September
• Start preparing applications. Know the requirements/qualifications for
acceptance at the colleges of your choice.
• See your senior/college counselor. Work out good and realistic decisions.
• Check registration dates for October SAT and ACT. You might need to
or want to take these again. You definitely NEED to take them if you didn’t
during your junior year.
• Visit college reps that come to Nolan during the school day.
• Attend college nights at area schools. Attend the college fair—gather
information and applications.
• If you are considering early acceptance for college, know the deadlines.
• Start looking for financial aid and scholarships—The Scholarship
Book, bulletin announcements.
October
• Check registration dates for Nov/Dec SAT and ACT tests if you have to
retake either of these.
• Check to see if the college of your choice requires SAT II tests. UT
and many private selective schools do require SAT II.
• If you need evaluations or recommendations, request them well in advance
of the deadlines.
• Check the scholarship list and get information from the scholarship
files. Watch for deadline dates.
November
• Take or retake SAT and ACT if necessary.
• If you are considering an ROTC scholarship (and it’s a great scholarship)
get your application in by December 1. You have a better chance when you apply
early.
• College applications should definitely be in process, if not already
in the mail.
• Keep up your grades. 7-semester GPA is extremely important now.
• Know and keep deadline dates for applications and scholarships. Some
deadlines are as early as NOW!
December
• All seniors should have at least one college application on file by
the middle of the month.
• If you intend to apply for financial aid, get the FAFSA from the Guidance
Office, but do not send it in until after January 1.
• Know what the college of your choice wants, and when. Know the deadlines
and meet them!
• Do well in your exams…GPA is involved…and important for
7-semester record.
January
• Begin the 2nd semester with energy and determination. Start your one-semester
courses off right. Some of these are required for graduation
• Complete FAFSA (hyperlink-www.fafsa.ed.gov).
• Absolute deadline (2005) for University of Texas-Austin is February
1; for Texas A&M-College Station it is February 1. In the office—NOT
POSTMARKED.
February
• Maintain your grades. Don’t let senioritis kill you. If your application
was put “on hold” or “in review,” what you are doing
now will count.
• March 1 is deadline for many scholarships as well as many applications.
Don’t miss it!
March
• This is the waiting period for most decisions.
• Check credit by examination, especially CLEP and AP credit.
• Maintain your grades.
April
• You may have received acceptances from several colleges by now. You
need to make the decision, inform the colleges of it and complete your housing
arrangements.
• Maintain your grades. Realize that if you are going to a Texas state
supported college, you are required to take and pass the TASP (unless exempt
through SAT or ACT scores).
May
• Maintain your grades. Your acceptance is provisional, dependent upon
successful completion of high school. SO GRADUATE!
Summer
• Get a summer job. Many times your financial aid package will include
these earnings.
• Go to the college orientation days and get a good start!