Fall College Planning Tips for High School Seniors

In the fall of your senior year in high school, it is a good time to start putting your short and long term goals for going to college into place. A good basic plan is as follows:

Fall Term of High School Senior Year

* Make a list of potential colleges and school, a max of 8 and a minimum of 5

* Discuss your choices with parents and the high school guidance counselor

* Obtain applications forms for each college on the list and inquire about scholarships and financial aid; review all requirements because some of them may take some time to obtain and/or complete

* Narrow down the list of colleges to between 3 and 5

* Request letters of recommendation from pertinent individuals; these can be from neighbors, employers, teachers, the guidance counselor, and sports coaches

* Start working on application essays early so you can ask teachers to review them

* Make sure all student aid and scholarship applications are submitted by their due dates

Important Considerations

Because most college applications require an application fee, it is important to have the most accurate list possible as applying to numerous schools you may not even be interested in attending can be costly.

Universities and colleges have scholarships offered specific to them and will require individual applications. You can view most of these online. Your high school guidance counselor can also advise you of other scholarships that are not specific to a school but are local scholarships offered only in your area.

If you are planning to apply for early college admission, many schools will need your SAT/ACT scores as early as November. You must research to find out testing dates in your area and register in advance. Allow sufficient time for test results to be calculated and delivered; this usually involves weeks so don't wait until the last minute.

Your senior year will pass quickly so it is important to start early in your preparations for the many tasks that must be completed in order for you to enter college after you graduate. Don't wait until the last minute; start getting organized early.