College Process Timeline

Summer Prior to Junior Year

• Get a job/internship/do something to support your potential interests. • Attend a sports camp, if applicable. • Begin to consider college testing timelines and test prep scenarios, especially in regard to SAT Subject Tests. Not every

subject test is given on every test date, so it is important to make sure you have planned ahead and registered for the tests you wish to take.

• Familiarize yourself with the College Board and ACT websites for prep and practice resources: o www.collegeboard.org (SAT) o www.act.org (ACT) • Begin to develop a list of possible college choices. • Visit colleges, if possible; perhaps as part of a family vacation. Make sure if you visit a college that you check in with the Admissions Office to let them know that you were on campus for a visit. (See “College Visits” – pages 19-25).

Junior Year

FALL • Continue to be involved in extracurricular activities and challenge yourself to move into leadership roles and take on more responsibilities. • Continue your involvement in service activities. • Attend your scheduled College Guidance class. • Consider taking the PreACT offered in September in order to make a final thoughtful consideration of which test best suits your testing style. • Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October. Log onto your College Board account for more information about preparing for the PSATs. • Attend the Junior College Night with your parents in November. • College counselors will be assigned at Junior College Night. • Review your PSAT and PreACT (if applicable) scores and standardized testing plan with your college counselor. • Register for upcoming Standardized Tests in late winter and spring. • Begin work on a resume of your academic, athletic, work, and extracurricular activities. • Continue to familiarize yourself with Naviance and College Board and ACT websites. They will be essential tools for your college search process. • Begin to do online research about colleges of interest. Keep current colleges on your “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list in Naviance. • Attend information sessions with college admissions representatives visiting Sacred Heart, schedule permitting. • STUDENT ATHLETES: Please see your counselor for additional important information. (See “Athletes and the Admissions Process” - page 41). If you have not

already done so, athletes hoping to play or involved in the recruiting process should register with the NCAA at www.eligibilitycenter.org. You will be responsible for sending your standardized test scores to the NCAA directly. Athletes should contact college coaches and keep the Sacred Heart Athletic Director, along with your counselor, informed about all contacts.

WINTER • Parents meet with their daughter’s college counselor. • Complete Student and Parent Questionnaires. • Consider options for SAT Subject Tests and discuss them with your teachers and college counselor. • PSAT/NMSQT results should be available in December in College Board accounts (www.collegeboard.org). Discuss and develop a testing plan with your counselor. Students may also link their College Board accounts with Khan Academy that will provide personalized test preparation for the SAT based on PSAT scores. • Meet with your college counselor to develop a preliminary list of colleges to research and update your “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list in Naviance. • Continue researching colleges and plan college visits for upcoming Spring Break. • Monitor local college events, open houses, information sessions, and large college fairs. • Look into summer jobs/sports camps/internships/activities of interest.

SPRING • Choose your senior course curriculum wisely. • Ask two teachers in person to write college recommendations. • Use school breaks to visit colleges, go on college tours, and attend college information sessions. Many colleges may schedule Junior Open Houses during the Spring. • Learn about financial aid and discuss this aspect of the application process with your family and counselor. • Register for and take standardized tests, including subject tests if applicable. • Begin work on Videos/CD’s/Portfolios, if applicable. • Continue to look into summer jobs/sports camps/internships/activities of interest. • Plan college visits for summer months. • Attend local college fairs to get more information from representatives from a variety of colleges.

Summer Prior to Senior Year

• Finalize your college essay. • Be aware that the Common Application (www.commonapp.org) comes online/rolls over on August 1st. • Work on your supplemental application essays as they become available after August 1st. • Continue to prepare for and register for August, September, and October standardized testing, if applicable. • Explore financial aid and scholarship opportunities. • Continue to visit colleges of interest. • Be mindful of Early Decision/Early Action application deadlines. • Continue to work on videos/CD’s/Portfolios, if applicable. • Schedule interviews whenever offered.

