for the first time. No pressure on this one, just see how you do. 
  • Visit one school if possible. 

• • Keep researching schools. 
  • Contact schools to schedule visits. 
  • Visit schools. 
  • Take an SAT/ACT prep class to help boost your scores. 
  • Determine your goal score/super score for the SAT/ACT. 
  • Take the SAT/ACT again. 
  • Update your resume. 

• • Keep contacting and visiting schools (if possible). 
  • Start filling out the Common App. 
  • Start looking for scholarships. 
  • Take the SAT/ACT again? 
  • Update your resume.

• • Try to finish visiting colleges. 
  • Keep working on applications and scholarships. 
  • Think about who you want to have write recommendations for you. 
  • Organize your college files (digital or physical) – don’t delete things yet! 

• • Finish visiting colleges if you’re still not sure. 
  • Completion of most admission applications and scholarships should happen between August 1 and December 1. 
  • Stay focused in school – this semester’s grade card may determine your scholarship level! 
  • Request recommendations – give the writer plenty of time to complete it. 
  • Schedule the last SAT/ACT exam if you haven’t achieved your desired score yet. October or December exams will be the last ones accepted. 
  • October – With your parents, complete the FAFSA. 

• • Follow up with all schools you’ve applied to. Make sure they have everything they need for your application. 
  • Request 7th semester transcript be sent to all applied schools. 
  • Pay attention to housing and other deadlines.

• • With parents, examine all admission, financial aid, and scholarship offers and commit to one school and decline others in writing. 
  • Make sure all of your fees and forms are completed for your chosen school. 
  • Help plan your graduation party and remember to thank your parents for all they’ve done to get you this far. 

• • Request final transcript be sent to college of choice. 
  • Continue to make sure your school has all of the information you need for enrollment and move in. 
  • Follow up on non-school scholarships if necessary to make sure they are received by the school. 
  • Stay in touch with your admissions representative with any questions you may have. 
  • Write thank you notes for your graduation gifts. 
  • Spend time with family and classmates before you leave for school and remember to have fun!