Admissions and Financial Aid Planning Calendar

College Admissions And Financial Aid Planning Calendar

This calendar has been created to help you plan as you investigate schools and apply for admission and financial aid. While application deadlines vary from college to college, the steps below will provide you with general guidelines so you can anticipate and plan ahead. Be sure to contact each school you are interested in for their specific deadlines.

11th Grade/Junior Year
September - December	Admissions: •Begin investigating schools by reading/researching college directories. •Set priorities and review search criteria (e.g., type of school/program, your budget, proximity to home/work, etc.). •Ask your guidance counselor what the best dates are for taking the ACT, SAT-I and SAT-II. Register and take the PSAT and the PLAN.
January - March	Admissions: •Meet with your guidance counselor to discuss your senior year curriculum and the college selection and application process. •Compose a preliminary list of 15 to 20 colleges. Contact admissions offices for brochures, catalogs, videos, applications and financial aid information. Review catalogs. •If you or your parent's/guardian's employer offers professional work and life benefits, use this resource to help you with a school search. •Consider working with an educational consultant to help clarify college choices. •Register for the ACT, SAT-I and SAT-II you will take in the spring. Financial Aid: •Ask your guidance counselor about financial aid options.
April - June	Admissions: •Contact admissions offices to schedule and organize interview appointments (if applicable) and inquire about admissions open houses and campus tours. •Take admissions tests required by the colleges you are interested in. When you receive the results, discuss them with your guidance counselor who can help interpret scores. •Use checklists to chart inquiries and track activity; keep folders on college information. •Begin to visit college campuses. Financial Aid: •Investigate the availability of financial aid from federal, state,local and private sources. •Call the Student Aid Hotline at the U.S. Department Of Education (800-4FED-AID or 800-433-3243) to request the college Guide: federal financial aid (The Student Guide). •Read scholarship directories available at your local library, investigate scholarships provided by organizations such as corporations, labor unions, professional associations, religious organizations and civic organizations.
July-August	Admissions: •Continue to visit college campuses. •Narrow down your list of colleges and request applications from approximately four to eight schools. •Start thinking about and developing rough drafts for your application essays. Financial Aid: •Discuss your family's financial obligations, and consider what type of financial aid assistance you may need. •If you or your parents have access to professional work and life benefits through your employer, contact them to help you locate scholarships.
12th Grade/Senior Year
September	Admissions: •Review college admissions materials for testing requirements. •Prepare for SAT-I and/or ACT testing. Investigate and community organizations that offer test-preparation courses for the SAT or ACT. •Register for a fall or winter SAT-I, SAT-II and/or ACT test dates. •Go on interviews (if applicable). •Attend admissions open houses. Visit any college campuses you did not visit in the spring. Financial Aid: •Request scholarship application materials from the sponsoring agencies you wish to apply to.
October	Admissions: •Attend college fairs and meetings with college representatives visiting your school.
November	Admissions: •Work on college applications. •Finalize drafts for application essays. Have a teacher read your essays and supply feedback. •Request teacher references; two teacher recommendations are usually sufficient. Financial Aid: •Apply for any scholarships you are interested in. •Obtain a FAFSA form and a CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE form (if applicable) •Make sure you receive any required financial aid forms from each college you are applying to.
December	Admissions: •Take SAT-II subject test(s). •Complete college applications and financial aid forms. •Continue to check with your current teachers, school registrar and coaches about any recommendation forms/transcripts they must submit on your behalf. Financial Aid: •Financial aid forms are usually due in January. Check with each school for specific deadlines.
January	Admissions: •Submit applications. (February 1st is the deadline for many colleges.) •About three weeks after mailing your applications call each college to make sure your file is complete. Financial Aid: •Complete and mail all required financial aid forms.
February	Admissions: •Relax! The wait begins! The hardest part is over. Financial Aid: •Within four weeks of submitting the FAFSA, the U.S. Department Of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR), which includes the federal government's determination of your Expected Family Contribution and the information you reported on the FAFSA. If you find any errors, correct the form and return it as soon as possible so that the information can be sent to the colleges where you are applying.
March	Admissions: •Expect to receive replies from colleges during this time. •Once you have been accepted, consider revisiting the colleges you are seriously considering before making your final decision. •If you have been wait-listed, write to the college, if it is your first choice, and inform them of your interest. Financial Aid: •Financial aid award letter(s) should start arriving. The award letter(s) describe the types and amounts of aid for which you qualify, the cost of attendance, and your Expected Family Contribution. •Compare the financial aid packages from each school. •If your family's financial circumstances have changed significantly since you submitted your FAFSA, send a letter to a financial aid officer at the school, requesting a professional judgment review of your case. Describe the change in personal circumstances, if possible.
April - May	Admissions: •Take Advanced Placement tests. •By the end of May, decide which school you want to attend and accept their offer. To reserve your spot, send deposits to the college you have selected to attend. •Notify all colleges you applied to of your decision. •Have your final high school transcript sent to your chosen college. Financial Aid: •Accept the financial aid award package from the college you've decided to attend by signing it and sending it in with a copy of your SAR.
June - August	Financial Aid: •You will probably receive your first bill for tuition, fees,room and board.
College Freshman Year
September - December	Financial Aid: •If you applied for education loans, the financial aid office will provide you with information about the disbursement of the loan proceeds. • You may be required to visit the financial aid office to co-sign the disbursement check(s). • If you were awarded a work-study job, visit the student employment office to find an on-campus job.
Subsequent Years
	Financial Aid: •Reapply for financial aid each year you are in school. Even if you did not qualify for aid your first year, you should reapply for subsequent years, since circumstances can change. • If you submitted a FAFSA during the previous year, you may be able to complete the shorter Renewal FAFSA form instead. The Renewal FAFSA will be mailed to your home. The Renewal FAFSA preprints most of your answers from the previous year's FAFSA. You will need to verify that the old responses are still accurate and supply corrections or new answers where appropriate. If you don't receive a Renewal FAFSA by February 15, fill out a new FAFSA form. • Continue to apply for scholarships as your qualifications change and new scholarships are established every year.

This publication is for general informational purposes only and it is not intended to provide any reader with specific authority, advice or recommendations. Where you deem necessary, we suggest that you seek advice regarding your particular situation from the appropriate professional.

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