Senior Year Checklist: Everything you need to prepare for and succeed in your senior year!

Senior year is finally here, and it's full of things to do to get ready for college. Use this senior year checklist to keep track of your progress and upcoming deadlines for testing, admissions and financial aid.

Fall Term

Sign up for the ACT! (if you didn't take it as a junior, or if you aren't satisfied with your score, or if you've just felt like you learned more since you first took it!)

Upcoming Fall ACT Test Dates

• September 10th (Deadline: August 12th; Late Registration: August 13th-26th)
• October 22nd (Deadline: September 16th; Late Registration: September 17th-30th)
• December 10th (Deadline: November 4th; Late Registration: November 5th-18th)

Register online at http://www.actstudent.org/regist/index.html.

• Visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements
• Consider taking college courses at a local university or community college (speak with your GEAR UP Site Coordinator or Liaison to find out how to take free courses through Fairmont State GEAR UP!)
• Keep working hard all year; second semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility
• Ask for positive personal references from teachers, school counselors, or employers early in the year or at least two weeks before application deadlines. Follow your school's procedure for requesting recommendations.
• Visit with admissions counselors who come to your high school
• Attend a college fair! The West Virginia College Day program brings college fairs near each of our schools throughout the fall. WV College Day Schedule
• Begin your college essay(s)
• Apply for admission at the colleges you've chosen
• Avoid common college application mistakes
• Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college to which you have applied
• Start the financial aid application process
• See your school counselor for help finding financial aid and scholarships

Spring Term

Last chance to take the ACT! Want one last chance to improve your scores? Here's your last chance to do it!

Upcoming Spring ACT Test Dates

• February 11th (Deadline: January 13th; Late Registration: January 14th-20th)
• April 14th (Deadline: March 9th; Late Registration: March 10th-23rd)
• June 9th (Deadline: May 4th; Late Registration: May 5th-18th)

Register online at http://www.actstudent.org/regist/index.html.

• Ask your guidance office in January to send first semester transcripts to schools where you applied. In May, they will need to send final transcripts to the college you will attend.
• Fill out your FAFSA as early as possible! The sooner you submit the form, the more financial aid awards you'll be eligible. Remember, if you submit your FAFSA before West Virginia's April 15th deadline, you may also be eligible for some state aid as well!
  • If you need it, get help completing the FAFSA
  • College Goal Sunday(SM) offers free help to students and parents for completing the FAFSA. Watch this site for details on the upcoming date!
• Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll
• Compare financial aid packages from different schools
• Decide which college you plan to attend, and notify the school of your decision
• Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork
• Notify schools you will not attend of your decision
• Continue to look for scholarship opportunities
• Keep track of important financial aid and scholarship deadlines
• Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR) -- it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed
• Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money
• Notify your college about any outside scholarships you received
• Sign up for a summer internship or GEAR UP summer program for extra experience in your future field, which will look great on your college resume and prepare you for the fall college semester!