Checklist Per Grade
Checklist Per Grade
Embedded Files
Senior Checklist
Senior Checklist
SEPTEMBER
APPOINTMENT: Meet with your counselor, bring any questions you have about graduation requirements or college applications. Review your transcripts with your counselors and report any inaccuracies immediately.
REGISTER FOR TESTS: Make sure you are taking the appropriate tests (ACT and/or SAT) for the schools you are applying to, as necessary.
For fee waivers, check out the following links:
EARLY ACTION & EARLY DECISION: If you are planning to apply early decision or early action submit your application before the deadline; Request your transcripts to be sent to your college/university admissions office. Understand the difference CLICK HERE!
EXPLORE COLLEGES: Attend college visits and gain information on schools you may be thinking about. FHS Career Center arranges college visits throughout the school year.
DEADLINE LIST: Create a list of all the deadlines related to admissions applications, financial aid applications, recommendation letters… etc.
CSS PROFILE: Confirm if any university/college you are applying to requires the CSS PROFILE for financial Aid and make note of the deadline this must be filed by.
OCTOBER
REGISTER FOR TESTS: If you have not registered for any tests, make sure you do now! Assure taking the appropriate tests (ACT and/or SAT) for the schools you are applying to, as necessary. For fee waivers, check out the following links:
FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA CLICK HERE!) and Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA CLICK HERE!) will open October 1st every year. Visit the Career Center Webpage, Canvas page, if you have questions.
DOCUMENTS: Gather all documents needed to finish financial aid applications and admissions applications; and submit financial aid applications as soon as possible(asap) after October 1st.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION: Identify the people who can provide a letter of recommendation and/or be a reference for you. personals that can be a reference: teachers, coaches, supervisors...etc.
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS: Start/continue working on your college applications’ components. Keep track of all your applications and make sure to complete them on time. You can use Coalition for College CLICK HERE!
ESSAYS: Keep working on your essays and utilize the career center specialist and other adults, such as parents/guardians and teachers… etc., for help and editing.
NOVEMBER – JANUARY
APPLICATIONS: Complete your applications for college admissions:
1) Request to have transcripts sent from the Counseling Office.
2) Confirm your test scores have been sent if you have taken any.
Monitor your applications to be sure each school receives everything necessary (letters of recommendation, transcripts, and test scores etc.)
MID-YEAR GRADES: If your school requests mid-year grades, make sure these are sent on time.
EARLY DECISION: If you have been admitted to a college through early decision, you need to notify the other schools you have applied to and submit all necessary forms to the college you will be attending. Congratulations!
This is a courtesy to other applicants, and it will help colleges manage their waitlists and extend the correct number of acceptance letters.
FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION NIGHT: Attend the Financial Aid Information Night held each year, the date and location will be announced in advance and posted on the Career Center webpage.
RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS: There are a variety and plethora of scholarships available each year and many go unclaimed. Research online or visit the Career Center for resources on finding and applying for scholarships and financial aid.
FEBRUARY – APRIL
APPLICATIONS: Confirm all the colleges you have applied to have received your application; follow up and make sure all your application components were received. Do this well in advance of the due date so you have time to follow up on any possible missing pieces. Additionally, for any university/college with rolling or late deadlines- do not delay applying! Spaces will fill up, so turn in your application early.
FAFSA/WASFA: If you completed the FAFSA or WASFA, you should be receiving a Student Aid Report. Compare financial aid packages, and make final decisions.
DECISIONS: Acceptance letters will begin to arrive. Think critically about where you’d like to be in the fall and what school is best aligned with your goals and personality. Review your acceptances and ideally visit the campus before making any decisions. If you are waitlisted, find out more about the waitlist process at your particular university/college, but also begin to move ahead with other plans; you can always come back to this school if you get off the waitlist. If you have ruled out any colleges which have accepted, notify them; this is a courtesy to other applicants and it will help colleges manage their waitlists and extend the correct number of acceptance letters.
APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS: Now that you have completed most, if not all of your applications, shift your focus to working on finding and applying for scholarships. As previously noted, many go unclaimed! Visit the Career Center for assistance and resources.
