There is so much information on college--financial aid, college profiles, campus visits!! How do students and parents know when to do what?
The Map
It is always better to be early than late in the college admissions game. Being late can exclude students having a dorm room, parking space, or good financial aid. It pays to be early. What is early?
Sophomores
Sophomore year should include establishing a good grade point average and making sure college prep classes are being taken. Each student should know what they will take each year of high school to be ready for college according to what colleges want to see on transcripts. There can be a vast difference between high school graduation requirements and college entrance requirements. To tip the scales in favor of success, take college prep classes with emphasis on math, science and English.
Juniors
Junior year should be for visiting colleges and taking the ACT or SAT. Take the ACT or SAT twice in the junior year. You may want to take the tests one more time in the summer before the senior year. After that, statistics show scores don't improve. Many students take the tests twice.
Forget Senior College Visit Days. You do all the legwork in the junior year. Try and visit 5-7 colleges and compare the colleges. Write essays for admission in the summer. Be ready to apply in the fall.
Seniors
Senior year students should be applying. When? Check the acceptance dates for each college. Prestigious colleges may have a deadline of mid-November and other schools may be on a rolling basis. Even if colleges say they have a rolling acceptance policy, apply by Thanksgiving. You may have to write additional essays in January to be eligible for scholarships. Many large universities have dorm rooms filled by late fall. By waiting, you may end up having to live off campus and owning a car. Statistics show that students are more successful if they live on campus, especially the first two years.
The FAFSA is due in January and this sets your eligibility for financial aid. April will bring Award Letters which is the financial aid report. Apply to 4-6 colleges so you have choices with financial aid. You may be shocked at the different offers you receive from colleges. Be patient and wait with your final decision when you have all Award Letters in hand.
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Copyright 2007 Barbara Pytel. All rights reserved.
