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Tips To Get You Started
Applying to college can feel overwhelming. That’s completely normal! The good news is, you do not have to figure everything out at once. This guide, along with support from your school counselors, will help you through the process.
Throughout senior year, track the following:
College application deadlines: The most common college application deadlines for the 2026-2027 admissions cycle are November 1 or 15 for Early Action/Decision and January 1 or 15 for Regular Decision. Early applications generally notify in mid-December, while regular decision results are released in March or April. Rolling Decision applications are the sooner, the better, and typically notify within a few weeks of application submission.
Required materials: Letters of Rec, SAT/ACT scores, Transcripts, Essays, etc.
Login information: Keep track of logins for Common App, FAFSA, college websites after you've applied, etc.
Financial aid: Check out estimated cost calculators (on each college website) and the average cost after financial aid. Track FAFSA priority filing deadlines, and organize your financial aid packages (which you'll receive from each school you are admitted to, after you submit the FAFSA).
Scholarship deadlines: I'll share scholarships as I hear about them throughout the year, especially the local ones. Do your own research though (see our Scholarships page) and track scholarship applications and deadlines as you go!
Your notes: Keep track of your personal thoughts, impressions & priorities about each school as you explore & visit them.
Additional pro tips:
Stay organized. It will make the application process much easier and less overwhelming! Use a spreadsheet or other document to keep everything in one place.
Use a personal email address for all college applications and accounts. Make sure it’s professional and something you check regularly. This will ensure you can still access important info. after graduation, when your LHS email shuts off.
Email your counselor with questions as needed, or set up an appointment using the link in our email signatures. We're here to help!
Academic
Academic Profile Match
Majors Available
Academic Rigor
Study Abroad Options
Honors Programs
Special Programs
Collaborative/Competitive
Internships/Research
Program Accreditations
Support Services
Factors to Consider When Applying
Financial
Cost of Attendance
Ability to Commute
Financial Aid Package
Payment Options
Loan Amounts
Return on Investment
Social/Environmental
Location
Distance from Home
Climate
Size of School
Campus Personality
% Greek Life
Student Organizations
Athletics/School Spirit
Peers and “My People”
Diversity
Religious Affiliation
Who Sends What?
Student Submits (through Common App, College Board, FAFSA, etc.):
Applications
Essay(s)
Portfolios (if needed)
Self Reported Grades/Transcripts (if needed)
SAT/ACT Scores (if needed)
AP Scores (self reported on application, if needed)
Financial Aid Applications
Scholarship Applications
School Submits (through Scoir):
Official Transcript
Any Required School Report Forms
Counselor Letter of Recommendation (if requested)
Teacher Letters of Recommendation (if requested)
FERPA & College Applications
FERPA refers to the Federal Educational Rights & Privacy Act. Essentially this is what both protects and provides you access to your educational records. You will encounter information about FERPA in a few different places.
When you first log in to Scoir, you will be asked to "waive" and "release" your FERPA rights in order for Lakeland to communicate with colleges. You also may be asked similar things through applications like the CommonApp. Please do this at the start to save a few headaches down the road! If you have previously logged into SCOIR, and did not complete this, you can still do so under the "FERPA" heading on the right side of yout "Personal Details" page.
Completing the FERPA waivers does a few things:
It allows the school counseling office to communicate with the colleges you are applying to, and to send letters of recommendation and transcripts to lots of schools without having to ask for permission every time.
It allows for teachers to submit letters of recommendation without you seeing what is written first. As weird as it might seem, it's a bit of a red flag to colleges if you read your letters of recommendation before their sent to schools. In their eyes, it's almost like you want to make sure the letter says good things about you before it's sent. This just means you need to be super mindful of who you ask for your letters!
Remember, documents cannot be sent to schools until you complete the FERPA Releases and Waivers! You can learn more about FERPA and Scoir here or below.
What Else Will I Find Here?
Click the links and keep reading to find information about:
Requesting Letters of Recommendation
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