Annual college fair in Burlington. TSA takes all juniors and seniors to this fair.
IMPORTANT: Make a calendar, with major dates for this year that you and your family refer to regularly. There will be a lot going on, including application deadlines for colleges, financial aid, and standardized tests, not including your regular school work and the school play in November! Every year, many otherwise qualified candidates are not accepted to colleges because they missed deadlines.
Register for the ACT and/or SATs. If you are applying early action or early decision, you may need to take them by the October date.
Visit with representatives who come to the school. Don’t just come to the ones that interest you. PRACTICE talking with admissions representatives.
Senior Parent Night at TSA.
Begin to narrow your college list to five to eight institutions.
Polish resume. You will give it to those from whom you are requesting recommendations as well as to the guidance office. You may choose to send it to colleges as well.
Decide if you are applying EARLY DECISION or EARLY ACTION. If so, request transcripts and letters of recommendation early this month.
Meet with college representatives at TSA
Finalize list of colleges.
Visit colleges during NECAP testing days
November
Ask teachers for letters of recommendations. You will probably need letters from two teachers.
Work on applications and essays.
December
Submit requests for transcripts via Naviance. Remember that we are out of school for half of December. Request transcripts with December 15 or January 1 deadlines no later than December 1. January 1 requests that are received much after December 1 are extremely difficult to fulfill in a timely manner.
Determine EFC (estimated family contribution): the amount the family may be expected to pay for college. (VSAC has a wonderful tool for this.)
January
Send VSAC, FASFA and CSS Profile (if necessary) applications as soon as possible. Initially, you can send estimated financial information to FAFSA and CSS.
Check with college financial aid offices to determine if there are additional requirements.
February through March
Apply for scholarships through VSAC, national scholarships and local scholarships.