Senior Year

SEPTEMBER • Continue college visits if necessary. • Register and take final sitting(s) of standardized tests including subject tests. • Meet with college representatives who come to Sacred Heart. • Schedule interviews whenever offered. • Deadlines are real! Be aware of application deadlines and those set by the College Guidance office. Remember our

internal two-week ahead rule.

• Attend your Senior College Guidance classes. • Communicate with your counselor and meet to finalize your list of colleges. • Discuss your application plan of action with your counselor

(ED, EA, EDII, Regular). • Confirm with teachers from whom you’ve asked for letters of recommendation. • Make sure you have registered with the NCAA for eligibility for college sports, if applicable (www.eligibilitycenter.org). Students are responsible for sending standardized test scores directly to the NCAA. • Complete the Common Application. • Do not request recommenders on the Common Application. • Open and begin completion of any non-Common Applications to schools. • Attend the College Night for Seniors and their parents.

OCTOBER • Communicate with your counselor. • Continue college visits if necessary. • Register and take final sitting(s) of standardized tests including subject tests. • Meet with college representatives who come to Sacred Heart. • Schedule interviews whenever offered. • Finalize your consideration of EA or ED options and discuss them with your counselor. • Fill out your application traffic forms (page 40).

Complete the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and other financial aid documents. (available October 1 at www.fafsa.ed.gov and www.collegeboard.org) Monitor and manage all financial aid deadlines. These vary from college to college. Submit your signed and approved copy of your transcript to College Guidance.

NOVEMBER • Communicate with your counselor. • Continue college visits if necessary. • Register and take final sitting(s) of standardized tests including subject tests. • Meet with college representatives who come to Sacred Heart. • Schedule interviews whenever offered. • Submit Early (ED or EA) applications. • Work on Regular Decision applications. • Work, as needed, to complete FAFSA and CSS Profile available October 1. • Actively monitor all application portals

and communications from colleges to which you have applied.

DECEMBER • Communicate with your counselor. • Submit your FINAL application list by December 1. • Early Action and Early Decision results released. • As you receive decisions, be sure to tell your counselor immediately. • ONCE ACCEPTED UNDER AN EARLY DECISION PROGRAM, STUDENTS

ARE REQUIRED TO WITHDRAW ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS ASAP.

• Work to complete FAFSA and CSS Profile as needed. • Actively monitor all application portals and communications from colleges to which

you have applied.

JANUARY • Communicate with your counselor. • Regular and EDII Admission Deadlines. • Actively monitor all application portals and communications from colleges to which

you have applied.

FEBRUARY • Make sure that you have submitted FAFSA and CSS Profile where applicable. • Actively monitor all application portals and communications from colleges to which

you have applied.

• Senior College Guidance classes conclude.

MARCH

• Regular and EDII Admission Decisions released (“Types of Admissions Decisions” – page 48). • If you receive a Waitlist, Guaranteed Transfer, January Admit, or other unique acceptance status, please discuss with your counselor. • As you receive decisions, be sure to tell your counselor immediately. Inform them of any scholarships/awards received. • Decisions about a financial aid package, if applicable, may or may not be included in an acceptance package. Individual colleges handle this part of the process differently. Contact the financial aid offices directly with questions.

APRIL • As you receive decisions, be sure to tell your counselor right away. Inform them of any scholarships/awards received. • Decisions about a possible financial aid package, if applicable, may or may not be included in an acceptance package. Individual colleges handle this part of the process differently so contact financial aid offices if you have questions. • Visit colleges to which you have been accepted. Most colleges host an “Accepted Students” day. This may help you to make your final decision. • Meet with your counselor to discuss your options. • Work with your counselor to discuss waitlist strategies, if applicable.

MAY • National Decision Day is May 1st. Students must submit a deposit to ONE school by May 1st. Counselors will submit only ONE final transcript for each senior. Inform your counselor of your final decision. Update Naviance to reflect the school you’ve made the decision to attend.

JUNE • Graduation! Congratulations!!