High School Senior College Prep Checklist

High School Senior College Prep Checklist

BIG Ideas:

  • College is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in your lifetime. 
  • Keeping up your grades and enrolling in activities that will boost your resume can help improve your chances of getting accepted.
  • To assist you with your college decision, go on campus tours while school is in session, use online resources, and review your financial aid award letters.

After all those long years of school, senior year is finally here. YES! This is your time to not only “rule the school” but also to experience some pretty amazing milestones from senior prom to academic night to the granddaddy of them all – graduation.

But just because you’ve made it this far doesn’t mean you don’t have a lot of work left to do. You must plan for the next exciting phase in your life: college!

To be ready for that, you’ll need to do some college planning for high school students – from finding the right school to applying for financial aid to figuring out how to pay for it. To help you stay on top of it all, we’ve compiled this simple seasonal checklist on college planning for high school students.

During Fall:

  • Study hard to get the year off to a great start.
  • Sign up for new activities that could help boost your resume and improve your chances of getting into your dream school.
  • Get a part-time job and start saving for college. Learn how to make saving a healthy habit.
  • Think about the subjects and activities that interest you most and the type of college that appeals to you. For example, do you prefer a large or small school? Or want to live in or out of state?
  • Continue to tour colleges that meet your interests and requirements.
  • Use resources like College Scorecard to make your school search easier.
  • Meet with your guidance counselor to share your research and discuss scholarships and deadlines.
  • Start gathering letters of recommendation from your teachers or others.
  • Take the SAT/ACT and have the scores sent to the schools you plan on applying to.
  • Write a college essay that sings! Remember to have someone proofread it for you.
  • Complete your application for the schools that interest you.
  • Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will help you apply for financial aid that can make college more affordable.

During Winter:

  • Keep studying.
  • Retake the SAT/ACT to improve your scores, if possible.
  • Arrange to have your high school send your college transcripts to the schools you applied to.
  • Keep working and squirreling away the money you earn. You’ll need it in college.
  • Have the financial talk with your parents about how you will pay for college.
  • Start searching for scholarships and grants. 

During Spring

  • Keep hitting those books to keep “senioritis” at bay.
  • Watch your mail/email for exciting news – as schools send decision letters.
  • Visit the schools you are interested in while students are in session. This will help you get a good sense of campus life.
  •  Look out for Financial Aid Award Letters, which will help you compare the cost of colleges and aid in your decision-making.
  • Make your decision by Decision Day, which is usually May 1.
  • Keep searching for scholarships and grants.

During Summer: 

  • Carefully review your financial aid award letters to help determine how much money you’ll need for college.
  • If there’s a gap between your savings and financial aid and the cost of attendance, apply for a private loan.
  • Start making your packing list for move-in day. It’s getting real!
  • Buy your proud Mom and Dad a college sticker for their car.
  • Celebrate! You graduated high school – a HUGE milestone!

Brazos is Here to Make Planning For College in High School Easy

For more than 40 years, Brazos Higher Education has been helping make education more affordable for students. As a Texas non-profit, we offer great rates and no fees on private student loans. Contact us to learn more.