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Colleges will be looking at your GPA, sure, but they'll also make sure you took challenging classes and were involved in extracurricular activities like sports, volunteer work and reaching out to the community. Take steps to ensure they like what they find. Consider AP courses for your upcoming schedule, and see if your teachers and counselor have ideas for how else you can study up.
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The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test is great preparation for the standardized tests (SAT or ACT) you'll take as a junior or senior. It's also your chance to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Not only is the award an honor, it means money for college that you don't have to pay back
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Decide what's most important to you. Is Ivy-League prestige at the top of your list? Or would a solid community-college education give you the preparation you need? From big school to little school, city-livin’ to the great wide open, you’ve got options.
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What's your dream job? What's a cool career you could actually see yourself having? You don't have to go so far as to get prospective business cards printed up, but definitely think about the possibilities. Do some research, online or through people you or friends and family may know, and explore different occupations.
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Every little bit counts. And you can even get help from our friends at 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy – they’ve got dozens of articles on preparing, saving for and paying for college. There’s even a College Savings calculator to help you fine-tune (or create) your plan.
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5 Underclassman: Getting Started
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8 Junior: August-November
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Now that you’re a Junior, the classes you’re taking are even more important. Consider adding some AP courses to your schedule, and talk to your teachers and counselor to make sure you’re getting the best preparation for college. And don’t forget – colleges check out other stuff too, like extracurricular activities, volunteer work and community outreach. So be good all around.
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There may be AP or summer college courses available to you. If so, you’ll want to take advantage, which means you’ll need to know about it. (And you *do* want to take advantage: It’s highly likely that whatever college you choose will offer credit or advanced placement – or both – if you can score well on your AP Exams.)
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That would be the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test and the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, of course. Taking these has got to be done (unless you did it already) and October’s a good time to do it. Reason? You’re not rusty from summer anymore, or burnt out by finals. Oh, and don’t forget your calculator.
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A good place to start is at your school. Start looking through guidance publications, college catalogs and guidebooks. The U.S. Dept. of Education has a page of their picks for your best resources, which is a great start. For more info specifically on careers in accounting, including your options to do everything from saving the planet to busting the bad guys, check out Career Options.
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Plan to apply to at least three to five schools. (Why not all ten? Well, applications can be costly, not to mention time-consuming.) Talk to your parents and your high school counselor about where you want to go. They may have advice on getting there. They may have more ideas about what’s a good fit for your goals and personality. They’ll *definitely* be interested to know what you’re thinking. Also, as you may have noticed, the Internet is a great research buddy too. Start with the schools’ homepages and go from there.
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There are probably some, if not lots, in your area. Find out dates and locations, and make sure your schedule is open. Not only will you find stuff out at these events, you’ll meet other people who are on the same path as you – plus the kind of people who help people such as yourself. Bring a parent or friend to make the most of it.
And for the largest virtual college/career fair of all, see CollegeWeekLive. It’s an awesome event with an awesome sponsor – us – and gives you the chance to not only visit the schools you’re considering virtually, but also chat live with those schools’ representatives. Plus find out about millions of dollars in financial aid and scholarships. There are two major events a year: one in Spring (March, specifically) and the Fall one coming up in November. See you there!
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That, as you might know, is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you want help from the government in paying for school, you want one of these. It’s available, along with other free financial aid materials, online or by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). (Just hold onto it for now, though. You won’t be submitting it until next year.)
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There aren’t tons of requirements for federal and alternative student loans, but there are a few. Now’s the time to verify that you’re eligible for the ones you’ve got your eye on.
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6 Junior: December-February
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It’s okay to hold your breath as you open the envelope. Just so long as you actually do open it. Besides, who knows? Those magical words “National Merit” could be in there somewhere. Plus, using the link below, you can even log in to the College Board website and see your projected SAT score based on your performance – along with the questions you got wrong and why. That’ll help you prepare for the *real* test: The SAT.
