Senior Year Information Guide

Fall (August-November)

• Decide post-high school direction 

  • College, Trade, Military, Work Force

• Research options via online websites or personal visits

  • Choose 4-6 colleges/universities to apply to

  • Review application process on website

  • Learn application options (e.g., Common Application or college website)

• Register for early SAT Reasoning and/or SAT Subject tests or ACT to increase your scores

  • Remember: You receive 4 free score reports at the time of registration (or up to 9 days after the test date). Afterwards, you must pay for each score report sent to a college. 

• Meet with your counselor to discuss the college process

• Attend local and national college fairs and open houses at your desired colleges

• Check in with college representatives when they visit NBHS

• From your list of colleges, find the following information for each school:

  • Application deadline and application options

  • Financial Aid deadlines

  • Institutional scholarship deadlines

  • If needed, other supporting documents (e.g., secondary school report, teacher recommendations, writing supplements, test score submission requirements, etc.)

• Start writing your college essays - Ask a teacher or another qualified individual to review your essay before submission.

• Prepare and complete your resume 

• Ask your teachers and counselor for letters of recommendations (LOR’s)

  •  *Not all schools require LORs – please check the colleges’ admission requirements before asking!

• Begin applying to colleges – check their websites for application instructions

  • *Take note of early deadlines for applications and financial aid (CSS Profile)! Most Early Action/Early Decision application deadlines are in November. Priority scholarship and certain programs/majors deadlines may be as early as December 1st (even for rolling admission schools!)

  • Request for transcripts to be sent to your colleges . Check with your counselor if you are not clear how the college requests the transcript with the application. 

• Send official score reports from your College Board or ACT Student accounts to your colleges and/or NCAA

• Apply for outside scholarships and college-specific scholarships

• ATTEND THE SENIOR MEETING AT THE BEGINING OF THE YEAR. HAVE YOUR PARENT/GUARDIAN ATTEND THE SENIOR PARENT NIGHT IN SEPTEMEBER.

Winter (December-February)

• Attend Financial Aid Night to learn about paying for college (November)

• Complete the FAFSA to apply for federal aid and loans and other supplemental financial aid applications

  • *You may now begin to apply as early as October 1st with an earlier tax year’s information, referred to as prior-prior year (PPY)

• Continue applying to colleges and check that each prospective school has received all of your materials

• Continue applying for outside scholarships and college-specific scholarships

• Prepare for college interviews

• Those mid year graduating...ATTEND Mid Year Graduation!!

Spring (March-June)

• Review all of your responses and financial aid packages from colleges

• Take the ASVAB (free) to help with career planning

•  Take the AP exams if you are enrolled in an AP course (May)

• Send Intent to Register to desired college and then withdrawal notification to colleges you are not attending

• Send deposit to matriculating college

• Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money

•  Notify your college about any outside scholarships that you have received

•  Request for final transcript to be sent to your matriculating college. This is completed in your senior exit survey.

Summer (June-August)

• Prepare for matriculation into your selected college by attending summer orientation programs, applying for student housing, and registering for courses

•  Learn about useful resources at your college and the surrounding community, such as the campus police, tutoring centers, mental health centers, clubs, and cultural centers.

• Attend Graduation!!