Timeline for Senior Year
Senior year is coming up, and college application season is right around the corner. Does the thought of all those decisions and deadlines make your head spin a little? Don’t panic!
It’s time! Senior year is coming up, and college application season is right around the corner. Does the thought of all those decisions and deadlines make your head spin a little? Don’t panic! We’ll tell you everything you need to know in this timeline for senior year:
- Summer/Early Fall
The summer before your senior year is the time for research and applying to colleges. Think about what you’re looking for in a school, and start visiting prospective colleges. This is also when you should be looking up admissions and merit scholarship requirements for the schools you’re considering.
Don’t forget to register for the September ACT or SAT!
- Mid-to-Late Fall
Finalize the list of colleges you’re interested in attending. It’s important to get (and stay!) organized during this time. We suggest creating a folder to store documents in for each college you’re applying to. In the meantime, start working on your resume if you haven’t already. Make sure to include academic achievements, extracurriculars, community service, and work experience.
File your FAFSA in October! Lots of schools require it for scholarship consideration, so file even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for any financial aid.
Register for the December ACT or SAT, and make sure to have your scores sent directly to the colleges.
Start working on applications for schools with early decision or rolling admissions. As tempting as it may be to procrastinate- write those application essays and request recommendation letters. P.S. Send thank-you notes to teachers, coaches, and/or mentors who provide rec letters!
- Winter
Check in with the housing offices at the schools you’ve applied to. Schools with limited space fill up quickly, so you’ll need to send in your deposit early to secure your dorm choice.
It’s also a good idea to check the medical requirements for the schools you’re applying to and get the required vaccinations.
Throughout the season, keep applying to schools and for scholarships!
- Spring
Avoid catching Senioritis! Colleges can and will revoke your acceptance and/or scholarship offers if your grades fall, so stay focused.
May 1st is Decision Day! If you haven’t picked a school yet, today is your deadline.
Study up and take your AP Exams—get some college credits!
- Early Summer
You made it! Send your final transcript to the school you’ve chosen. Make sure to keep copies of everything- college applications, financial aid papers, and essays. You never know when you may be asked to resend documents, so have them ready!
As soon as you submit that application to your dream school, you’re probably dying to get your admissions decision. When should you expect to receive your acceptance letter?
When To Expect a Response:
- For early decision applications, it’s usually around mid-December.
- For rolling admissions, letters are typically sent out 6-8 weeks after applying.
- Regular admissions deadlines are around the first of the year, and those letters are sent out March through April.
For more help, download our College Organizer forms from the “Downloads”section at potentialmagazine.com
