College Ready
Getting Ready for College!
You will find almost everything you need to know in order to apply for and successfully get admitted into college, including SAT/ACT resources, financial aid resources, scholarship Information, and various E-Mail Updates from the Guidance Department.
Below is a checklist of things to do when getting ready/applying for college:
- Do a credit check with your counselor at the end of your Junior year to make sure you are on track to graduate.
- Visit at least 3-5 colleges/universities the summer before your senior year.
- Take your standardized tests (ACT or SAT) at the end of your junior year in June and again in September.
- Write your college essay.
- Apply to colleges/universities - no less than three (3) but not a large quantity.
- Ask staff members, community members, or anyone other than a family member to write a letter of recommendation. You should have at least three (3).
- Make sure that you have all of your forms signed, especially if having a hard copy of your transcript sent to colleges/universities.
- Pay attention to deadlines - some colleges/universities have a application deadline of November 1st, December 1st, February 1st or rolling admissions.
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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens October 1st. While the federal deadline for completion is June 30th, most colleges and universities strongly recommend the FAFSA is completed by February 1st to ensure priority consideration for school aid. Always check with the college and/or university for their FAFSA deadline to receive the best aid package.
- Narrow down your college/university list to one school by May 1st.
College Application Process
Applying to college is a very detailed
process. The attached guide walks students through requirements that are needed for a college application. Failure to accurately complete an application can cause delays in the application process. Carefully read and follow the instructions given in this guide and on any college applications. Always use a personal email when completing college applications. application process guide
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College Prep
Big Future
Big Future helps a student and family review and potentially choose a college by exploring the student’s interests. A student can also take the time to plan in new ways, get tips and check out demos of some great and useful features for college planning. Big Future in all provides one with the opportunity to find a college by location with tips on campus and academic life, exploring careers (majors), creating a step by step plan to better prepare for the transition to college and understanding how to pay for college (grants, scholarships and financial aid).
My College Quickstart
My College Quickstart provides students with the opportunity to practice, recieve personalized feedback and college planning based on their PSAT results. A student can review their scores and projected SAT score while also reviewing questions they might have gotten wrong and understanding why. As college searches can also be performed these are saved for the student within their profile to review in the future. Finally, one can take a personality test to identify a major and career that fits them.