Summer Before Your Senior Year

June

• After school ends, get on the road to visit colleges. Seeing the college firsthand, taking a tour and talking to students can be the greatest help in deciding whether or not a school is right for you. Although it is ideal to visit colleges during the academic year, going in the summer will be valuable. Admission offices employ their students to give tours and answer questions from prospective students and their parents.
• Take the SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT Subject Tests and/or the ACT.

July

• Check your AP Exam scores, which will be available in early July.
• Visit colleges, take tours, have interviews and ask questions. Make college visiting a family event. Involve your parents and siblings in every step of your application process. Choosing the right college is a tough decision; the opinions of those who know you best can provide helpful insight into which college is best for you.
• Register for the August SAT or the September ACT.

August

• Continue to refine your list of “Colleges I’m Thinking About” on Family Connection.
• Begin preparing for the actual application process: draft and revise application essays; collect writing samples; and assemble portfolios or audition tapes. If you are an athlete and plan on playing in college, contact the coaches at the schools to which you are applying and ask about intercollegiate and intramural sports programs and athletic scholarships.
• Returning seniors already have Common Application accounts and should keep working on them. New seniors (and PGs) should create a Common App account. Mr. Spear will hold virtual and on-site workshops to help you complete the application. Do not submit any applications until you return to school.
• Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if you hope to play Division I or II sports. (This form cannot be completed until you finish your sixth semester of high school.)
• By now, you have identified a list of schools that you think you’ll apply to. Use the colleges’ “Net Price Calculator” to estimate what your family will be expected to pay. More on financial aid.