SENIOR YEAR INFO / PLANNING Planning for College All senior announcements/ scholarships will be posted on Raceland s website, announced during morning and afternoon announcements, emailed to seniors and placed on the school bulletin board. Please keep track of deadlines! Getting In General Undergraduate Admission Process 1. Choose the school or schools to which you want to apply. 2. Visit each school s website, and request information and application packets from each school. 3. Gather the documents and any other materials that must be included with your application. 4. Choose the type of admission you want to apply for. 5. Review your application and materials carefully before submitting. 6. Send your application in by the deadline. 7. Your application is received by the school and reviewed by the school s admission committee. 8. You re accepted, denied or placed on a waiting list. The school lets you know about its decision. If you re denied admission, you may be able to appeal. College Admission Tips 1. Apply early to make sure you re a good fit for a college and the college is a good fit for you. 2. Most students apply to two to five colleges. 3. Get to know each school s admissions counselors. They can help you through the process. 4. Visiting the campus is the best way to decide if a college is right for you. When you re there, ask lots of questions. Entrance and Placement Tests Most colleges in Kentucky require students to take the ACT or SAT to be admitted. One good thing about taking the ACT or SAT is that you may earn a KEES bonus based on how well you do. Remember: The bonus is based on the highest composite score you get on a test you take Test prep websites: March 2 Success, a free website that can help you in language arts, mathematics, and science. www.act.org, a site with sample ACT questions and links to test dates, fees and interpreting test scores.
www.collegeboard.org, a site with sample SAT questions and links to test dates, fees and interpreting test scores. Some colleges in Kentucky may want you to take one of the following tests: The ACT Computerized Adaptive Placement Assessment and Support System (COMPASS) includes tests in mathematics, reading, writing and English as a second language. COMPASS is accepted or required by some two-year schools. For more information, visit www.act.org/compass. Twelfth-Grade Planner August/September Meet with your counselor to make sure you re on track to meet graduation and admissions requirements. Keep doing your best in your classes. Narrow your list of schools and request admissions information from each. Check out the catalog from each school you re interested in. Most catalogs are online, or you can ask the school to send you one. Request your personalized Getting the Facts Your Personalized College Guide online through your MyKHEAA account. Most early decision or early action admission deadlines are in October and November. Create a college access calendar to track: o Test dates, fees and deadlines. o College application due dates. o Financial aid applications and deadlines. o Deadlines for requesting recommendation letters, transcripts and other necessary material. Ask people at least two weeks before you need them. Register for the October SAT and/or ACT. You must take the ACT/SAT before you graduate from high school to qualify for a KEES bonus award. October Begin writing admissions essays. Ask a teacher or counselor to review and provide feedback. Attend college fairs, visit colleges and meet with admission representatives. Request recommendations from teachers, employers and counselors. Give each person your resume; a stamped, addressed envelope; and any required forms Apply for early decision if that s your plan. Keep copies of everything you send. November
Use Affording Higher Education and the Scholarship Search link on www.kheaa.com to find scholarships. Apply for all scholarships for which you are eligible. Complete any college essays you have to submit. Have a teacher or parent proofread for mistakes. Make a list of your top choices and begin preparing applications. December Get your recommendation letters from your references and send them thank-you notes. Finish and submit your college applications. Keep copies of everything you send. Have your high school send transcripts to the colleges you selected. Request your Federal Student Aid PIN at www.pin.ed.gov so you re ready to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after Jan. 1. January If you re accepted for early decision, withdraw applications to other schools. Gather information you need to file the FAFSA. Submit it as soon as possible after Jan. 1. The best way to file is online at www.fafsa.gov. Complete any additional financial aid applications required by schools. Keep copies of everything you send. Contact colleges to make sure they received your application. Submit mid-year grade reports to schools that require them. February Register for the May SAT or April ACT. This may be your LAST CHANCE to earn your full KEES scholarship award. Review college acceptance letters and compare financial aid offers. March Make your final choice. Send acceptance letters, any other documents and deposits to the school you chose. Notify the schools you won t be attending. Request course descriptions and schedules from the school you have selected. Review your Student Aid Report, which will tell you how much your family is expected to pay for your education. If any information is incorrect, make corrections online at www.fafsa.gov If selected for financial aid verification, provide documents to the college. April Confirm housing arrangements and send in any required deposits. Take AP exams.
May Submit scholarship acceptance forms. Make sure you ve returned all financial aid award notices. Plan to attend freshman orientation and registration. June Make sure your final high school transcript is sent to the school you ll attend. Consider getting a summer job to help you pay some of your expenses. Send thank-you notes to anyone who helped you during the application process. July Make a list of what you ll need to take with you. If you haven t met your roommate, take time to get acquainted. August Make sure you have your housing documentation when you move into the dorm. Review a campus map. Learn how to get around at your new school. Buy your books and supplies after the first class meeting. Work hard in your classes so your college career will be a success.
