May College Planning Checklist

College Admissions Season Winds Down for Seniors, Ramps Up for Juniors Today is decision day! Millions of students across the country, even the world, will be sending in their enrollment deposits to the school they plan to attend this fall. While this signifies the end of a long and sometimes stressful process for high school seniors, it’s just the beginning for underclassmen. Here’s the essentialcollege planning list students need this month to prepare for, or wrap up, the college admissions process. Freshmen Take some time to reflect on your extracurriculars. Are you getting what you want out of them? Update or start putting together your resume. You’ll want to update this on a regular basis. Do you know how you’re spending your summer yet? Continue building your outside reading list. Sophomores Continue building your outside reading list. Schedule a meeting with your counselor to go over your test prep and test taking timeline. If you plan to take the June ACT or SAT, be sure to register by May 9. Do you know how you’re spending your summer yet? Juniors If you’re taking the May 3 SAT, here are some last-minute tips. Start planning college visits for the end of spring and this summer. While summer isn’t the best time for a visit since school isn’t in session, it’s a convenient way to get an informal feel for the campus. Study for AP exams. If you plan to take the June ACT or SAT, be sure to register by May 9. Begin narrowing down your balanced college list. By now you have gone on some visits and met with your college counselor, so you should have a good idea of the schools that might not be a best-fit for you. Do you know how you’re spending your summer yet? Seniors If you haven’t already, send in your enrollment deposit! Today is the deadline for many schools. Now that you’re in and enrolled, use the resources available to you to connect with future classmates and prepare for actually going to college this fall. Tell your teachers and counselors â€Å"thank you.† They’ve helped you a lot over the last four years, and now that your college decision is final, make sure you let them know how much you appreciate all their help. Study for AP exams. Keep those grades up! The end of the school year is almost here! What else do you plan to do this month to stay on track for the end of the school year and the start of summer? Tell us in the comments below! You can also download our full college planning checklists here.