Academics

College Counseling: Timeline

SENIOR YEAR

The Senior year! Please remember that this year counts as much as your junior year. You need to start off strong and maintain your efforts. Deadlines become very important as you work with the College Counseling Office to complete the application process.

September

  • Return to school with a rough draft (or two) of your college essay.
  • Attend senior class college meeting during the first week of school.
  • Make sure Student Questionnaire II is complete.
  • Make an appointment to meet with your college counselor ASAP.
  • Review “College Counseling Office List of Responsibilities” with parents.
  • Read “Organizing Your Fall Term” handout.
  • Complete “College Application Organizer.”
  • Work hard. Your first trimester senior grades may be your last chance to impress. All final first trimester grades will be sent to the colleges to which you apply.
  • Register for the October and/or November SAT or SAT Subject tests.
  • Register for October ACT.
  • Check College Counseling Office announcements (bulletin board, TV monitors, e-mail and Naviance) for upcoming college representative meetings at Bullis. Must have permission of teacher to miss class.
  • Begin online applications.
  • Work toward your final list of colleges. Discuss with parents and college counselor.
  • Complete Preliminary List of Colleges and submit to College Counseling Office with appropriate deadlines.
  • Create your account for the Common Application if you haven’t already done so.
  • Revise and polish required essays.
  • Register with NCAA Eligibility Center for Division I and II if you have not already done so.
  • Make sure your Teacher Recommendation Request forms have been signed by two eleventh- or twelfth-grade faculty members, and are on file in the College Counseling Office.
  • Talk with your college counselor about whether to apply ED or EA to any college. Begin completing these applications.
  • Submit applications for any schools you are applying to with “rolling admissions.”
  • Arrange to have official test scores sent to colleges if applying “rolling admissions” (College Board and/or ACT)

October

  • Early Decision and Early Action applications with November 1st deadlines are due in the College Counseling Office by October 1.
  • Arrange to have official test scores sent to colleges if applying ED or EA (College Board and/or ACT)
  • Attend college representative meetings.
  • Continue to work on essays.
  • Select the final list of 6 to 8 colleges to which you will apply.
  • Take the SAT or SAT Subject Tests, or ACT.
  • Register for the December SAT I or SAT Subject Tests if necessary.
  • Register for the December ACT if necessary.
  • File early financial aid forms with colleges to which you are applying ED.

November

  • Take the November SAT or SAT Subject Tests, if necessary.
  • Request official score reports be sent to all schools that request them (SAT or ACT).
  • Make sure that your college counselor has a complete list of where you are applying and where your transcript needs to be sent. Complete and sign a Transcript Request Form if you have not already done so.
  • Continue to work on your essay. Share your efforts with several people, asking them key questions: “Does this sound like me? Did my point come across?”
  • Submit any remaining rolling applications; complete and submit TRF(s) and envelope(s) to the College Counseling Office.

December

  • Applications with a January 1 deadline are due in the College Counseling Office by December 1.
  • Make sure the College Counseling Office has your final list of colleges; update the Transcript Request Form.
  • Finalize your essay and supplemental essays for January applications.
  • Take December SAT or SAT Subject Tests, if necessary.
  • Take December ACT, if necessary.
  • Talk with friends (first-year and upperclass students) who are home from college: get their impressions; try to understand their likes and dislikes.
  • If you are applying for financial aid, begin to gather financial/tax information so you can file tax returns and complete FAFSA form as soon after January 1 as possible.
  • Register for January SAT or SAT Subject Tests if necessary. Your scores will arrive at schools with January or February deadlines in plenty of time.
  • TRFs and addressed envelopes are due to the College Counseling Office by December 15 for schools with January 15 deadline.
  • Notify the College Counseling Office of any Early Decision or Early Action decisions you receive.

January

  • Submit applications with January deadlines.
  • If you are applying for financial aid, have your parents complete the FAFSA. (The sooner this is completed and sent in, the better).
  • Last possible opportunity to take the SAT or SAT Subject Tests.
  • Keep working—second-trimester grades can still be sent to colleges to help your application. (We will only send grades when asked by students or requested by colleges.)

