The Senior Year Calendar
Already looking forward to going to your dream school… or sending your child away to their dream school? By now, you’ve probably already sent in early applications to a chosen few schools. It’s early in the school year but if the prospective college student is in senior year, it’s already time to start planning what you’re going to do in the new year:
January: If you have any applications to complete, get them done!
February: It’s time to fill out your FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you are applying for any sort of student aid, get this done. The student will need information from their parents, which customarily arrives this month.
Stay organized! The college application process is complex, with many parts. You need to make sure that colleges you’ve applied to have received all the relevant information. If you aren’t keeping a list or a spreadsheet of what needs to be sent and when, start now.
March: Acceptance letters start arriving from some schools. If you’re in, congratulations!
April: By now you may have to make a decision on what school to accept. If so, use the time you have; this isn’t a decision to be taken lightly. Let every school that accepted you know what your decision is, even the ones you won’t be going to.
May: By now you should be making financial arrangements with the school – a tuition deposit, residence, and the like. Don’t forget to look into transportation arrangements and moving. The beginning of the school year is the biggest moving day of the year and you don’t want to get stuck without transportation, or stuck with really expensive arrangements.
Oh, and concentrate on your grades!
June: College may still be a few months away, but now is the time to make moving arrangements if you’re moving – getting a phone, finalizing living arrangements, and yes, even packing. Some colleges will already be offering early registration into courses, so start that now!
College will be a long and fulfilling journey – it’s worth getting ready for right away!
