Post Secondary Planning

Junior Year Timeline

March/April
  • 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
         -   SAT, SAT Subject Tests – Test Dates: May 6th & June 3rd – collegeboard.org
         -   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
  • 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:
           -Go to Colleges tab; click “Colleges I’m Applying To”
           -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
  • 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:
            -Click on any of the colleges on your list under the Dashboard tab in Common App. Click “Assign Recommenders” and
​             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!)
             -SAT, SAT Subject Tests – Test Dates: October 7th, November 4th, December 2nd
             -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!