February/March

  • Complete applications with deadlines in February and March.
  • Continue to explore the colleges to which you have applied as thoroughly as possible.
  • If you applied for financial aid, make sure that you received the Profile acknowledgement and the Student Aid Report (SAR) from the FAFSA application.

April

  • Notify the College Counseling Office of all admissions decisions you receive.
  • Meet with the college counselors if you need help in determining which school to attend, what to do regarding a wait list, or need assistance with financial aid determinations.
  • Visit colleges to which you have been accepted.
  • Make one deposit by May 1 to hold a space for next year. You may not deposit at more than one school.
  • Notify other schools that you do not plan to attend.
  • If you are placed on the wait list by a school and wish to remain on the WL, notify the College Counseling Office. Discuss wait list status with your college counselor.

May/June

  • You must successfully complete your third trimester to participate in graduation. You are almost there!
  • Let the College Counseling Office know of your final choice so we can send your final transcript.


JUNIOR YEAR

This is it-the ever-popular “most important year for colleges.” Make sure your schedule is appropriately strong and that you have covered all your requirements; focus your attention on your classroom performance; use study halls wisely; go to extra instruction and get off to the strongest start possible!

September, October, November

  • Participate in Junior Class Experiential Education Program on The College Admission Process.
  • Check high school course curriculum. Will you meet college requirements? Talk with parents and advisor.
  • Continue your involvement with in-school and out-of-school activities. Look for leadership opportunities; show initiative and genuine commitment rather than token involvement.
  • Make a practice of walking by the College Counseling Office on a regular basis. Check College Counseling Office announcements (bulletin board, TV monitors) for upcoming college representative meetings at Bullis. You may meet with college representatives only during a study hall. (Juniors are not excused from a class.)
  • If you have had educational testing that recommends extended time for exams, talk with the College Counseling Office and the Upper School learning specialist to make sure your testing is current and all your paperwork is in order.
  • Athletes who hope to participate in college athletics and who play spring sports should consult with their Bullis coaches about their potential level of play, contacting college coaches and making video tapes.
  • Read PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin which is mailed to you prior to test date. Review tenth-grade scores. Take the October PSAT.
  • Study and do your best on your fall trimester exams!

December

  • Review your PSAT results with your parents. Please make sure to read the entire report as well as the letter and fact sheet from the College Counseling Office.
  • Make plans for standardized testing. Talk with parents and college counselor about best time to take SAT, SAT Subject Tests and ACTs. We recommend that every student take the SAT and ACT at least once during the spring and the SAT Subject Tests where appropriate. You may also want to talk with your teachers about appropriate tests to take.
  • This is the time to start thinking about finances, whether that means financial aid, merit scholarships or payment options. Check online resources such as www.fastweb.com or www.finaid.org.
  • Talk with graduates who are home from college about their experiences.

January, February, March

  • Attend small group workshops sponsored by the College Counseling Office.
  • Begin to identify the characteristics you would like in a college.
  • Schedule individual appointment in the College Counseling Office after you complete Student Questionnaire I.
  • Encourage your parents to attend the Parent “Kick-off Meeting.”
  • If you anticipate being recruited to play a Division I sport, we recommend that you take the January SAT.
  • Use resources available in the College Counseling Office to begin your college search (Naviance, resource books, etc.)
  • Register for March/April or May SAT or April ACT Test or May SAT Subject Tests.
  • Talk with your parents about making an appointment to meet with your college counselor after you have had your first meeting.
  • Continue to develop characteristics you like in a school and begin to develop a list.
  • Study and do your best on your second-trimester exams!
  • Take advantage of spring break and visit colleges, attend tours and information sessions. If at all possible try to see schools while they are in session.