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First task is figuring out which you need to take: SAT I and/or SAT II. You may also need to take the ACT. (Or, you might not.) Check with the colleges you are applying to and find out about specific testing requirements. Whichever exams lay in your future, your high school counselor will know about registration deadlines. Then you can sign up and start studying. (You’ll find practice tests via the link below.)
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Go through the catalogs of the three to five schools that most interest you. (You might have picked these up during your visit to the guidance/college counselor’s office. If not, head on back and grab ‘em!) Read each school’s materials carefully: What courses do they offer? Anything you’re dying to know about? What about courses of study that fit perfectly with your career plans? Keep a scorecard if you have to.
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Holiday travel could provide the perfect opportunity to check out a campus or three. When you go to each one, make sure you sit down with an admissions representative and a Financial Aid Officer. They can confirm what types of aid are available there. Of course, if you like what you see it’s also a good idea to go back and revisit once classes are in session.
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More than one of them, ideally. These are a great opportunity to learn more about how you’re going to pay for all this awesomeness. To find upcoming events, check with your school’s front office or your guidance counselor. You can also try searching the events section of your local newspaper’s website, or on the sites of local colleges.
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Now that some of this other stuff is checked off the list, you can start seriously investigating private scholarships and other student aid programs. And you start *that* by finding them. That’s where a scholarship search program comes in. If you don’t know of one already, just ask around. Your teachers and counselor may know of some good free searches. If not, the internet will. Oh, and steer clear of paid searches; they’re often scams.
Besides, the free stuff can be great – like MyCollegeOptions, which matches you up with the offerings of more than 5,000 accredited post-secondary institutions across the country.
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6 Junior: March-June
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Registered? Good. Studied? Great. Now, just remember – your calculator is welcome; your cell phone is not. Want a little extra prep beforehand? Sign up for a prep course, and check out the site of CollegeBoard, the folks who developed the test. They’ve got free practice questions and even a free full-length official practice test.
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Advanced Placement exams can be your ticket to getting ahead, saving some tuition money and even standing out with Admissions at the school you’re hoping to get into. In fact, 90 percent of four-year colleges in the United States and colleges in more than 60 other countries will give you credit, advanced placement or both on the basis of AP Exam scores. Good thing you’re taking them now, while all the learning is fresh in your mind.
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Can you line up a summer job that’s related to your future career? Perhaps an internship at an accounting firm? If so, you’ll be several steps ahead when it comes time to fill out the old résumé, plus you might even make a few extra bucks you can save for school. Planning a trip or two as well? Could be your best chance to check out the schools on your final list. At this point, since you’re getting serious, you can even try to set up an interview or overnight visit. Can’t get there in person? Consider a virtual visit.
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If you still haven’t taken the SAT, make note of the future test dates and registration deadlines. You can take them during your senior year too, or even take them a second or third time: Research shows that students who take the SAT a second time usually improve their score.
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No reason to stop investigating outside funding resources now. More scholarships, grants and loans could appear anywhere. Continue compiling information to find out which organizations award scholarships to graduating seniors (some of which may need you to apply starting this summer).
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Dig into a variety of books and magazines and review your math skills over the summer. In addition to making you smarter and more interesting, it’ll help you prepare for the SAT if you plan to take it in the fall.
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8 Senior: August-November
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Sit down – and write down – all the test names, dates, fees, registration deadlines and deadlines for college admissions and financial aid applications you’ll need to be on time for. Trust us. You’ll be glad you did this.
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There’s still time to take the most important test of your high-school career. For specifics on exactly *what* time, talk to your counselor and get all the upcoming test dates. Registration materials, too.
Note: You must take the test (and this goes for the ACT too, if that’s required by your potential colleges) at least six weeks before the deadline in order for your scores to be submitted to colleges.
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You may have checked your eligibility for federal and alternative student loans back in Junior year, but now’s the time to register for the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE™ (which determines your qualification for aid) too. Many universities – especially private schools, including everyone from Adelphi to Yale – require this.
