12th Grade

12th GRADE CHECKLIST

All Year

  • Work hard all the way to graduation—second-semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility.
  • Stay involved in after-school activities, and seek leadership roles if possible.

Fall

  • As soon as possible after its Oct. 1 release, complete and submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), at fafsa.gov, along with any other financial aid applications your chosen school(s) may require. You should submit your FAFSA® by the earliest financial aid deadline of the schools to which you are applying, usually by early February.
  • Complete your Senior High School and Beyond Plan assignments (Resume and Essay) by the Deadline and sign up for your Senior Exit Interview. Information about your requirements will be posted on your College and Career Center website.
  • If you haven’t done so already, register for and take the standardized tests required for college admission. Check with the colleges you are interested in to see what tests they require.
  • Apply to the colleges you have chosen. Prepare your applications carefully. Follow the instructions, and PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO DEADLINES!
  • Well before your college application deadlines, ask your counselor and teachers to submit the required documents (e.g., transcript, letters of recommendation) to the colleges to which you’re applying.
  • Well before your college application deadlines, formally request Letters of Recommendation from teachers and counselors (if you haven’t done so already)
  • Complete any last scholarship applications.

Spring

  • Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll.
  • Review your college acceptances and compare the colleges’ financial aid offers.
  • Contact a school’s financial aid office if you have questions about the aid that school has offered you. In fact, getting to know your financial aid staff early is a good idea no matter what—they can tell you about deadlines, other aid for which you might wish to apply, and important paperwork you might need to submit.
  • When you decide which school you want to attend, notify that school of your commitment and submit any required financial deposit. Many schools require this notification and deposit by May 1.
  • Complete TWO Senior Exit Surveys. This is a requirement to graduate. Surveys will not be available until late April.