The first half of senior year is the last chance to put up a good score on one (or both) of the standardized tests.
Although some of the college admission process has already taken place, including a student’s first try at the SAT/ACT, senior year is really where the rubber meets the road. Going into this pivotal year with the right plan can make the difference in college placement or even whether a student moves on to post-secondary education at all.
Here are the things to focus on as the school year begins.
Extracurriculars
Although it’s too late to make a real impression with extracurriculars, even attempting a late effort is better than nothing. Students can join some groups that diverge from what they’ve taken part in before to show some versatility. At minimum, a student should be willing to stand up for leadership positions in their existing groups during senior year.
Planning the list
Now is the time to narrow down the list of potential colleges, organize the materials needed for those schools, and, if possible, sign up for tours. Focusing on a few schools now makes the process easier. Students can then start working on their essays and finding the right people for recommendation letters. If there is a clear first choice, early decisions periods start in September-October.
Essays
Once the choices have been narrowed down, so have the essay prompts. Starting drafts now offers many advantages:
More free time during the summer to focus
More time to revise
More people can be brought in to help review
Testing
The first half of senior year is the last chance to put up a good score on one (or both) of the standardized tests. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a sub-standard performance has doomed your child to a lesser school. If you think they are capable of better, they should give it another try. Registration for those early testing dates begins in the summer. They should also make sure that any testing results are going to be sent to that newly-culled college list.
Financial aid
The financial aid process also starts earlier than many families think, especially if that support is coming from any government agency. Those sources and their processes need to be organized and started as soon as possible.
Senior year moves fast, so it’s prudent to use this last part of summer to make sure this final bit of college preparation time is used efficiently.