Senior (12thGrade) Checklist
When you reach your senior year, it is time to start making final decisions about college. Before you commit to a college, focus on narrowing down your choices and create a short list that you can compare objectively.
September
If you did not do this as a freshman, sophomore, or junior, sit down with your family to discuss your future. Talk about why you should go to college and set objectives to get there.
Discuss a plan to finance your college education. Get the real numbers based on your personal financial situation. Try the College Budget Calculator.
Have a September meeting with your school counselor to discuss the upcoming year.
Continue to explore career options and the college majors that provide the educational background in the fields you are interested in. Utilize The Career Factors for Students course and assessment to help you identify important features of your personality, key motivations, interests, and aptitudes that may help you in your college major and career exploration decision.
If you’re in the position to do so, take a course at a local college or community college to start earning college credit. Explore dual enrollment or dual credit opportunities at your high school.
Build Your College Resume.
Your list of colleges should be narrowed down to 8 schools or less. No decision is needed yet.
Continue to look at the applications for the colleges where you would like to apply.
Register here for the SAT and/or ACT if you didn’t take them as a junior or aren’t happy with your results.
Study hard! If you lose motivation, your GPA will likely suffer, and you may lose possible scholarships or grants from colleges.
Check cut off dates for applications, particularly those for Ivy League and other priority deadline schools.
Understand what the real cost of college is. Sign up with TuitionFit for FREE.
Continue to participate in extracurricular school activities.
Begin working on your personal statement, college application, supplemental questions, and scholarship essays. The College Essay Guy offers expert personal help with many free and low fee options.
Get to know the colleges: meet with the college representatives who visit your high schools during the fall, attend college fairs, visit campuses or attend Open Houses.
Ask for recommendation letters from teachers, school counselors, coaches, community members and business leaders.
October
Complete your college essay. Many schools will require that you submit at least one essay with your application.
It’s time to narrow down your list of 8 colleges to 6 or fewer to which you are going to apply.
Visit the FAFSA website and apply for your FSA ID. The FAFSA opens October 1st and closes June 30th.
Visit the website of each school you are applying to and download the applications or application requirements. Take virtual Campus Tours here.
If you are submitting applications now, make sure your school counselor knows which schools you are applying to.
Continue to research scholarship possibilities. Read more on our Scholarships Section.
Attend college information nights at your school. Become familiar with financial aid terms so you know what the colleges will be talking about. If you are not sure that traditional college is for you, research trade schools and other career opportunities. Utilize The Career Factors for Students course and assessment to help you identify important features of your personality, key motivations, interests, and aptitudes that may help you in your college major and career exploration decision.
November
Complete and have a teacher, counselor, or parent review any early decision or early action applications due this month and send them to the college.
Follow-up with your counseling office on their progress in getting your admissions requirements sent to the colleges that you are applying to.
Follow-up with SAT/ACT to check if they have sent your scores directly to the colleges to which you are applying.
December
Meet with your school counselor to choose your classes for your last semester.
Register for the January ACT or SAT If you need to. It may be the last one that colleges will consider for a senior.
Write thank-you notes to teachers,
Exploring student loans? Simplicollege partners with Sallie Mae to offer flexible student loans designed to meet your needs:
- Competitive variable and fixed interest rates
- Multiple repayment options
Learn which loan is right for you!
January
Ask your counseling office to send transcripts for the first half of your senior year to the schools where you applied.
Work hard in school to finish the year well. Colleges will look at your final transcripts, so you want your grades to stay high as possible!
February/March
Financial aid offers will start to arrive. Review your acceptances and compare financial aid packages. Go to our Appeals and Negotiating Article, watch the video, and read through exactly how to leverage colleges and appeal/negotiate because of special circumstances. Be sure that you are utilizing TuitionFit!
Exploring student loans? Simplicollege partners with Sallie Mae to offer flexible student loans designed to meet your needs:
- Competitive variable and fixed interest rates
- Multiple repayment options
Learn which loan is right for you!
Create a schedule for completing scholarship applications. Be consistent!
This will be the time to narrow down your final choices.
It may help your decision process to revisit the top 3 college campuses that you have narrowed your search down to.
April
Discuss a plan to finance your college education. Get the real numbers based on your personal financial situation. Try the College Budget Calculator.
Complete and have a teacher, counselor, or parent review any early decision or early action applications due this month and send them to the college.
Follow-up with your counseling office on their progress in getting your admissions requirements sent to the colleges that you are applying to.
Once you have received all the aid packages, sit down with your family to discuss the college that has the best social, academic and financial fit for you. Understand the real cost of the colleges you are considering. Utilize Tuition Fit for FREE!
If you have had any changes in your financial status since the previous year or an event in your family life that may impact your financial situation, consider sending a special circumstance letter.
Make your final college decision and notify the college that you will attend. Send the financial aid letter back to the college by the date specified and select which financial aid package you choose to accept.
Many colleges ask for confirmation deposits by May 1. When you’ve made your college decision, send in the deposit to the school you have decided to attend.
Don’t go to any 4-year college if you cannot afford it! College debt is crippling to parents and students for years. Consider a 1 or 2 year trade or certificate program, or start at community college.
May
If a college that you really want to go to puts you on a waitlist, call an admissions representative in the admission office and ask how you can advance your application.
If you have been offered financial aid, accept the offer if applicable/needed and follow the instructions given.
Make sure that you have requested that your final transcript be sent to the school you will be attending.
If you have completed college courses, have your transcripts sent from the registrar’s office where you earned the credit to the college you will be attending.
Exploring student loans? Simplicollege partners with Sallie Mae to offer flexible student loans designed to meet your needs:
- Competitive variable and fixed interest rates
- Multiple repayment options
Learn which loan is right for you!
June - August
Attend a freshman orientation weekend at your college if they have one. You will register for your freshman classes at this time.
Complete any loose ends (if any) with the financial aid department.
Seriously consider purchasing Health Insurance in case your student gets sick. Visit GradGuard and protect your family's investment in higher education with college insurance.
Get a list of required textbooks from the college bookstore and determine if they are less expensive elsewhere, like on Chegg Books.
Contact your future roommate to get to know him/her and settle on what to bring with you to college.
Look through 14 Most Common Financial Mistakes in SimpliParent.
Exploring student loans? Simplicollege partners with Sallie Mae to offer flexible student loans designed to meet your needs:
- Competitive variable and fixed interest rates
- Multiple repayment options
Learn which loan is right for you!
