"To Do's" for Seniors

1.  FINALIZE- Finalize the list of colleges to which you are applying.  A good amount to consider is around 10.  You may choose to prioritize the colleges if you want to consider applying to any of the colleges’ early admissions. For early admissions, colleges may require test scores and applications by November 1.  Be sure to get copies of their financial aid forms and applications as soon as possible so that you have as much time as you can to get everything done. Usually people focus on financial aid after they have finished the college applications, post January 1.  
2. IDENTIFY – Identify who you are going to ask to write letters of recommendation for you.  Give each person your resume, a stamped addressed envelope and any required forms.  Make sure they know what the deadlines are.  Ask them if they would like any additional material, (i.e. writing sample, list of interests…) or if there’s anything you can do to ease the process recognizing the additional work such letters require. 
3. ORGANIZE – Make a master calendar and write down test dates, college application due dates, financial aid scholarships and fellowship application deadlines, high schools deadlines for application requests such as transcripts. and deadlines for recommendations and other necessary material.
4. TESTING, TESTING, 1 2 3 – Sign up early to take the SAT or ACT.  You find out the dates, register and get free tips on www.act.com and www.collegeboard.com. You can also take either the SAT Reasoning Test or up to three SAT Subject Tests on one test day.  Plan your testing schedule carefully if you want to take both types of SAT.  In addition, don’t forget about AP Exams.  Not only will it look good to colleges if you do well on these exams, you may also get credit for your work and have fewer obligations upon entering college.  You would want to take these tests soon after completing the coursework while the material is still fresh in your mind.  Lastly, visit the College Boards SAT Preparation Center to take a free full-length official practice test and get a score and skills report.    There are obviously books you can buy and classes you can take to help you prepare for your exams.  Sit down and talk to your parents about what you want to do.  If a test does not go as well as you had hoped, there are things that can be done.  You can retake the test if you desire.  If it’s an AP or Subject test a school doesn’t even have to find out about your score.  Moreover, not all schools even look at standardized test scores.  Remember, the test scores are just one piece of your extensive package.  Depending on how you do, you may be able to assess if you want to include your test scores or not.  Your score may also influence to which schools you apply.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
5. $$$ - Attend financial aid workshops at your school and local community centers.  They can be very helpful in not only providing an overview of how financial aid works but may also be able to guide you to particular organizations and/or opportunities for students such as yourself.  Calculate your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) using both the Federal Methodology (www.fafsa.ed.gov or www.finaid.org ) and the Institutional Methodology (www.collegeboard.com).  If you are considering applying for specific scholarships and or fellowships, look at their applications immediately.  Do they ask for examples of your experiences in certain areas’?  There is a lot of information on the internet at your finger tips.  Not only is there information about tuition, financial aid and scholarships on the web but there are also college savings calculators to see how much money you’ll need for college, whether you’re on track to save enough and what you’ll need to do to reach your financial goal.  These are all excellent activities to do with your parents.  Review potential scholarships and grants ( Fast Web, scholarships.com, CollegeAnswer, CollegeNet)
6. CLASSES -   Make sure you are enrolled in the right classes.  Colleges like 4 years of English, Math, History, Science and a foreign language.  Moreover, it’s the classes that you take combined with the grades you receive that are the most important thing to colleges when they review your application.  Enroll in the most competitive classes you can handle.  Also you may want to look for some non-traditional classes which might give you an opportunity to stand out.  Instead of French or Spanish, does your school offer Chinese?
7. EXTRA-CURRICULARS - Take your involvement in your extracurricular activities to the next step.  If possible, it’s time to hold an office, take a position or take on additional responsibilities.  This is a great opportunity for you to show initiative and other skills that might not be apparent on a transcript.  Regarding the amount of activities in which a student should participate, there is no right number.  It’s more about taking charge of your life and figuring out how to balance your time out of the classroom. For one student, one activity may be all they can handle because the activity is so time intensive and demanding or they have other obligations.  For another student, the right number may be three or four.
8. Internships – Considering a pre-professional program at college or think you know what you want to do after college.  Get an internship and see if expectations match reality.  Not only could this provide critical insight into programs and schools you may be considering, it’s also an opportunity for a great experience.   
9. Winter Wonderland - Look for great winter holiday break opportunities whether they are jobs, internships, volunteer positions and/or trips.  This may be your last chance to have that leadership or research experience for which your favorite college application is asking.  Not only can family, teachers, coaches and counselors be helpful in this process but so can friends of the family.