Post Secondary Planning
Junior Year Timeline
March/April
- ACT – Test Date: June 11th – actstudent.org
- Make sure your email on Naviance is correct
- Complete the “Senior Information Sheet” given to you in your individual post-secondary planning meeting and return to your counselor!
- Register for the SAT and/or the ACT – see your counselor if you need a fee waiver
- ACT – Test Date: June 11th – actstudent.org
- Register for the SAT Subject Test(s) if a college you plan to apply to requires it, especially if you are considering Early Decision
- Attend the College Fair at Career High School on April 11th
- Use the “College Search” on Naviance and/or College Board to create an initial list of schools (“Colleges I’m Thinking About”)
- Attend local college fairs and make appointments for tours during April vacation and summer months
May/June
-Scroll down to Teacher Recommendations and click “Add/Cancel Requests”
-Add the two teachers who have agreed to write you a letter
- Take the SAT and/or ACT
- Take the SAT Subject Tests if applicable
- Ask two teachers for a letter of recommendation in person and then request the letter through Naviance:
-Scroll down to Teacher Recommendations and click “Add/Cancel Requests”
-Add the two teachers who have agreed to write you a letter
July/August
- Visit college campuses and research schools online.
- Make note of deadlines for schools you wish to apply to in the Fall
- Work on your personal statement/essay and resume
- Create your Common Application account at www.commonapp.org
- Remember to register for the October SAT/ACT
Senior Year Timeline
September/October
sign the FERPA waiver.
-Log into your Naviance account
-Go to the Colleges Tab and click “Colleges I’m Applying To”
-Enter your email address and click “Match”
-ACT – Test Dates: September 9th, October 28th, December 9th
- Finalize your list of schools on Naviance and keep track of deadlines and required materials
- If you are using Common App for any schools, remember to “match” your Common App with Naviance:
sign the FERPA waiver.
-Log into your Naviance account
-Go to the Colleges Tab and click “Colleges I’m Applying To”
-Enter your email address and click “Match”
- Register for the SAT, SAT Subject Tests and/or ACT (Take advantage of the four free score reports when registering in order to meet school deadlines!)
-ACT – Test Dates: September 9th, October 28th, December 9th
- Confirm your two teacher letters of recommendation and request through Naviance if you didn’t do so in June
- Turn in your “Senior Information Sheet” to your counselor if you didn’t do so in June
- Begin working on your applications and let your counselor know of any Early Action or Early Decision deadlines
- Continue working on your resume and personal statement/essay
- FAFSA application becomes available online – October 1st at fafsa.gov
November/December
- Continue working on your resume and personal statement/essay
- Finalize your list of schools and keep track of deadlines and required materials for each school
- Turn in Transcript Request forms to your counselor at least two weeks before deadlines!
- Submit applications before Winter Break
- Log into your College Board account and request to send SAT scores to schools in time to meet deadlines (4-6 weeks in advance)
January/February
- Complete applications (resume, essay, SAT score requests, etc.)
- Turn in Transcript Request forms to your counselor at least two weeks before deadlines!
- Request your FSA ID to apply for Federal Aid – studentaid.gov/fsaid
- Complete the FAFSA application for Federal Aid by February 15th – fafsa.gov
- Search and apply for scholarships through Naviance. See your counselor for information regarding New Haven Promise & Scholarship Fund if you are a New Haven resident
March/April
- Check email/mail regularly to keep up with any communication from the schools you applied to and contact a school’s Admissions Office with any questions
- Continue to look for scholarship opportunities
- Talk to financial aid officers at the schools you are accepted to if you have questions about the award money offered
- Make a decision and confirm your acceptance and financial aid package at the school you wish to attend by May 1st – remember to send your deposit and let them know of any outside scholarships you receive
- Let your counselor know what school you will be attending!