College Process at a Glance

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September Hide

• Establish a senior program that is reasonable and balanced, and work hard in your courses
• Ask teachers to write recommendations (if you have not already done so)
• Attend the portfolio workshop given by the Visual Arts Department (if applicable)

September/October Hide

• Narrow list of colleges to which to apply
• Decide whether to apply Early Decision (ED) or Early Action (EA)
• Sign up for a counseling session

September/November Hide

• Attend sessions in the College Counseling Office (CCO) with visiting college admissions officers

September/December Hide

• Plan to visit colleges on long weekends and college visiting days

October Hide

• If applying for financial aid, file the CSS PROFILE registration form
• Begin submitting applications with rolling deadlines (if any) to CCO
• Retake SAT Reasoning Test or SAT Subject Tests, if necessary

November Hide

• Contact colleges to which you are fairly certain you will apply to request interviews (on campus or with a local alumnae/i)
• Finalize your college list

November 1/15 Hide

• Most Early Decision (ED)/Early Action (EA) application deadlines

November Hide

• Retake SAT Subject Tests or SAT Reasoning Test, if necessary
• If applying for financial aid, submit the completed CSS PROFILE

Thanksgiving Break Hide

• Devote time to finalizing application essays and applications

November/December Hide

• Complete your applications

December Hide

• Update virtually final college list on Naviance
• SAT Reasoning Test or SAT Subject Tests, if necessary
• Results received from EA/ED applications
• Finalize applications with December 31 and January 1 deadlines

January 1 Hide

• DEADLINE: Applications due for many colleges.

January Hide

• If applying for financial aid, file FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1

January 15 & February 1 Hide

• DEADLINES: Applications due

February Hide

• Continue to work hard in your classes—colleges consider final senior grades and, in many cases, matriculation is contingent upon strong academic performance through senior year

By April 15 Hide

• Receive decisions from colleges

April Hide

• Visit colleges and universities to which you have been admitted
• Decide which to attend

May 1 Hide

• Nationwide Candidate Reply date—decide which college’s offer you will accept and send deposit if required
• If applicable, decide whether or not to remain on any waitlists and communicate your decision to the colleges in question

Beginning of May Hide

• Take AP exams in selected courses; have scores sent to the college you plan to attend

May/June Hide

• Graduate—good luck!

June 30 Hide

• Close of waitlist for the majority of private colleges