COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE MONTH-BY-MONTH
Preparing for college is important. The schedule below is intended to help you with the college planning process. This is not intended to be an all inclusive list--just a guide to help you in the planning process.
Spring Junior Year
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Begin preparing for the ACT administered on campus during the spring
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Utilize offered ACT prep classes on campus
August Senior Year
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List your top college choices
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Request admissions information and school catalogs
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Schedule visits to college campuses
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Compare costs of each school that interests you
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Look carefully at pros and cons of each university
September/October Senior Year
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Submit your college applications
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Search and apply for scholarships from a varienty of sources, including your college(s) of choice
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Check with the college(s) to see if you need to complete a College Scholarship Services (CSS) profile or a Financial Aid form
November/December Senior Year
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Get your Personal Identification Number (PIN) for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application at pin.ed.gov.
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Gather the data needed to the FAFSA
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Use fafsa4caster.ed.gov and Net Price Calculator on college websites to determine costs for going to college
January Senior Year
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Complete the FAFSA online at fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1
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Apply, apply, APPLY for scholarships!
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Check with your top colleges for FAFSA, institutional, and state aid priority deadlines
February/March Senior Year
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Continue applying for scholarships
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Look in the mail for your Student Aid Report and your financial aid award letter
April/May Senior Year
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Make your final selection of the college you want to attend
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Send in the deposit by the required deadline
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Consider all funding options to cover costs of college after reviewing award letter(s)
June/July After Graduation
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Determine how much additional money you may need to pay for college expenses
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After exhausting grants, scholarships, and other aid--if you have additional expenses--consider applying for a private student loan to help cover your education costs