OPEN HOUSES: Some colleges will host open houses for admitted students, attend these when applicable as this is a good opportunity to get information about registering for housing, campus life and how to prepare for the fall.
MAY 1st: Most schools have a decision and deposit deadline of May 1st. Formally accept your offer of admission as instructed by your school and submit your housing application if you plan to live on campus in the fall. Formally accept any offers of financial aid, not doing so will result in you losing your financial aid.
MAY – JUNE
FINISH STRONG: Keep your grades up through graduation, you do not want to have your college acceptance rescinded because of a poor end of the year performance.
HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND PLAN: This is a graduation requirement and must be completed in order to graduate. Make sure this is complete. A final task will be sent in May and will ask you to indicate your plans for next year. If you are attending a college in the fall, it is important to tell us where you will be so we can send your final transcript.
THANK YOU NOTES: Send thank you notes to anyone who helped you in your application process; they would love to hear where you have decided to go in the fall.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND LOANS: Continue to work on procuring scholarship and loans, update your college with any scholarships you receive.
GRADUATE: Enjoy and celebrate your accomplishments and success with your beloved ones, classmates and the FHS faculty. We wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors!
SUMMER CHECKLIST
Summer jobs can help pay some of your college expenses and give you great career preparation.
If you are going to live on campus, make a list of what you will need to take with you for your dorm room. Check your college’s “Housing” or “Residence Life” webpage for further information.
You will most likely get a roommate assignment from your college. Call, write, or email to get acquainted.
Some colleges offer a summer orientation/registration. Attend to meet fellow students and other people on campus, and to familiarize yourself with your new school. This is often when you will sign up for your fall courses.
If commuting, find out how to get a parking permit if needed. After you register for classes, you may want to map out your classes to find the nearest parking lot.
Junior Checklist
Junior Checklist
Welcome to your junior year! This year is critical for your college preparation because you can get ahead by establishing foundations for your senior year. You may be taking challenging classes this year, make sure to keep your grades strong and seek help when needed.
Although you are not restricted with a timeline, the following recommendations are set up in a timeline to help you be success accomplishing each of the recommendations below:
OCTOBER - DECEMBER
APPOINTMENT: Meet with your counselor and talk about the year ahead. Confirm that your courses will put you on track for your graduation pathway. Ask about the ASVAB, PSAT, ACT, and SAT. You’ll need to register up to six weeks ahead of time. Bring any questions you have about graduation requirements, college applications, and/or career preparations.
RESUME: Create a resume of activities and accomplishments. This will be needed when requesting letters of recommendation from your counselor and teachers, and completing your college applications. If you kept a list during your freshman and sophomore years, then you’re already two-thirds done! Don’t forget to upload your resume in “My School Data” HERE! (Use Skyward login credentials). This is a step of the High School and Beyond Plan.
STUDENT ATHLETES: Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at the beginning of your junior year, you will need to be cleared academically and as an amateur athlete before you will be eligible to play division I or II sports.
GET INVOLVED: Attend the events hosted by Ferndale High School. The career center arranges several visits for representatives from colleges/universities. Don’t forget to update your “My School Data” HERE! (Use Skyward login credentials). This is a step of the High School and Beyond Plan.
PREPARE FOR TESTS: You may want to take the PSAT/NMSQT. Not sure what the PSAT/NMSQT® is actually about? The PSAT may qualify you for some scholarship consideration and identify you as a potential applicant to colleges. CLICK HERE to learn more! You can also review the student guide CLICK HERE!
Preparation materials are available for ACT and/or SAT. You can refer to your counselor and/or career center; as well as free resources online to make your preparation easy, check out the following links:
MARCH 2 SUCCESS (SAT & ACT)
KHAN ACADEMY (Only SAT)
JANUARY - FEBRUARY
APPOINTMENT: Meet with your counselor and discuss the plan in place. Review/revise/confirm that your courses are aligned with your graduation pathway. Bring any questions you have about graduation requirements, college applications, and/or career preparations.
