College Preparation Checklist

As a high school senior who has now finished the college application process, you should begin preparing for the rest of your journey to college early. The following list and dates should help create a timeline for your final high school year.

October

• Take or retake SATs as soon as possible.
• Decide whether the two or four-year college is best for you.
  Attend college fairs to help you figure out which college fits you and your needs.
• Ask teachers and mentors for letters of recommendations to send colleges (some colleges require these letters and/or essays with your application).

November

• Research and apply for scholarships. There are numerous scholarships available that you may not be aware of. Check out the College Foundation of North Carolina [www.cfnc.org].
• Consider applying for financial aid.
• Your parents will need to assemble some of their financial records such as recent tax forms, income forms, bank statements, etc…
  
  December
• Check out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid [www.fafsa.ed.gov] forms online, or ask your guidance counselor about them.
• If you are going away to college, start purchasing things needed for your dorm or apartment. Since it’s the holiday season, you may want to add some of these ideas as gifts on your wish list.
  Ex. Bed sheets, TV, toiletries, microwave, etc…

January

• Ask your parents to fill out their W2 forms as soon as they get them. That information is needed in order for you to complete your FAFSA forms. Submit these forms as soon as possible.
• Continue collecting items for your dorm or apartment.

February

• Relax a little bit and enjoy being a senior!
  Keep packing those bags and collecting items and goods for school.

March

• If you have received your Student Aid Report (SAR), make sure all information on it is accurate. If not, make corrections and follow the re-submitting guidelines list on the forms.
• After your SAR is complete with accurate information, send these forms to the colleges and universities you applied to that you would like to attend.

April

• Watch your mailbox for college acceptance letters!
• Among the college acceptances, decide which fits you best – costs, courses, and location.
• You may want to apply for a VISA credit card through Allegacy. Practice using it with care to avoid serious credit card debt by end of college!
• Obtain a list of Allegacy financial centers or other credit union ATMs near your chosen college for you to access your money.
• Remember, even if there is no Allegacy facility nearby, you can still use any credit union ATM or Cashpoints with no-surcharge.

May/June

• Make final decision on which college you would like to attend (if you haven’t already).
• Continue purchasing and collecting goods for your dorm or apartment.
  Send ‘thank you’ notes for any scholarships that may have accepted you.
• Send ‘thank you’ notes to friends and family for their high school graduation gifts.
• Continue saving extra spending money for college, you’ll want to have some fun while you’re there too!

July

• Continue collecting items for your dorm room or apartment (look around for back-to-school sales).
• Continue saving extra spending money for school.
• Make sure your college is informed you are planning to attend in the upcoming semester.
• Make sure all scholarships, financial aid or grants are in place and complete to start school.