Senior Year College Planning Calendar

During your senior year, you will finalize your college choice. This is a year filled with admission applications, scholarship essays, and financial aid information. Throughout your senior year, continue to build your resume by achieving academic success, as well as participating in extra curricular activities. Colleges are very interested in well-rounded students.

The college preparation that takes place during your senior year is filled with a lot of details and paperwork. It is very important that you involve your parents with this process.

August

Review your career plans and decide which type of postsecondary school is best for you.
List your top college choices. Undecided about a major go to mymajor.com
Request admissions information and submit applications.
Obtain registration materials and test dates for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and/or ACT assessment. Check information about tests on last page.
Compare costs of each school that interests you by contacting the colleges by phone, mail, or via their web sites.
Check in at the Mesa High School Career Center regarding college visitations.

September

Mark your calendar with registration, admissions, and financial aid deadlines and fees.
Determine if the schools that interest you have online admission applications. If not, request them by mail now. Apply now !
Meet with school representatives who visit your high school.
If you haven't already taken the SAT and/or ACT, register for the test(s)
Begin to submit applications, do not delay. Some colleges begin to accept students.
Ask employers, teachers, and guidance counselors for letters of recommendation to accompany your admissions applications.

October

Take the SAT and/or ACT. Check information about tests on last page
Work on your admissions essays.
If you haven't already done so, attend college planning and/or financial aid information nights and college fairs.
Visit your top school choices. If possible, make appointments with faculty, staff, and students.
Complete applications for every scholarship for which you may be eligible.
Contact the schools' financial aid offices to determine which forms they require. Some schools may require special forms.
Finalize portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent if required for admission.

November

Complete admissions applications by their deadlines.
If you haven't already done so, attend college planning and/or financial aid information nights and college fairs.
If necessary, register to retake the SAT and/or ACT.
Request financial aid forms and applications. Double check the deadlines for submission.
Follow up to ensure your employers, teachers, and guidance counselors send letters of recommendation.

December

Sign up for a PIN, your key to a fast, online financial aid application.
Finalize admission applications.
Urge your parents to file their taxes as soon as possible after January 1. This will ease the financial aid process.
Research and apply for other financial aid, including grants and scholarships.

January

As soon as possible after January 1 and when tax forms are complete (they don't have to be filed until April 15; you can use estimates), complete your FAFSA online (or get a paper form from your counselor).
If you can't attend financial aid nights, ask if you and your parents can borrow a video of an event from your counselor.
Contact the U.S. Department of Education at 800-4-FEDAID for assistance completing the FAFSA.

February

Research Advanced Placement (AP) or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams.
Watch for the e-mail notice indicating your Student Aid Report (SAR) is ready.
Sign up for Asset test in the career center if you plan on attending a community college in Arizona.
Rank your top school choices.

March

Check with the financial aid offices to ensure your paperwork is complete. Submit tax forms if they request them.
Narrow your school choices and make campus visits.

April

Compare financial aid award letters.
Make your final school decision and mail deposits, as required.
Check with the school you've chosen about returning financial aid award letters.
Notify the schools you have chosen NOT to attend.
Plan for registration, orientation, and housing.

May

Be aware of any summer orientation sessions that you must attend at the school in which you will enroll, and make plans accordingly.
Finalize your summer job plans, and make a plan for saving a portion of your summer earnings.
Prepare a realistic student budget.

June

Plan for college transportation.
Follow up with the financial aid office to ensure all paperwork is complete.

July

Congratulations! It's time to get ready to start college.

Advice for Parents

Yes, there are things you can do to help your senior prepare for continuing their education after high school.

It is important to attend financial aid presentations and career day functions WITH your student. Many of these events will be held in the evenings and on weekends. If you don't know when they're scheduled, contact your son or daughter's high school counselor. (Attend these events even if you did so last year or with a different student - there is new information all the time!)
Ask them monthly, "Have you been to the azcis.intocarreers.org web site? What are your working on and what scholarships have you applied for?"
Sit down with your student and prepare a list of what he/she is looking for in a college and then help him/her sort through the information they receive from the different institutions to decide which ones offer what's on the list.
Complete applications with the student.
In November, register for a PIN so you can assist your student with financial aid forms.
In March, the award notices will start coming in. Look at the financing carefully and contact the schools with any questions. Make comparisons!
Go on trips with your student to as many of his or her top choices as possible. A visit to the campus is invaluable to making a decision.
Hug them, send them on their way, BUT don't change the locks - they'll be back!

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TESTS

Your academic record is the most important evidence of your preparation for college. However, since secondary schools differ greatly in their courses and grading practices, national standards are used to measure achievement and/or ability. These tests are curriculum based achievement tests measuring the amount of information you have learned throughout your schooling. The more challenging the courses you have taken and the harder you have worked, the higher your scores will be. Be sure to go online to www.collegeboard.com to learn more about the SAT and the SAT Subject Tests.

· The SAT 1 is a three hour thirty-five minute test including critical reading, math and a writing sample. The cost is $41.50 with scores ranging from 200 – 800 on each of the three parts.

· The SAT Subjest tests were formerly called the “Achievement Tests” because they measure your knowledge of a particular subject and your ability to apply that knowledge. For those colleges requiring the SAT II check what specific tests they expect; very often a math test is expected.. Fees are charged per test, registration materials completed and scores are similar to those with the SAT I.

· The ACT assessment is a three-hour test measuring English, Math, Reading and Science reasoning. There is a fee of $29.00 charged, and there are registration materials to complete. Tests are given at various locations. Scores range from 1-36 with your composite score (the one that is reported to colleges) being an average of the four sub tests. There is an optional 30 minute writing part which will cost an additional $14.00. As with the SAT 1 you should go online to www.act.org to learn more details about the new ACT.

By mail, phone or on line www.collegeboard.com or www.act.org

Mesa High School Code is 030-230