April, May, June

  • Attend the Student/Parent “Mock Admission Committee” Program.
  • Review “List of Responsibilities” from the College Counseling Office.
  • Register for June SAT, SAT Subject Tests or ACT if you plan to take them.
  • Research schools on your list in a variety of ways (objective and subjective guidebooks, discussion with alumsni and present students, as well as computer resources).
  • Write or e-mail the schools on your preliminary list requesting information.
  • Talk with your parents, your advisor and your college counselor about your senior schedule. You should be thinking about the strongest possible schedule that is appropriate for you. Think about the breadth across the curriculum as well as advanced courses.
  • Take the May SAT exam. Some people may want to use this date for SAT Subject Tests especially those who have just reviewed for AP exams in subject areas applicable to the SAT Subject Test.
  • Take the June SAT exam if you did not take the SAT in March or May, or need to take SAT Subject Tests and do not plan to continue with that subject in the senior year.
  • Watch mail, announcements, etc. for word of college-sponsored programs in the area.
  • Attend Washington DC Area Independent Schools College Fair and any other relevant college fairs.
  • Talk with your parents, advisor, coaches and college counselor about ways to use your upcoming summer effectively.
  • Research and apply for summer work, internships or study programs.
  • Meet with your college counselor to talk about the schools you visited over spring break or those you have been researching. Narrow down your list with a goal of 10-15 by the end of the year.
  • Once you know your summer schedule, make appointments for college visits and interviews.
  • Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if you plan to play Division I or II sports in college.
  • Initiate service academy and ROTC scholarship applications, if applicable.
  • Study and do your best on your spring-trimester exams!

July, August

  • Complete Student Questionnaire II and have your parents complete Parent Evaluation Form. Return to the College Counseling Office before the beginning of the school year.
  • If you don’t have a summer job, try volunteering in an area of interest to you.
  • Travel to as many colleges as possible. Be sure to call ahead or check online to find out about interviews, tour times or group information sessions. Meet coaches, department chairs and anyone else you can while on campus.
  • Fall and winter sport athletes who plan to play in college should try to make contact with college coaches.
  • Reserve some time every week or so to work on college essays and to study vocabulary and to brush up on math skills. (You should have a draft of an essay or two completed by the time you return to school in September.)
  • Create your Common Application Account and begin completing the Common Application when it becomes available on August 1.
  • Read books, newspapers, magazines, college guides and anything else that interests you!


SOPHOMORE YEAR AND FRESHMAN YEAR

It’s early, but not too early. While college is and should be some far distant thought at this point for you, there are some things that you can do or at least think about so that when the time comes, you are better prepared. To use a time-appropriate metaphor, college or thoughts of what a college may like or want should not drive decisions you make now, but it is a good idea to at least let college in the car with you. Keep it in the back seat as something to consider, something to remember or pay at least some attention to, but it should not be what tells you which direction to go.

The following is a list of ideas or suggestions appropriate for students and or parents in either grade level. (They are not in any particular order.) Some are college specific while others have as much to do with having the most successful transition to the upper school possible.

  • Turn off the TV and computer and READ, READ, READ!!!!
  • Stress wherever and whenever possible the ideas of ownership, taking charge, becoming more independent and a more effective advocate for oneself.
  • Explore and strengthen interests and skills in all areas.
  • Explore and strengthen identity.
  • Find and develop passions—in and out of school, academic and non-academic.
  • Sit down with parents and Bullis advisor to develop a four-year plan for both academic and extracurricular activities. Update this plan regularly.
  • Realize that grades DO count and colleges DO care about your preparation at this level.
  • (For Sophomores) Read the PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin we send out in the early fall. This brochure includes information about the test as well as sample questions. While specific preparation is not necessary, having greater familiarity with the test format and the types of questions you are likely to see is a good idea.
  • Read not only the scores from PSAT tests but also the entire report and learn from what the results tell you.
  • Endeavor to find a successful balance between outside school commitments and schoolwork and extracurricular pursuits. (This is particularly important with club sports.)
  • Develop strong study habits and habits of mind.
  • Build positive relationships with adults other than parents—find a mentor.
  • Make wise use of summer. Work, internships, academic enrichment, athletic camps or leagues are all worth considering.
  • Pay attention to what you hear juniors and seniors talking about that relates to college. Ask your older brothers and sisters, cousins or family friends about their college process.
  • Become familiar with the resources in the College Counseling Office and this Web site. Consult the Web site on a regular basis as it will be updated and improved regularly.
  • Visit colleges whenever you have the chance. Start getting a feel for what kinds of places might be best for you. Focus on size, type of programs, distance from a city or home, etc.
  • Read articles you see in the newspaper or magazines about the college process. Become familiar with the lingo and the overall process.

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