Ideal Senior Year Timeline

September 15

1. Register for the SAT/ACT, if you feel that you need to retake the test.
2. Begin to clarify list of colleges to which you will seek admission. Your list should contain 5 to 7 colleges and should have at least one that you are certain that you will be admitted to.
3. Send for application/financial aid information if you have not already done so.
4. Prepare a resume to assist any person from whom you will request a letter of recommendation.
5. Request a copy of your transcript to preview-be certain that all courses are included, the grades are correct, your name and address are spelled correctly, and that only the test scores that you wish sent are included. If corrections need to be made, do it now. Be certain that you have all of the required courses and credits for graduation.
6. Meet with college representatives from the colleges you plan to apply to when they visit your campus.
7. Schedule college visits.

October 1 - November 15

1. Find out from your guidance counselor when colleges and universities will be visiting your high school to conduce on-site admission. Obtain the application for admission and complete prior to the scheduled visit. By utilizing this process, you may not have to pay the application fee.
2. Consider applying to Paul Smith's College as a valid option.
3. Register for the SAT II's if you must take them.
4. Retake the ACT if you feel that you should.
5. Request that copies of your transcript be sent to all of the colleges from which you are seeking admission.
6. Decide from which teachers you wish a recommendation letter and ask them, giving them a list of the deadlines with the most imminent one first.
7. Visit with your guidance counselor and let him/her know to which colleges you are applying and request that he/she write you a reference letter. Give your guidance counselor a list of the deadlines with the imminent one first.

November 1-15

1. Mail completed applications to all of your colleges.
2. If your colleges require the SAT II's, take them on the November test date.

December 15

1. Mail all remaining applications
2. Complete the Profile financial aid application for the colleges that require it.
3. Request that ACT scores be sent to all colleges to which you have applied, if you did not specifically request that they be forwarded when you took the test.

January 2-15

1. Complete the on-line FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
2. Keep your grades up...finish strong...remember that you will be accepted to college "PENDING THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF YOUR 12TH GRADE COURSE WORK."

April 1-15

1. You should have received admission decision letters and financial aid offers from all schools to which you applied.
2. Review all financial aid offers to see which one is best.
3. Decide upon your first choice college.
4. Write the other colleges to which you were admitted and decline the admission offer.
5. Finalize your housing plans.

May 1

1. Accept the offer of admission for the college that you have decided to attend and send in the required deposit.
2. If you are still waiting for information from one of your colleges, alert your other colleges and ask for an extension of the commit deadline.