Planning Calendar--SENIOR YEAR

SEPTEMBER

• Finalize your list of reasonable choices and note the deadlines!  Include at least one “long shot”, one “target”, and one “safe” school.  Your first choice might very well be a school to which you are a likely candidate for admission.  However, each one of you should include at least one safe choice on your list of colleges.
• Once you have narrowed your list of colleges to a                recommended maximum of five, review your applications and essays. You may call or write a college admission’s office at any time to request materials or ask questions.
• Register for the October ACT or November SAT if you have not taken the test or want to retest.  You can register online at atc.org (ACT) / collegeboard.org (SAT), or get packets from Guidance.
• Complete and turn in to your counselor the Senior Data Form or your resume before you ask him/her to write a recommendation.  Be sure to make a copy for yourself and each teacher you ask to write a recommendation.

·        Notify your counselor if you plan to apply Early Decision (Early decision allows you to apply early, usually in November, and get an admission decision from the college in advance of the usual notification date.  Early decision plans are "binding," meaning if you apply as an early decision candidate you agree to attend the college if it accepts you and offers an adequate financial aid package. Although you can apply to only one college for early decision, you may apply to other colleges under regular admission. If you're accepted by your first-choice college early, you must withdraw all other applications.) or  Early Action (Early action plans are similar to early decision plans in that you can learn early in the admission cycle (usually in January or February) whether a college has accepted you. But unlike early decision, most early action plans are not binding, meaning you do NOT have to commit to a college to which you've applied for early action. Under these plans, you may apply to other colleges. Usually, you can let the college know of your decision in the late spring or whenever you've decided.).

• Begin work on application essays.  All senior English classes include work on an essay.  Make sure you follow the directions provided by the college/university and present yourself in a well thought out, neat, and grammatically correct manner.  
• Remember that the grades you make this semester will be an important ingredient in the way college admissions committees view your academic seriousness.  Your first semester grades will be the last ones they see before deciding whether to admit you to their school.
• Decide how you will actually apply:  paper application, computer (e.g., Apply), or using the Internet.  Also consider using the common application which will save you time.
• Keep your commitment to take challenging courses!  Your senior year matters!

OCTOBER

• Please do not push deadlines.  It is to your advantage to file your application early.  Most colleges admit that early applications automatically receive more attention because they demonstrate the student’s sincere interest in a school.
• Early decision deadlines and scholarship deadlines can be as early as October 15.

Plan ahead!  Submit your Transcript Requests two weeks before the deadline.

• Attend Williamson County College Fair the first week in October
• Notify your counselor if you would like to be nominated for a scholarship at the colleges you are applying.
• Complete a Transcript Request form for each application you submit.  Your transcript includes ACT and SAT scores, your grades and the school profile which explains the grading system.  The college to which you are applying may require the test scores come directly from ACT/SAT.  Make sure you know what your choices require and contact ACT/SAT directly to request scores if you did not designate your choice as a recipient of your scores when registering for the test. 
• Watch Channel 9 for Scholarship information.

NOVEMBER

• Use your college visiting days well.  BHS allows a maximum of 2 days which will be counted against your exemption, but will be excused if pre-approved.  Bring a letter from the college for proof of your visit.
• Teacher Recs - If the colleges to which you are applying require a recommendation from a teacher, choose and ask a teacher who you feel knows you the best and will represent you well.  Allow at least 2 weeks to complete a recommendation. Provide an addressed and stamped envelope with the appropriate college forms and a copy of your senior data sheet attached.
• This will be your last chance to sign up for and take the SAT or ACT in this year’s admission pool.

DECEMBER

• All college applications and transcript requests which need to be sent out before the holidays are due in Guidance by December 15, 2006.
• Any Transcript Requests submitted after this date will be sent out in January.  Please remember that Counselor Reports will be processed in the order they are received…not in the order of urgency for you.
• If you expect your counselor to write an effective recommendation for you, then allow sufficient time to process your recommendation.
• Ace your mid-year exams—they matter!
• Request Mid-Year transcripts to be mailed to the colleges to which you are applying.
• Pick up financial aid forms in the Guidance Center.  The FAFSA is the federal financial form, needed for both public and private schools, and the Profile is for private schools only.  Remember, the lottery scholarships require the FAFSA!
• Don’t ask to drop challenging courses.  Colleges could withdraw their offer!

JANUARY

• Attend Financial Aid Night.
• Complete and file your FAFSA as soon as possible.  Aid is distributed on a first come, first served basis.  FAFSA’s web site is http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

FEBRUARY

• If you haven’t already done so, visit schools to which you have applied.
• Wait.

MARCH

• SPRING BREAK --- ENJOY!

APRIL

• By April 15, you should hear from all colleges.  Use the two weeks before May 1 to make your final decision.
• Register for Advanced Placement exams if necessary.
• Notify all colleges which have accepted you of your final decision.
• Notify colleges who have put you on their waiting list if you wish to remain on it.
• Don’t catch Senioritis!   All college acceptances are conditional pending receipt of final grades in June. 

MAY

• Reply to the college you choose.  Do not place a deposit with more than one college:  it is unethical and you can be dropped by both colleges if discovered.
• Fill out a Final Transcript Request for the college you will attend.  You must make this request in writing to release your transcript.

GRADUATE!