Planning Timelines Eleventh-Grade Planner August Discuss your college plans with your school counselor, parents or another trusted adult. Review your transcript to make sure you re on track to graduate and be admitted. Talk about college cost, location, housing and other subjects with your parents. Stay involved in extracurricular activities and community volunteer work. Take leadership roles if possible. September Make a list of schools you re interested in attending. Start investigating sources of financial aid. Take note of deadlines and plan accordingly. Visit college fairs, open houses and school s web sites. October Take the PSAT. It s good practice for the SAT and may qualify you for a National Merit Scholarship. Consider taking ACT and SAT prep courses. Kentucky requires all juniors in public high schools to take the ACT. November Ask your counselor about the Governor s Scholars Program. December Keep checking out the colleges in which you re interested. Use Affording Higher Education and the Scholarship Search link on kheaa.com to search for scholarships. The sooner you start looking, the easier it will be to select some to apply to during your senior year. Check out registration dates and times for the ACT and SAT if you want to take them in the spring. January / February Talk with people who may be willing to write recommendations for scholarships and colleges. If they re willing to help, give them a brief list of your academic, extracurricular and volunteer Study for the March (state) ACT
Look for a summer job, internship or co-op. Summer employment and internships look good on a college application or résumé. The money you earn can help pay application and testing fees. Plan campus visits for spring break. March/April Plan your senior year schedule and talk to your counselor about requirements for next year Work on your college admissions résumé, which highlights your high school accomplishments. It will help when you fill out applications, meet with interviewers, ask for recommendations and apply for scholarships. May The deadline to accept or decline a Governor s Scholars appointment is usually early May. June/July Talk with college students home for the summer. Check your KEES award, GPA and personal information through MyKHEAA.com
Planning Timelines Tenth-Grade Planner August Discuss your college plans with your school counselor, parents or another trusted adult. Review your transcript to make sure you re on track to graduate and be admitted. Use your ILP to check out career goals and interests. Stay involved in extracurricular activities and community volunteer work. Take leadership roles if possible. September Become familiar with general college admission requirements. Work hard and develop good study habits. The better your grades, the more KEES money you can earn. Make notes in your college access file about awards, accomplishments and volunteer work. October Start a file for information about schools you re interested in attending, financial aid and campus life. Read as many books as possible from a comprehensive reading list. It s one of the best ways of preparing for the ACT and for college. November Work on your writing skills. No matter what you do in life, you ll probably have to write. Start thinking about financial aid. Review the Paying for College section on www.kheaa.com. December Check out March 2 Success, a free website that can help you in language arts, mathematics, and science. Write colleges to ask for their academic requirements for admission. January Talk with your counselor about dual credit courses. Continue to explore interests and careers that you think you might like. Keep your grades up so you can have the highest GPA and class rank possible. February
Begin zeroing in on the type of college you would prefer (two-year or four-year, small or large, rural or urban). If you re interested in a military academy, start planning and getting information. Write colleges and ask for their academic requirements for admission. March/April Visit a few college campuses and attend college fairs. Sign up for challenging classes as a junior. It may help with scholarships and getting into the school of your choice. May Keep putting away money for college. Consider a summer job. You can save money for college and maybe find out more about your career interests. June/July Keep learning all summer. Check with your counselor to see what summer classes are available in your area. Chat with college students home for the summer, especially if they attend a college you re considering.
Ninth-Grade Planner August/September Take the most challenging courses you can. (Click kheaa.com for Kentucky s Pre- College Curriculum) Get involved in extracurricular activities and community volunteer work. Get organized. Create a college access file for: o Copies of report cards. o Lists of awards and honors. o Descriptions of school and community activities, including paid and volunteer work. Work hard in class. The grades you earn will be part of your final high school GPA and can earn you KEES money. Register on kheaa.com for a MyKHEAA account and to receive the Your KHEAA College Connection newsletter. Use the ILP to explore your interests and possible careers. October/November/December Attend any career days offered by your school or in your community. Talk with your school counselor and parents about a plan that will prepare you for college. Research college costs and talk with your parents about saving for college. January/February Start planning your sophomore schedule. A tough course load may pay off with scholarships and help you get into the school of your choice. March/April Continue to explore interests and careers. Start thinking about the colleges you might like to attend. Use the matching assistant on kheaa.com to find the Kentucky schools that meet your requirements. May/June Check into summer enrichment programs in subjects that interest you. Find out what a college atmosphere is like by attending a summer camp at a college near you.
July Use your MyKHEAA account to check your KEES account and to make sure your personal information and GPA are correct. If you find an error, ask your counselor to have it corrected.