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You’re going to need essays for those college admissions and scholarship applications, you know. Might as well start writing them now.
What’s your story? What makes you tick? What makes you *interesting* and invaluable to have around? These aren’t questions you want to be answering in a hurry when the deadline’s approaching later.
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You’ve narrowed your college list to just the top three to five schools, right? Their representatives may be visiting your school (in which case you should go say hi, of course), but it’s also time for you to pay them a visit at their place if you haven’t already. Poke around. Get the catalogs and admissions info you need. You can even interview some students, faculty and staff to get a clearer picture of what life’s like there.
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Find out which forms your college choices require and when those applications are due. (In addition to being on *this* list you’re reading now, all this info should also be on your master list, mentioned above.) Get those forms. Look them over carefully to make sure you’ve got everything they’ll need you to fill in.
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Even if you’ve got your decision pretty well made, still take the opportunity to attend special programs such as college fairs and financial aid nights. You never know what might open your eyes even further.
Need a hint about just such a college fair, which also happens to be fantastic? That would be CollegeWeekLive, which lets you visit your candidate schools virtually, chat live with their admissions reps and take a crack at millions in financial aid & scholarships. Coming up is the big Fall event in November. We’ll see you there!
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Nothing completes your admission and/or scholarship application like a solid letter of recommendation. Go to teachers, guidance counselors, and employers who might be willing to sing your praises and ask them if they can help you out.
Seriously. Do this. Now. It’s way too easy to procrastinate on this, but if you do that you put yourself *and* your supporters at a disadvantage. Nobody wants to write – or have to rely on – a hastily thrown together recommendation.
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4 Senior: December-February
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Starting in December, you can finally pick up that crucial document you’ve heard so much about: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Copies will be at your high school counseling office or your local library. Start working on it, but DO NOT submit it before January 1. After that date, you’re good to get that crucial document to the processor as soon as possible. Keep a copy for your own records.
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If you wanted your mid-year transcripts sent to the schools to which you applied, check and make sure this was done. Pay a visit to your school’s guidance office.
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There are always more sources of outside funding and scholarships. Sniff them out like a bloodhound, and find out if you’re eligible.
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Okay, spring semester is your last chance to take those Advanced Placement (AP) or College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams. Make sure you sign up. You may have heard that these can save some tuition money in addition to helping you get into the college you want, and believe us: you heard right.
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6 Senior: March-June
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Your SAR contains federal financial aid information, and it should come within a few weeks after you send in your FAFSA. (If it doesn’t, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.) Naturally, if you provided an e-mail address when you applied, you’ll get an electronic response that will probably arrive sooner. Either way, once you’ve got the Report, review it carefully to make sure it’s correct and complete. The schools you listed on your FAFSA should have received a copy of the report too, but you’ll still want to contact each one’s financial aid office to make certain that your application is complete, and ask what else you need to do to establish and maintain your eligibility for financial aid. (They may need your tax forms, for example.) Oh, and keep a copy for your own records as well.
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Those college acceptance letters ought to be streaming in about now. So should some financial award letters. Sort through them all, compare each offer to decide which sounds best to you, and celebrate: You did it.
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Now that you’ve made your ultimate decision about which college to attend, it’s time to let them know – and send them a deposit accordingly. It’s also good form to notify the other schools that you won’t be attending. That way they still like you if you decide you’d like to switch in a few semesters.
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You’re in, which is great. It’s also your cue to make note of some new dates – things like getting your housing figured out at the new school, filing your financial aid forms, getting a parking pass if you need one…
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At the end of the semester, you want to take your AP examinations. After all, they can land you college credit, advanced placement or both at 9 out of 10 schools across the country, so it’s definitely worth a shot – and a solid effort on your part
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Whether you’re working hard on the job, taking a few extra classes, or just vegging out in the front lawn for a little while to celebrate the results of your efforts, have at it. You deserve a break, and you’ve got a big year coming up in just a few months. Enjoy!
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© 2013, The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
© 2013, The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants