| The senior year of high school is an exciting time, but | | | | personal touch to the letter of recommendation will |
| it is only a means to an end if you are a college | | | | go a long way. |
| bound student. The end, or the goal, is to complete | | | | Once the college applications are in process and the |
| your senior year with a next step in place - the | | | | letters of recommendation are off in the mail, you |
| college step. Taking the action steps to make this | | | | have only a couple of things left to do before making |
| step possible are fairly simple if you plan ahead and | | | | your final college selection. One of those things is to |
| pay attention to four areas: | | | | begin visiting the colleges for which you are |
| | | | submitting applications. Visiting over the summer is |
| 1. College Applications | | | | fine, but making the effort to go over the fall and |
| 2. Letters of Recommendation | | | | spring semesters of your senior year, and during the |
| 3. College Visits, and | | | | week not on the weekend, will give you a better |
| 4. The FAFSA form | | | | feel for the campus, the faculty, and the atmosphere |
| So now you are a senior in high school and the world | | | | of the school itself. Let the admissions office know |
| is at your feet, ready to be conquered, and you can | | | | that you will be visiting their school and request an |
| hardly wait to get there. But, there are just a few | | | | appointment with their offices if possible. If you have |
| other things that you will need to do first, so pay | | | | a face to face meeting with someone in the |
| attention. Assuming that you have been taking | | | | admissions office, they are far more likely to |
| appropriate study courses on SAT and ACT testing, | | | | remember you when your application is being |
| learning how to break the codes of those tests, and | | | | considered. While on the campus, ask students what |
| increasing your scores over the last year, you will be | | | | they think about the school, what the positives and |
| in prime position to begin working on college | | | | negatives are, ask about transportation and housing, |
| applications. The college application process will be | | | | etc. Other students, particularly those who are not |
| easiest if you have also been strategically evaluating | | | | employed by the college as "Greeters" will be a |
| your college options, down to a list of about 5 or 6 | | | | valuable source of information for you while on the |
| potential schools. Based on that process, your college | | | | campus. |
| applications should be sent out by Labor Day. I realize | | | | And finally, you will need to fill out the FAFSA form in |
| that may catch some of you off guard, but by now, | | | | the spring of your senior year. All students, |
| you will most likely have an idea of which schools you | | | | regardless of economic standing, should fill out this |
| will apply to, so the first thing to take care of this | | | | form. This form, the Free Application for Federal |
| year is to get those applications out near September | | | | Student Aid, is the starting point for any scholarship |
| 1, if possible. Work on those just before you return | | | | applications or awards. It requires the completion of |
| to school for your senior year, and you will have | | | | the graduating tax year income taxes by your |
| them ready to go by this date. | | | | parents, so you will need to have their input on this, |
| One of the other things that you will need, and | | | | but this form is critical. It can be filled out and |
| getting this done over the summer prior to your | | | | completed on-line. For the upcoming fall awarding of |
| senior year is an excellent strategy, is the letters of | | | | financial aid, the FAFSA deadline is usually in June, but |
| recommendation that every college application will | | | | the colleges that you will be applying to will need this |
| require. Typically, you will be asked for at least one | | | | form earlier than that. So as early as possible in the |
| letter of recommendation from a teacher, a | | | | senior year, this form should be completed and |
| counselor, and someone from your community. The | | | | submitted for review. There is a wealth of help on |
| first two should be fairly easy to obtain, especially if | | | | the FAFSA website, so visit their site to begin this |
| you have been working diligently over the last few | | | | process. |
| years and getting good grades. The third letter can | | | | As you wrap up your senior year, visiting colleges |
| take a variety of forms. It might be from an | | | | and enjoying the festivities of being a high school |
| employer, a volunteer coordinator, a church leader, or | | | | senior, you will find that you will have few concerns |
| perhaps alumni that you know from the school to | | | | and little stress if you stick to this plan and get much |
| which you are applying. Get these letters as early as | | | | of the college bound preparation process done at the |
| possible in your senior year so that you will have this | | | | start of the year. The senior year can be a time of |
| taken care of, but remember that most of these | | | | incredible memories and much excitement, but there |
| letters can take a few days to a few weeks to | | | | are things that must be tended to. Careful |
| obtain, so allow yourself plenty of time. When | | | | consideration of your college choices, making good |
| requesting these letters from your references, it is | | | | grades and scoring well on SAT or ACT tests is |
| always good to give them a short profile of what | | | | essential, but without the completion of the college |
| you have been doing in high school that might help to | | | | applications and necessary forms and letters, you will |
| make their letter more personal. This can look a little | | | | not have completed the process. Don't leave these |
| like a high school resume, or be more informal, but a | | | | things unattended to until it's too late. |