Senior Year - College Timeline

 

All Senior Year

• Get involved! Stand out from the crowd!
  • Join school organizations that interest you
  • Help out in your community
  • This dedication is a plus for your prospective university, community college, technical school, or scholarship committee
• Check with Ms. Garza  for:
  • Local scholarships available
  • For field trips to local universities, community colleges, and technical schools
• Keep your parents/legal guardian involved in your decision making
  • Show them you are motivated and dedicated to your future!

 

March (Jr. year) – October (Sr. year)

SAT/ACT and College Search

• Register for SAT or ACT entrance test for the university
  • SAT: www.collegeboard.com ACT: www.actstudent.org
  • If Free/Reduced Lunch go to Ms. Garza for Fee Test Waiver
  • Tests are given every month from September – June of every year
  • ACT:
    • Study and test taking strategies: www.actsudent.org/pdf/preparing/pdf
    • practice test: www.actstudent.org/sampletest/index.html
  • SAT: Study guide, practice tests, and test taking strategies

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/prep_one/prep_one.html

• Request SAT/ACT scores be sent to your desired university/community college/technical school:
  • On your registration application, list the schools you will be applying to, in order to have them receive your score report.
  • You will have to pay additional fees to send scores if you don’t do it at this point.
• Narrow your college choices to 3-5 choices
  • Search for schools based on major, career, and/or preferred locations at:
    • www.bridges.com www.xap.com www.collegeboard.com
  • Request information to be sent to your home
  • Know Early Decision, Early Action and Priority Admission Deadlines

 

Application Type	Binding	Can Apply Early to Other Colleges	Can Apply to Other Colleges Under Regular Admissions
Early Decision	Yes	No	Yes
Early Action	No	Yes	Yes
Single-Choice Early Action	No	No	Yes
Priority Admission Deadline	No	Yes	Yes

• Know Admission Requirements, Academic Scholarship Deadlines, & Financial Aid Deadlines
• Visit the university/community college/technical school

August - September

Meet with your counselor to:

• check credits required for graduation
• make sure you will meet your university/community college/technical school entrance requirements
• review your senior year schedule and determine how to enhance your admission and scholarship application
• review your university/community college/technical school choices:

Your counselor can help you find helpful information

• Complete your Senior Résumé:
  • Résumé will help you complete scholarship applications and admission applications
  • Résumé will help you request recommendation letters
    • recommendation letters can be a part of an admission and/or scholarship application

August - December

Complete university admission applications & Scholarship searches

• US Citizens and US Permanent Residents will complete online admission applications
• Non-US Citizens or Non-US Permanent Residents must contact the school to verify application process and requirements
• Public universities – www.applytexas.org common application for all Texas and some out-of-state schools
• Private universities – www.commonapp.org common application for some private schools in the US; verify application process with private college
• Refer to university for complete admission application requirements and admission deadlines
• Submit complete application to universities
  • application, high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores, résumé, application fee (and letters of recommendation if required)
• If Free/Reduced Lunch go to counselor for an Application Fee Waiver
• Students complying with Early Decision/Early Action/Priority Admission deadlines increase their chances of obtaining scholarships through the university
• Find scholarships at:
  • BEST PLACE university/community college/technical school you are applying to
    • visit the campus Scholarship Dept and Scholarship website
  • Ms. Garza's office
  • local organizations, hospitals, companies, and public offices
  • the organizations you provided community service to during your senior year
  • national search engines
    • www.xap.com www.collegeboard.com www.fastweb.com www.hsf.net www.lationcollegedollars.org www.collegeforalltexans.com www.naacp.org/youth/scholarships/index.htm

November – December

FAFSA Pin and financial aid eligibility

• FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Financial Aid can come from the US government and/or the Texas government
  • A financial aid application calculates the student’s EFC = Estimated Family Contribution
    • EFC – measures family’s financial strength; how much money the government estimates the family is able to contribute to college expenses
  • All schools require a financial aid application on file to determine scholarship eligibility
  • The government offers financial help three different ways:

1. grants – money given to student from US or Texas government; student does not pay this back
2. work-study – student works for the college in exchange for pay as part of the financial aid package
3. loans – student applies for low interest loans through banks; two types of loans offered

• subsidized loans – government pays for interest, student pays back principal
• unsubsidized loans – student pays back interest and principle
• US Citizen and US Permanent Resident students must apply for a FAFSA Pin number for the student and the student’s parent/legal guardian
  • www.pin.ed.gov
  • a pin number is required to complete an online FAFSA application
• Non-US citizens or Non- US Permanent Residents:
  • visit www.fafsa.ed.gov/faq003.htm for eligibility, or
  • call college for eligibility
  • students not eligible for FAFSA are still eligible for financial aid; contact university/community college/technical school for financial aid application and assistance on determining financial aid funds availability
• Gather family income information for tax preparation and for completion of financial aid forms
• Talk to Counselor about registering for Dual Credit classes during the Spring semester
  • Dual Credit classes can help reduce the number of classes required for your desire college degree

January – March

Complete financial aid application & Scholarship applications

• All students applying to a university/community college/technical school can complete a FAFSA application beginning January 1^st of each year
  • It is recommended that parents complete their Income Tax Return before the student completes the online FAFSA application
  • If parents have not yet filed their return, the student can still submit an online FAFSA application and enter estimated income and tax information. Once the parents file their tax return, the student will correct any discrepancy between the estimated information and the official one.

• Complete financial aid application and submit before “Priority Financial Aid Deadline” of the colleges you have applied to or will:
  • FAFSA – www.fafsa.ed.gov – US Financial Aid application for US Citizens and US Permanent Residents; non-US citizens or non Permanent residents, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov/faq003.htm or call college for eligibility
  • TASFA – www.colegeforalltexans.com – TX Financial Aid for all Texas Residents regardless of US residency status
• You do not have to be admitted before submitting a financial aid application
• Students submitting their financial aid application before the “Priority Financial Aid Deadline” increase their chances of being rewarded financial aid
• Scholarships
  • Focus on completing scholarship applications from the university/community college/technical school
  • Request letters of recommendation is applicable; allow a minimum of two weeks for people to have time to write and send recommendations
  • Complete scholarship applications early! Make sure all required documentation is sent.

February – March

FAFSA Follow-Up Procedures & Meet with Counselor

• Visit http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/follow001.htm for corrections, to add schools, and view EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
• Non-US citizens or permanent residents who did not complete an online FAFSA application:
  • follow-up with schools approximately one month after submitting your financial aid application to correct/add any information the college requests
• Meet with counselor to check credits required for graduation

March – May

Complete community college admission application & Meet with Counselor

• Refer to community college admission office for complete requirements
• SAT/ACT is not required for a community college
• Every student with a high school diploma or GED may attend a community college
• Meet with Counselor:
  • to register for AP tests; AP tests can help reduce the number of classes required for your desire college degree
  • for graduation information and procedures
  • to help make final decision on which school you will attend
• Pay fines and return all books to avoid a hold on your diploma

May

• Receive university acceptances – you must inform the university whether or not you will attend
• Request Final Transcript from high school record’s office to be sent to your desired university/community college/ technical school
  • Final transcript is required to prove your high school graduation

After being admitted, check with your college for procedures and deadlines to:

• find, apply for, and accept scholarships
• apply for room and board
• accept Financial Aid
• Freshman orientation
• pay and different payment plans available
• register for classes

No Items Available