Are You Done with College Applications? Re-Check your List!

by Claudine Vainrub, Principal of EduPlan / Thursday, 26 December 2019 / Published in College Admissions

First semester of senior year is over or winding down. The holiday break and the new year are here. Are you finished with your college applications? There are multiple steps before you can submit a COMPLETE application to the college of your choice. Use the following checklist to see where you are in the process.

College Applications

Filling out the college application is only the first part of the process.

Common Application
Coalition Application
State Colleges/Universities Application (like Apply Texas, or the UC System)
Individual College/University Applications

Transcripts

Check transcript requirements for all of your colleges. Are you required to send your transcript at the time of application, after admission, or at the time of enrollment (or all of the above)?

You may need to send another transcript in January. This is known as the “seventh semester transcript.” It shows your grades from your first semester of the senior year.

Test Scores

Be sure to request the relevant test scores to be sent to all your colleges. Don’t forget to include both past and future test scores for ACT, SAT, and/or SAT Subject Tests.

Submit your AP test scores after you graduate, unless requested otherwise.

Recommendations

Check with your counselor and teachers to be sure they have completed any recommendations that you requested.

Financial Aid forms

College is expensive. Work together with your parents to complete your financial aid forms.

FAFSA – ALL colleges use the FAFSA
CollegeBoard CSS Profile – some private colleges and other programs use an extra financial aid form. It is quite detailed and takes a lot of time to complete. Watch for deadlines.

Special applications

Some special programs (such as honors programs) or scholarships require additional applications. Check the college website for additional applications and deadlines.

Take Action

Review the application checklist of your colleges to confirm you have fulfilled all the requirements for each application. Make a note of any outstanding requirements and get those to the college as soon as possible.