12th Grade - Senior Year
It's very important to stay organized and on top of things this year, especially application requirements and deadlines. Review your efforts so far, make any necessary adjustments, and continue to make the best grades you can.
- Review courses with your school counselor to make sure you are meeting high school graduation and entrance requirements for the colleges that interest you.
- Update your
High School Planner with new grades, test scores, honors, awards, etc.
- In early September, register for the SAT or ACT, if needed. Colleges like to see senior year SAT I scores.
- Prepare your online applications at CFNC.org. Compose any essays that need to be included in your applications.
- Continue saving for college.
- Search and apply for scholarship money in the Paying for College section of CFNC.org.
- Be sure to consult with your school counselor about scholarship opportunities.
- Contact teachers, counselors or references to write letters of recommendation for you, if needed.
- Attend college fairs, college planning sessions, and financial aid information sessions.
- Visit college campuses that are a good match with your credentials and career interests.
- Narrow your choice of colleges. Many students select three to five schools to apply to - their "dream" school, their "safety" school, and two to three other choices.
- Check with the financial aid office of schools you are applying to for:
- specific information on scholarships and costs for tuition, fees, room and board;
- any institutional or additional financial aid forms (such as CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE) that may be required.
- Double-check your transcript to make sure all the information is correct.
- Have your official high school transcript sent to schools where you are applying.
- Apply for early decision/early action programs if you have a clear first-choice college.
- Complete the
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as close to January 1 as possible; most colleges recommend submitting between January 1 (the first day it is accepted) and February 15th. You can do this online at CFNC.org in the "Online Applications" section. Note that in order to submit the FAFSA, your family's tax information should be completed for the previous year (estimation is allowed). The FAFSA will generate a Student Aid Report (SAR), which will determine your eligibility for federal aid, as well as for most other forms of financial assistance. Carefully check your SAR when it arrives to make sure that it is complete and accurate.
- Student athletes should send their transcript to the NCAA Clearinghouse for eligibility certification.
- If you have taken college level courses during high school (Fast Forward, community college classes, etc.), have those transcripts sent to schools where you are applying.
- If you are planning to attend a community college, take the ASSET, COMPASS or Accuplacer test.
- Compare acceptance letters for financial aid and scholarship offers.
- Apply for loans, if needed.
- If you are not accepted into your school of choice, submit your name to the
College Redirection Pool at CFNC.org so that other colleges can recruit you.
- Decide which school you will attend by May and accept their invitation to become a student!
- Pay a nonrefundable deposit for freshman tuition, if required, to hold your spot.
- Ask your school counselor to send your final high school transcript to the college you will attend.
- After deciding on a school, let the other schools that offered you admission know that you will not be enrolling.
- Take exams for any AP or college level courses you've completed.
- Continue to explore careers by taking a summer job or internship in your field of interest.
- Attend a summer orientation program at your new college, if available.
- Meet with your college's academic advisor, if possible.
- Enjoy academic enrichment activities.
- Secure student health insurance, if needed.
- Apply for a loan for a computer, if needed.
Success! All your hard work has paid off, and you are now a college student. Congratulations!