12th

College Bound Senior

You made it to your last year of high school! Congratulations are in order, but don’t relax just yet. It’s important that you finish strong without giving in to senioritis. During your senior year, you can now apply to the colleges you narrowed your choices down to. You can also continue to retake the SAT or ACT. And, of course, make sure you keep in touch with your advisor to ensure you’re on track for graduation.

• Meet with your school counselor to review your current academic standing and learn if there are any new scholarships available

• Retake the SAT/ACT, if needed by or before December

• Research deadlines for the FAFSA and State Financial Aid

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) in October

• Apply for State Financial Aid Before the Deadline (March 2 each year) 

  1. Note: this year, the app opens in December 2023, and Deadline is April 2, 2024 - for only this year)

• Narrow your college list down to top 5 and find their application forms, deadlines, and enrollment requirements

• Begin applying to colleges

• Ask for letters of recommendations

• Write college application essays

• Finalize your activities resume to submit to colleges

• Complete college applications 

• Find and apply for local and national scholarships 

• Submit college applications

• Review financial aid packages offered by the schools who accepted your application 

• Revisit your top colleges before accepting if needed

• Make your final college choice and enroll 

• Finish high school strong (avoid senioritis)

High school can be the fastest four years of your life, so a clear plan to prepare for college can keep you from rushing through your college search and applications. Good luck!

-Excerpt from Colleges of Distinction

4 Year College Bound 

Senior Year Calendar 

August

• Start finalizing your college list and begin the online applications process. The University of California application opens  August 1st. University of California
  The UC application requires you to answer four out eight Personal Insight Questions, select the questions that would best define you UC Personal Insight Tips 

• Start getting familiar with UC, Cal State ,Common App web pages! Here are some helpful YouTube videos to help familiarize yourself that also take you through the step by step process (these videos were dated 2019 so please know that this is for REFERENCE ONLY)

  • UC – https://youtu.be/h006oWKbj1M

  • Cal State – https://youtu.be/6NQQdbXnmQI

  • Common app: https://youtu.be/XQu2x_cm_AE

• If  you are applying to a private university, it is most likely that they use the “Common Application”  which also opens in August 1st. Open an account on Common Application at:  Common Application  

• Start Seriously considering possible careers – take the career survey on California Colleges if you haven’t taken it already.

September

• Review your final college list with your family to make sure it fits your career choice and finances.  Add or make changes on your college list “colleges I am considering” SAT and ACT is optional this year for Cal States and UC Schools and not part of your evaluation –  If you want to try the SAT or ACT, sign up for the October test – SAT or ACT

• Check @rhscollegecounselor Instagram account for updates and reminders 

• Complete your Brag Sheet for your teachers and counselor for letters of recommendation Brag Sheet

• Stay in touch with the College & Career Counselor Mrs. Fukuda at dinafukuda@rjusd.org

• Check the College & Career Visits on our school website here

• Fill out your brag sheet and give to your teachers that are writing your letter of recommendation.  You may want to include a thank you card or note.  Inform your College & Career Counselor that you will be applying to a private school and will need them to complete your secondary school report and write a letter of recommendation.  Make sure that your brag sheet is updated.  

• Read updates for each of your college choices regarding COVID-19 – it often changes!

• Stay organized and track your deadlines – the California State University and the University of California application Deadline is November 30th.  Private schools will vary so check their website and visit common application Common Application  to check application  deadlines and essay questions.  Email  your College & Career Counselor for questions.

• California State Universities application filing period open October 1st – Cal State Apply:   California State University Video – CSU Application Help | CSU Application Help website

• Attend  the Fresno Area College Night in September. 

October

• California State Universities application filing period open October 1st – Cal State Apply:     California State University Apply Video – CSU Application Help | CSU Application Help website

• Work on your college applications, personal statement and essays. IF YOU ARE APPLYING EARLY: (Early Applicant or Early Decision), FINALIZE your application(s) and essays!  

• Check specific majors, such as engineering, for possible test needed such as subject tests.

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA) & California Dream Act Application (CADAA) open submission period begins October 1. Ask your parents for their income tax information that they completed in 2020 and begin the FAFSA application.  https://fafsa.ed.gov  or the CADAA application www.caldreamact.org 

•  Attend the Financial Aid Night at RHS  - To Be Determined in November

• Explore Financial Aid options including FAFSA  https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa   and CSS Profile for Private colleges https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/?navId=gf-css

• Meet with your counselor (google meet) to review your college choices, review your prompt topics and ask questions.  

November

• Know your Early Admission deadlines! Early Decision and Early Action deadlines are typically November 1st or 15th. Don’t miss your deadlines.  If you need letters of recommendation from your teacher or counselor make sure they have your brag sheet a month prior.  For regular admission, the deadline for requesting letters of recommendation is November 15th.  Make sure you have spoken to your teachers and counselors by that deadline.

• University of California (UC) application filing period is from November 1-30. Don’t wait until the last minute to file!

December

• Finalize any college applications with a January deadline.  If you will be attending a community college, be on the alert for priority registration. 

• Check to see if any of the private colleges that  you are applying  to requires the CSS profile for financial aid.  This is an additional application  that provides colleges with additional information regarding financial need: CSS Profile College Board

January

• Start or continue your search for scholarships. Check the scholarship list on Naviance for community scholarships weekly as it changes with new additions. Stop by the College and Career Center with questions and to inquire about new scholarship postings along with scholarship web searches such as:  Fastweb Scholarship Search  Good Call Scholarship Search  California Scholarship Search    Go College Scholarships   Scholarship Experts

• If you will be attending a college in California, you may be eligible for the Cal Grant.  Talk to the College and Career Counselor about qualifications  for a Cal Grant (financial aid) Cal Grants

• Check to make sure all applications were received (keep all email receipts) and keep checking your email.

February to March

• Decisions (rolling admission offers) begin to arrive!

• Keep up your grades! You will need to submit your final grades to the college of your choice.

• Colleges can rescind your admission if you do not maintain your grade point average.

• If there are changes in your academic courses or extra curricular program since your initial application, you must notify your colleges.

• Stay on top of financial aid deadlines and check for local scholarships in the college and career center.

• Check your email for communications from colleges, especially those regarding incomplete applications or missing information. Respond quickly to any requests.

April

• April 1 acceptances arrive! Analyze your acceptances and financial aid packages carefully to determine what is the best match for you.

• Decisions and deposits are due by May 1 to the college of your choice. Follow the instructions on your acceptance letter. Note any special procedures for housing. It is considered unethical to make a deposit to more than one school.

• Notify colleges you are turning down of your decision.

May

• Don’t be late. May 1st is the deadline to notify the college of your choice.

• Send any additional AP scores to your college through https://Collegeboard.org

• Graduation! Congratulations and Good Luck – Don’t forget to order your final transcript for you college.