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12th Grade

12th Grade Counseling

Congratulations! You've made it to senior year! While this is an exciting time in your life, when you can look back on all that you have accomplished to get here, it is also a time of transition. One of our primary goals is to help you with this transition.  We have prepared a month by month list of reminders. These, along with other material you will receive throughout the year, should help ensure that nothing is left undone or overlooked.

September

12th Grade Information Night Presentation

Financial Aid Night - September 
  • If you will be applying for Financial Aid, go to the FAFSA website at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA is expected to be available in late fall/early winter. 
 Other Reminders
  • Create a Common Application account and then register on Naviance using the same username and password. This is a very important step in the application process.
  • Create a Coalition Application account if you will be using this application
  • Review college application procedures as outlined on the handout distributed at the parent meeting
  • Schedule an appointment with your counselor.
  • Review transcript and submit the Transcript Approval Form to your counselor.
  • Check with the schools you will be applying to to determine if they require the CSS Profile. This profile is used by many privates schools to determine yor eligibility for Institutional Aid. (Money given out by the school, not the government)
  • Obtain a supply of Transcript Release Forms. (On-line or in the Counseling Office) 
  • Attend Virtual College/University Representive Visits
  • Attend Regional College Fairs in September and October
  • Register for the SAT Reasoning, ACT and/or SAT Subject tests
  • Finalize plans for Early Decision/Action applications.  Be sure to check individual college restrictions applicable to these programs
  • Continue working on your list of colleges making sure your list contains safety, target, and stretch schools. 
  • Consider essay topics and continue writing your essays
  • Visit college web sites to ensure that you are following their individual instructions
  • Review college web-sites for information regarding scholarship programs
  • Visit colleges and, when possible, schedule interviews
  • Continue researching scholarship and financial aid sources
  • Make special note of college application deadlines
  • Request recommendations from teachers.
  • Maintain high effort in coursework, clubs, activities
October
 
Submit Counselor/School forms to your counselor two weeks prior to the Nov. 1st Early Decision/Early Action due date. 
  • Continue working on college applications
  • If you have not done so already, create a Common Application account and link it to your Naviance account.
  • Continue working on your essays and be sure to have them proofread
  • Be sure that you will not be dropping any courses after you request that transcripts be forwarded to colleges
  • If applying ED/EA to a school that does not accept electronic documents, be sure to submit Counselor/School forms to your counselor two weeks prior to the ED/EA dates
  • Prepare Early Decision/Action applications for the November 1st deadline
  • Take or retake the SAT and/or ACT exams
  • If applicable, schedule and prepare for college interviews
  • If possible, schedule college visits around Open House programs
  • Continue investigating scholarship programs

November

Submit Counselor/School forms to your counselor two weeks prior to the Nov. 15th Early Decision/Action due date

  • Continue working on applications with Regular Deadline due dates beyond November 15th 
  • Review scholarship information that will be sent to you from the Guidance office. This information will also be posted on the department web site.
  • Thanksgiving is a nice time to thank the teachers, coaches, employers, administrators, etc. who wrote your recommendations
  •  

December

If necessary take or re-take SAT and/or ACT exams.

  • Review and finalize essays and applications
  • For schools that do not accept electronic material, submit all Counselor/School forms to your counselor by the first Friday of the month to ensure that the material will be mailed out before the holiday break. Remember...the office is closed during the holiday season.
  • Submit scholarship applications by mail or online
  • If accepted to your Early Decision school, please contact any other school to which you have applied and withdraw your application (Congratulations)
  • If accepted to any school through an Early Decision/Action program please notify your counselor
  • If your application has been deferred, please also advise your counselor

January

  • If your application has been deferred, meet with your counselor to discuss strategies for submitting additional information to support your application during the regular admissions cycle
  • Conscientiously prepare for mid-term exams keeping in mind that your grades will be forwarded to each college to which you have applied (Even if you have already been accepted ED/EA)
  • Verify that all college application materials have been submitted by the Counseling Office

February-April

Contact each school to verify that all material has been received by each college

  • Enjoy your Winter Break
  • If you are enrolled in an AP Foreign Language you may want to check with the college you will be attending to determine if it will either waive the foreign language requirement or give you advanced standing. 
  • Please make your counselor aware of your application outcomes
  • Re-visit colleges, talk to students, faculty
  • Discuss college options with your counselor, friends and family
  • Evaluate financial aid packages
  • Make your final decision and send notification to your #1 school by May 1st
  • Please be sure to inform other schools to which you have been admitted that you will not be attending
  • If placed on a Wait List, please see your counselor to discuss options

May-June

Conscientiously prepare for AP and final exams, keeping in mind that youir final transcript will be sent to the school you will attend

  • If you have not done so already, take a few minutes of your time and send a "Thank You" note to those who wrote your recommendations. Also, be sure to let these teachers, coaches, employers, administrators, etc., know where you will be attending school.
  • Enjoy the various activities related to the end of senior year
  • Enjoy and celebrate your graduation. Be sure to thank your parents/guardians for their support, encouragement, and love

Summer

Have a great summer and relax before setting off on your new adventure.

Be sure to keep in touch.