Fall College Search and Application Checklist: Senior Year

For the SATs, you can do this online with your College Board account. For the ACTs, you can use your ACT Web account.

Asking for recommendations can feel intimidating.
Very good luck!
There are literally thousands of scholarships to sort through, but if you reside in Indiana, consider starting with these three. You’ll also want to check out scholarships for specific majors, such as these scholarships for art students and these scholarships for mechanical engineering students.

If you’re happy with your SAT or ACT score from your last attempt, there’s no need to retake it. If you’d like a second chance, most schools “superscore” your results, meaning that they only look at your best section scores, regardless of how often you took the exam.

One quick tip: Don’t brag about your actions (they are already on your résumé) along with your own life-changing mission trip (not as unique as you think). As one college admissions pro points out, they really want to learn how your mind works. Give them what they want.
Find a fantastic block of free time, a workspace with few distractions, and begin on those applications. The longer you allow yourself, the fewer mistakes you will make. Here some common mistakes to look out for.

Apply!

Can you take a while for yourself and coast through the end of your senior year? We wish we could say yes, but there is still a lot to do on the path to college.

Start working on your application documents

When you registered for the SAT or ACT, you could pick up to four schools to get your scores free and mechanically. If you would like to add schools after the fact, you will need to pay.
While you’re awaiting your approval letters (hopefully) to roll in, you are able to score even more money to pay for college by applying for outside scholarships. Many companies, community organizations, and advocacy groups offer scholarships, from a few bucks to pay expenses all of the way up to a complete ride.
If you have the choice of writing a college application essay, most experts say to take it. Schools want to get to know the real person behind the grades and the résumé. The essay is your opportunity to show them.
Don’t trust yourself to keep the deadlines directly in your head. Write them down (on paper or with an app) to prevent last-minute scrambling. Include financial aid deadlines in addition to application deadlines.
Take a look at the 2017 essay prompts and start thinking through your responses. []

Retake the SATs or ACTs (or not)

Also, don’t forget to pace yourself. All college applications are done online now. And just like with a video game, you’re allowed to save your progress and pick it up later once you require a rest.

The following SAT is offered August 28, with a late registration deadline of August 15.

Complete the FAFSA

No, the FAFSA is not another standardized test. It is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and if you need help paying for college, you need to complete it. You use the FAFSA to report your family’s income, assets, and ability to pay for your education. Schools then use it to calculate your financial aid package.
You can do the FAFSA online, but if you have never worked with financial information, it can get a little technical. Here is a first-timer’s guide, including a listing of all of the documents you will need to gather. If your parents are available, ask them to help.

Everyone says the junior year of high school is the most significant year in the college hunt, but your senior year comes with an equal quantity of pressure–if not more–because you get to do all that while balancing a complete load of high school courses, activities, and athletics.

Apply for outside scholarships

Create a final list of potential schools

It goes without saying, great writing counts. Be concise and accurate. Don’t waste your reader’s time with flowery language and long digressions. Be sure to have a parent or teacher check of your writing for errors.

The following ACT is September 9, but registration deadlines have already passed. Your next chance then is October 28, with a registration deadline on September 22.
Most experts recommend a fantastic mix of schools, including at least one state school and one or two schools where your odds for approval are a sure thing. Here are three kinds of schools to include in your application mix.
Remember: FAFSA deadlines vary by state and school. That’s why we had you write down the financial aid deadlines for each and every school you’re applying to. If you skipped this step, check with your schools now.
To help you keep on track and organized, our expert admissions team mapped the senior year steps between you and your completed (and submitted) applications. We even provided some tips on the best way to make it through each step as painlessly as possible while maximizing your odds of getting into your top-choice schools.
Do this as early in the school year as you can, before your high school gets backed up with requests.

Have your high school transcripts sent to your schools.

Take some pity in your favorite teachers and ask for your letters of recommendation as soon as possible. Consider meeting with your teachers in person to help jog their memories about your own time in their classrooms.

Even more convenient, over 700 American colleges accept the Common Application, including most of the nation’s most prestigious schools. The advantage of the Common Application is that you won’t need to repeat your efforts, saving time and potentially increasing the number of schools you can apply to.
Read this to find out if your colleges accept the Common Application. Then find the answers to all your Common App-related questions here.
A tiny FAFSA mistake won’t jeopardize your financial aid package, but schools may ask you for more information. To prevent delays down the road, try to avoid these frequent FAFSA mistakes.

Your work really begins in the fall. The most frequent regular-decision college application deadline is January 1 (schools with rolling admissions may have afterwards–or no–deadlines), so there’s lots to do but not much time to take action.

Add application deadlines to your listing

Send your SAT or ACT results to your schools (if you didn’t do this already)

Source: TPd Paying for College Feed