During your senior year, you will finalize your college choice. This year is filled with admission applications, scholarship essays, financial aid information, and the need to meet deadlines. Throughout your senior year, continue to build your resume by achieving academic success, as well as participating in extracurricular activities. Colleges are interested in well-rounded students.
Below are the tasks you should complete during the month of October:
- Re-take the SAT and/or ACT, if needed.
- Continue working on your admissions essays.
- If you haven’t already done so, create an FSA ID on StudentAid.gov, to complete your FAFSA online. (Also, let your parents know that at least one of them will need an FSA ID.) Make sure to protect your FSA ID and keep it in a secure place so that you will have it later when you need it.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa as soon as possible after it is available on October 1.
- Keep copies of all financial aid and enrollment documents in a file.
- Plan to attend a free FAFSA preparation event near you.
- Attend college planning and/or financial aid information nights and college fairs.
- Visit your top school choices, whether virtually or in person. If possible, make appointments with faculty, staff, and students.
- Meet with your guidance counselor to develop a college admission and financial aid application plan. Ask if there is a special college application period when application fees are waived.
- Review the colleges’ financial aid websites and contact the schools’ financial aid offices, if necessary, to determine which forms they require. Some schools may require special forms.
- Finalize portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent, if required for admission.
