Transcript Reminder: Please make sure that you have gathered your past transcripts from previous schools! 

End of September, Senior Year

• You will want to have a finalized list of colleges and ensure they are input or added in Common App.

• You will want to follow up on recommendations, please give people ample notice and time to write your letters. 

• Be sure you have sent any test scores to colleges. (SAT, ACT, etc.) 

• Workshop your essay, have a teacher or friend look it over and read it. 

• Meet with Guidance to go over deadlines and any questions you may have. 

October 

• If you are applying for Financial Aid, the application opens October 1st. Consider looking this over and completing your FAFSA. 

• Re-take the SAT or ACT if you need to, now will be the last opportunity you have to do so.

• Gather your recommendations, send reminder emails if necessary. Or send thank you emails for recommendations already received. 

• Keep in mind the upcoming early decision and early action deadlines. Some could be as early as November 1st or November 15th.

• If applying ED or EA, meet with guidance a week before your November deadline! To make sure you are all set or gather anything missing.

November

• Send out any applications that are due for early decision and early action. Follow up with guidance about a counselor recommendation and transcripts.

December and January

• Submit applications – Most colleges have regular application deadlines sometime in December. Don't leave anything to the last minute. For most people, the month of December is always filled with extra holiday-related activities, not to mention the end of the fall semester.

• Financial Aid/FAFSA must be submitted in December. 

• Early acceptance – If you applied to a school through early decision or early action and are accepted, you will receive a letter sometime in December. 

February and March

• Confirm applications – Most colleges will send you a confirmation that your application has been received and is being processed. If you haven't gotten a receipt of confirmation on any of your applications, email or call their admissions team.

• Financial aid – You submitted your FAFSA in December, and by now you should be receiving a Student Aid Report, or SAR.

• Late applications – Some schools have late deadlines or rolling admissions policies, meaning there is no set deadline and applications may be submitted anytime in the winter or spring. As with everything else, it is still wise to apply as early as you can. You never know how competitive open seats will be.

• Acceptance letters – Acceptance, rejection and waitlist letters may start arriving as early as February or March if you applied ED or EA. In most cases, you will have until the end of April to make a decision. If you haven't received any letters yet, don't worry! It is common for letters to go out in April too.

April

• Make your final decision – With some exceptions, by now you should have heard from almost all of the schools you applied to. If you are accepted to multiple schools, weigh all your options before making a final decision. Talk with parents, other family members, teachers, mentors and friends. Take a look at finances, including financial aid and cost of living expenses at each school. If possible, visit campus of your top choice or visit again. Now that you've been accepted, your perspective will be vastly different and you can ask much more detailed questions.

• Notify other schools ­– Once you've made your decision, notify the other schools that accepted you as soon as possible. They will have plenty of waitlist applicants anxiously waiting for seats to open up.

• Appeals – If you were rejected from a school, you may be able to appeal the decision. This is an extremely rare occurrence and only applies to certain circumstances. If you feel you may have a chance to appeal, research that school's admissions policies and talk to your guidance counselor.

May and June

• Deposit deadline – Typically, colleges will have a deposit deadline of May 1st. You may have already signaled your intent to enroll, but now it's time to commit financially. Your acceptance letter should include all the details.

• Final transcripts – Once you've graduated, send your final high school transcript to your new college. This may help you secure a scholarship or qualify for other competitive academic programs.

• AP exams – If you've been taking AP classes in high school, you'll be taking your national exams in May. A high score or 4 or 5 on your AP exam may translate to college credit, you will want to check with the school once you receive your score. Some students begin college with some of their freshman requirements fulfilled through AP credits.

Guidance is here to support you! guidance@putnamscience.org or lveatch@putnamscience.org