Here are your next steps and things to be aware of now that you have finished applying to college.

CHECK YOUR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PORTALS REGULARLY

• Ensure that each college received all necessary material. Resolve issues quickly.

• Keep an eye out for emails from any college.

SENDING MID-YEAR TRANSCRIPTS

• If any of your colleges require mid-year transcripts (1st semester Senior grades), follow these procedures carefully. DO NOT add a new request for transcripts in Naviance. Use the 12th grade College Transcript Communication List sent by your advisor.

• In the spring your advisor will send your End-of-Year (final) transcripts to the college you will be attending.

IF YOU ARE DEFERRED: If you applied early and were "deferred", determine if you are required to submit your first semester transcript. If so, do that promptly. Read this important article for more on deferrals.

IF YOU ARE WAITLISTED

• As accepted students notify colleges they won’t be attending, those spots are given to students on the “waitlist”.

• Contact the college:

  • To see where you stand on the list,

  • How often this college has admitted students from the list in the past,

  • Express your continued interest & confirm your waitlist status.

• Update the school if any grades or test scores have improved.

• You may not learn more about your status until July.

• Because your chances of being accepted are slim, you need to make other plans:

  • Review the colleges that accepted your application.

  • Come up with a second choice that you are happy with.

  • Wait until close to May 1 to make a final decision.

  • If by the end of April you still haven’t heard anything back from the waitlisted college, make a deposit at your second choice to ensure you have a college to attend.

GOING TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE? Please enter that college under the Naviance "Colleges I'm apply to" list.

SECOND SEMESTER GRADES: College acceptances can be rescinded if grades fall significantly. Try to keep your grades consistent with the grades in which you were accepted.

UPDATE NAVIANCE: If you submitted applications change the status to "submitted application". Update the status for any college that you've been accepted, waitlisted, or denied.

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

• Complete and submit the FAFSA forms if they were not required at application time.

• If you receive any financial award letters, be sure to pay attention to all the information, especially deadlines. Some schools require you to commit by a certain deadline in order to receive the aid. Missing this deadline means losing money.

• Continue your search for scholarships. Check on SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES and on Naviance for scholarship opportunities.

• Watch deadlines!

SEND THANK-YOU NOTES: Be sure to thank anyone who wrote a Letter of Recommendation for you. Gift cards are appreciated.

IF YOU GET ACCEPTED

• Decisions: You have until May 1st to make most decisions. Use the time to weigh your options.

• Negotiate your Financial Aid package: Frequently you can negotiate with a school for more financial aid if you can prove another college gave you a better offer or you have a need.

PLAN A COLLEGE VISIT

• Even if you’ve already visited a college once, you can still gain good insight from another visit. If you spent your first visit in the classroom, use your second trip to check out student hang-outs, the city around the school, or other items of interest.

HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE?

• Here are two articles on choosing a college: here and here.

• It’s all about the right fit for YOU. Do you want: small/medium/large campus; sports-focused; big Greek life; out-of-state/in-state; sense of community; most affordable? List the aspects that are important to you and assign a point system for each college. Compare results.

• Remember: There will be a Freshman adjustment period. Many Freshman are unhappy. Try to work through it and don’t give up. Social media doesn’t always portray an accurate picture. Your mental health is important!

ONCE YOU’VE DECIDED

• Send in required forms sent by the college.

• Send AP exams scores

• Send tuition and housing deposits.

• Notify other colleges that you have been accepted to, that you will not be attending. They will give your spot to someone else.

• Update Naviance with your decision: under “Colleges I’m Applying To” > > “Results”

• Join your college’s social media to start meeting other accepted students.

• Continue to check the online portal and email for any additional correspondence. Respond quickly.

SEEK HELP

Visit the College & Career Corner if you need help navigating the process.