STAY INVOLVED: Attend the events hosted by Ferndale High School. The career center arranges multiple visits for and military recruiters. Don’t forget to update your “My School Data” HERE! (Use Skyward login credentials). This is a step of the High School and Beyond Plan.
REGISTER FOR TESTS: Register for a spring offering of ASVAB, PSAT, ACT, or SAT. Refer to your counselor and the career center for more information.
SCHEDULE COLLEGE VISITS: Take official college visits whenever possible, by taking an official tour, your name will be in the system which will be to your advantage when it comes time to apply.
MARCH - APRIL
APPOINTMENT: Meet with your counselor and discuss any possible changes to your course plan. Review/revise/confirm that your courses are aligned with your graduation pathway. Bring any questions you have about graduation requirements, college applications, and/or career preparations.
PLAN OPPORTUNITIES: Look for leadership, volunteering, or job opportunities and look for summer activities to enrich your profile (Refer to the Career Center resources for more info).
COLLEGE FINANCING: Review your college financing with your parents/guardians and make sure schools on your list fit within your budget. Come see the career center specialist if you have questions or need help selecting schools.
COLLEGE PLANNING: College planning includes attending college conferences/fairs and open houses, building a preliminary list of colleges, gathering information about academics, financial aid, and campus life.
MAY
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION: Request letters of recommendation from preferably junior year teachers and, if needed, a program specific instructor (coach, fine arts teacher, music teacher, business teacher). Provide each person you have requested a letter from with a resume of activities and accomplishments.
APPLICATIONS: Familiarize yourself with the Coalition for College CLICK HERE! applications as well as any applications for schools which do not use this platform. Make a chart of deadlines and pay particular attention to early decision, early action and preferred application deadlines. Confused on early decision and early action? FOLLOW THIS LINK.
ESSAYS: Review the essay requirements and supplement questions for your target schools. Look for common themes and begin to outline your essays and answers to questions.
Sophomore Checklist
Sophomore Checklist
Welcome to your second year of high school! Although this year may seem early to think about after high school plans, starting planning now can give you the advantage in your senior year. With that said, remember that your priority is to succeed in your classes, then prepare for your junior year.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
APPOINTMENT: Meet with your counselor and talk about the year ahead. Confirm that your courses will help or put you on track for your graduation pathway. This helps prioritize your academic efforts.
CLASSES: Make sure you are taking the classes you are good at and interested in. Challenge yourself with Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Think ahead to next year and check if you need to take any prerequisite classes.
SKILLS ENHANCEMENT
LITERACY SKILLS: Identify your strengths and weakness, and start developing, reading, writing, and listening skills. The more you read, the better your reading comprehension, speed, and focus will be. You will also naturally pick up new vocabulary words and standard English grammar conventions that will not only help boost your SAT score but also improve your reading and writing abilities.
SCIENTIFIC SKILLS: Taking science classes helps improving inquiry, inferring, predicting, experimenting, and communication skills rt working on your essays and utilize the career center specialist and other adults for help and editing.
PLANNING SKILLS: Identifying career and educational goals, exploring graduation routes and declaring a graduation pathway contribute into strengthening your planning skills.
EXPLORE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Maximize your chances of gaining admission to the colleges and universities of your choice. You want to have a clear vision of your interests. Your personality is one way for people to get to know you. Think big: try to reach the highest level in your sport, assume a leadership position in your club, or even take the initiative to start your own club or community program.
If you are still unsure of your interests, try out some new classes, clubs, and activities while paying attention to when you feel most excited. Talk to others or read books and articles about potential interests to become more informed and inspired.
TAKE THE PSAT
If you have the option, it’s a good idea to take the PSAT sophomore year to get a preview of what subject areas you might want to work on to prepare for your junior year PSAT. While not a college admissions requirement, the PSAT can qualify you for scholarship money and provide good practice for the SAT.
CONSIDER SAT SUBJECT TESTS
SAT subject tests are offered for math, science, English, history, and languages. Some colleges and universities require or recommend them, and some don’t, but in any case these 60 minute tests are a good way to demonstrate your knowledge in subject areas you are interested in possibly pursuing. Since it is a good idea to take the SAT subject tests when the material is fresh in your mind, sophomore year could be a good time to take the tests that correlate to classes you are currently taking.
LEARN ABOUT COLLEGES AND FINANCIAL AID
It’s completely fine if you don’t know which colleges you want to go to yet, but starting to think about your preferences is helpful. You can look into colleges of different sizes, locations, and types and see which ones you’re most drawn to. College search websites, such as College Board Big Future, niche.com, and unigo.com will, based on your preferences, generate a personalized college match list for you. You can then read up on the details of each college and even plan visits to get a sense of how the campuses feel. Even if you can only visit a couple of local schools, knowing which attributes you like and dislike will help you as you put together a list of where you want to apply. Knowing schools more intimately can also get you more excited about college and thereby more motivated to succeed overall as a high school student.
Keep in mind that you have time to explore and get everything done. And feel proud that you’re being proactive and not procrastinating. Starting the college preparation process now can prevent extra stress from overwhelming your future self as college app season draws near.
PLAN YOUR SUMMER
As another way of getting to know you, colleges are interested in how you spend your free time. Plan your summers wisely so that you take advantage of this time to showcase your positive personality traits, such as initiative, leadership, and responsibility. Getting a job,or a volunteer position, or set the stage for strong extracurricular involvement in the years to come.
Reference:
Freshman Checklist
Freshman Checklist
Welcome to your first exciting year of high school! Although this year may seem early to think about after high school plans, starting planning now can give you the advantage in the upcoming high school years. With that said, remember that your priority is to succeed in your classes, then prepare for your sophomore year.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
APPOINTMENT: Meet with your counselor and talk about the year ahead. Confirm that your courses will help or put you on track for your graduation pathway. This helps prioritize your academic efforts.
CLASSES: Make sure you are taking the classes you are good at and interested in. Think ahead to next year and check if you need to take any prerequisite classes.
SKILLS ENHANCEMENT
LITERACY SKILLS: Identify your strengths and weakness, and start developing, reading, writing, and listening skills. The more you read, the better your reading comprehension, speed, and focus will be. You will also naturally pick up new vocabulary words and standard English grammar conventions that will improve your reading and writing.
SCIENTIFIC SKILLS: Taking science classes helps improving inquiry, inferring, predicting, experimenting, and communication skills rt working on your essays and utilize the career center specialist and other adults for help and editing.
PLANNING SKILLS: Identifying career and educational goals, exploring graduation routes and declaring a graduation pathway contribute into strengthening your planning skills.
EXPLORE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Maximize your chances of gaining admission to the colleges and universities of your choice. You want to have a clear vision of your interests. Your personality is one way for people to get to know you. Think big: try to reach the highest level in your sport, assume a leadership position in your club, or even take the initiative to start your own club or community program.
If you are still unsure of your interests, try out some new classes, clubs, and activities while paying attention to when you feel most excited. Talk to others or read books and articles about potential interests to become more informed and inspired.
LEARN ABOUT COLLEGES AND FINANCIAL AID
It’s completely fine if you don’t know which colleges you want to go to yet, but starting to think about your preferences is helpful. You can look into colleges of different sizes, locations, and types and see which ones you’re most drawn to. College search websites, such as College Board Big Future, niche.com, and unigo.com will, based on your preferences, generate a personalized college match list for you. You can then read up on the details of each college and even plan visits to get a sense of how the campuses feel. Even if you can only visit a couple of local schools, knowing which attributes you like and dislike will help you as you put together a list of where you want to apply. Knowing schools more intimately can also get you more excited about college and thereby more motivated to succeed overall as a high school student.
Keep in mind that you have time to explore and get everything done. And feel proud that you’re being proactive and not procrastinating. Starting the college preparation process now can prevent extra stress from overwhelming your future self as college app season draws near.
PLAN YOUR SUMMER
As another way of getting to know you, colleges are interested in how you spend your free time. Plan your summers wisely so that you take advantage of this time to showcase your positive personality traits, such as initiative, leadership, and responsibility. Getting a job, an internship, or a volunteer position, or taking a college course can help you explore your interests, grow personally, and set the stage for strong extracurricular involvement in the years to come.
Reference:
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