Seniors

Senior Year Check Off List

Fall To Do List :

  • Create a folder for all User Names and Passwords, and important documentation. You will be creating User Names and Passwords for FAFSA, Bridge, and your college/trade/vocational school student accounts. Keep them all in this folder! You will use them again throughout year, so please don't misplace them. Make photocopies of documents you send to your schools with notations of when you sent them.
  • Keep your grades up. This is the home stretch in high school and you want to be successful. Please don't give into Senioritis. Pay attention to all college/trade/vocational school deadlines, and there are many of them. Lots to do. Don't forget, senior grades can affect college acceptance and scholarship eligibility.
  • Meet with your counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and have taken all the classes you need to enter college or trade/vocational schools.
  • Continue with extra-curricular activities!!!!
  • Meet Mrs. Lillard in the College & Career Center and talk to her about scholarships. Mrs. Lillard will announce scholarships as they begin to come in. They will also be posted on the white board in the College & Career Center and given to Mr. Nowacki our senior Avid teacher.
  • Register to take the SAT, or ACT exams for college admissions. Check with the institutions you are considering attending and ask what exams they require. Fee Waivers are available in the core building for low income families, see Ms. Mauter.
  • Start working on your college application personal essay and begin getting letters of recommendations from teachers, church officials, employers, voluteer supervisors, and other upstanding citizens who can attest to your character and accomplishments. Fill out a Brag Sheet to give to potential recommenders!
  • Apply to the college/trade/vocational schools. Be aware of the application deadlines. California public colleges and universities deadline is November 30th. They will not accept late applications!
  • Make sure you meet all deadlines for applications and sending in 1st semester transcripts. You must put in a request to the Registrar to send in a transcript to the institutions you want to possibly attend. Most are due the beginning of January!

Winter To Do List:

  • Begin the process of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application. First thing is to create a PIN for yourself and one of your parents.
  • Have your parents begin to complete their taxes, because this information will be needed in early January for FAFSA. If they don't get it done, you can use an estimated amount BUT you must correct it once taxes have been completed.
  • After January 1st, as soon as possible, complete your FAFSA. Refer to "FAFSA Filing Time" as you complete the application. The sooner it is done, the better - one big responsibility is off your back!
  • Keep applying for scholarships!
  • Start checking your email regularly to look for any news from schools you have applied to.

Spring To Do List:

  • You should be hearing from colleges/universities/trade/vocational schools that have accepted you, or conditionally accepted you. Now is the time to go on those last visits to the institutions you are serious about attending.
  • FAFSA should have sent you a Student Aid Report (SAR) on your email account. Look at what your possible awards are. Contact the schools that have accepted/conditionally accepted you and ask them what Financial Aid and possible school grants or scholarships they will give you. This information can help you make your final decision on where to attend.
  • When you decide on a school, notify them of your commitment to attend and submit any financial deposit. Most schools want this information before May 1st, double check.
  • PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO ALL EMAILS FROM SCHOOLS AND WHAT THEY ARE REQUESTING OR INFORMING YOU OF! Students have lost the opportunity to attend the school of their choice because they didn't read the emails thoroughly and missed a deadline. The school's are going to request official transcripts, official SAT and/or ACT scores, payments for admission-housing-summer Early Start sessions-etc. Read your emails!