Senior Year Planning for Transition to College
Plan to Work Hard and Continue to Keep Grades Up as a HS Senior
May 17, 2009
Many senior high school students think they are just going to "slide" through their senior year and finish doing the least amount of work. However if they are planning on attending college, they will have a stack of forms, applications, essays and tests to complete.
Keep Grades High
Colleges do check grades during the senior year. Many require a final transcript. Remember, many universities require students to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA every semester.
Also, if students planned several study halls and fun electives, they may want to rethink their senior year schedule. Many colleges expect seniors to take at least five college preparatory, AP or honors classes each semester.
Visit Colleges and Universities
Visiting colleges in the summer is nice and leisurely. However, students can get a better feel of the place when classes are in session. When students have paired their choices down to a few, plan college visits during the school year. Most high schools excuse a couple of college visits.
Take College Placement Tests
Being accepted to a favorite university or college requires a strong ACT or SAT test. Students can take the test as many times as they can pay for it while trying to reach a magic number. For some students, this means sitting for the test four or five time, beginning the junior or even sophomore year.
There are various books, courses, online help and "boot camps" for students who want to pump up their scores. This requires energy, time and money.
Apply to College
Most college deadlines are in the fall. It takes quite a bit of time to fill out a college application. However, many are now accepting common ones, which means that a student can fill out one application for several universities. Be prepared to spend a great deal of time writing the essays. These essays are very important and should not be taken lightly.
Hunt for Scholarships
Some colleges use the admissions application to award scholarships as well. If the college has a separate scholarship application deadline, make sure to mark the date on the calendar. Remember to check the guidance office for local scholarships as well. Some communities offer hundreds of scholarships for local students.
Many universities also require the FASFA form before they award a financial aid form. These are due in February or March, depending on the university. Again, these take time to fill out as well. Parents will need to assist the student when the form is filled out online.
This is not an exhaustive list of all the things that need to be completed during the senior year. Completing these activities will help to make a great transition from high school to college. The key is not to slack off but to work harder.
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