Senior Year College Application Checklist
YOU CAN GO TO COLLEGE!
YOU CAN SUCCEED!
Kay Ray 903-663-7129
LHS College & Career Office
Chasity Shorts 903-663-7323
Advise Texas College Advisor at LHS
LHS College and Career office
Timeline for College Admissions
If you ever have any questions at any time in this process or want any advice, visit the College and Career Center.
FALL
ü Don’t take the ACT or SAT unprepared.
o Longview High School offers test prep classes at night and on Saturdays.
o Going to take one of these tests “cold turkey” guarantees you a poor score.
o These tests are not like the TAKS tests; they are unlike any test you have seen before!
o Read the test preparation packet and take the practice test. You may get the test preparation packets in the College and Career Center.
o Visit the http://sat.collegeboard.org/home and register for the Question of the Day to be sent to your inbox. This provides great test practice. Other practice opportunities are available on this website, including a practice test.
o Visit the http://www.actstudent.org and register for the Question of the Day to be sent to your inbox. Other practice opportunities are available on this website, including a practice test.
ü Take the ACT and/or the SAT
o If you have not taken the ACT or SAT, you must do so AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OCTOBER AT THE LATEST!
o Most four year universities require either the ACT or SAT in order to even consider your application.
ü Make a list of 5 or more schools to apply to.
o Do you research about college majors offered at the institutions.
o You may not get into your first choice! ALWAYS have multiple backup schools!
o If you cannot actually visit the campuses of your five choices, visit Ms. Sparks to see campus tours online.
o This tour will also include basic info about test scores and GPA requirements of a specific university.
ü Visit the campuses of the schools you have applied to.
o Talk to the admissions representative.
o Visit the financial aid office.
o Request a tour of the campus and residences.
o Have questions prepared to ask such as class size, student to teacher ratio, study abroad and internship opportunities.
ü Check the websites of those institutions to learn the deadlines for early decision and regular admission.
o Early decision applicants may know by Christmas if you have been accepted.
o Early decision plans ARE BINDING. If you are accepted, you must go to that university!
ü Get at least 2 letters of recommendation.
o Because you are relying on someone else to write this for you, ask the person as soon as possible.
o You will also need recommendations during the second semester for scholarship applications.
o The person writing your recommendation must actually know you well enough to write a personalized recommendation.
o University admissions staff can tell which recommendations are not by people who actually know you well enough to write a recommendation!
ü Finalize your résumé
o List of all your school, church, and community activities, honors, awards, volunteer hours/ projects, work experience, and technology skills. Don’t leave out a thing.
o If your college or university expects a résumé, the application will tell you the format.
o If you need help with your résumé or are unsure about the format, bring it to Ms. Shorts or Mrs. Ray in the College and Career Office.
ü Attend College Night at Maude Cobb Activity Center on Monday, November 26, 2012, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.
o Representatives from college/universities/technical institutions and the military will be there to visit with you and your parents.
ü Attend the Longview High School Financial Aid Presentation in November (date to be announced) the College and Career Center and hear speakers, Marilyn Richardson from the East Texas Educational Opportunity Center and Annette Morgan from Kilgore College explain financial aid and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to you.
ü APPLY! APPLY! APPLY APPLY! APPLY! APPLY! APPLY!
o Fill out at least 5 applications!
o This should be done before Christmas break!
o If you use the applytexas or common app, you can use one application to apply to as many schools on the list as you want!
o If you cannot afford application fees. Visit the College and Career Office! We will work to get your fee waived!
ü Listen carefully to the daily announcements
o The school will announce the scholarship applications that are available in the counseling office.
ü Check the LHS Counseling and Guidance Website
o Check the website weekly for listings of scholarships and deadlines.
WINTER
As soon as possible, you must get a bacterial meningitis shot that is now required by Texas state law for all students attending college!
ü In December, gather the data needed for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Enjoy your Christmas Break!
SPRING
ü Check for scholarships offered locally or by your university
o There are over 90 local scholarships given each year!
o There are thousands of national scholarships for students based off of anything you can think of from your height to your religious beliefs.
o Different scholarships have different requirements
§ Some require specific essays; others require transcripts.
§ All REQUIRE that everything you submit be neatly printed or typed without mark outs of any kind. The impression you make is very important if you expect to receive money.
ü In early January, complete the FAFSA, (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid), at www.fafsa.edu.gov.
o Your parents will need their tax information in order to complete the application.
o Some scholarships require that you submit a FAFSA in order to be considered.
o Check with your college to see what their deadline is for submitting the FAFSA.
o Colleges and even different scholarships at the same college will have different deadlines.
o The Federal deadline for the FAFSA is June 30th
o Student Aid is given on a first come first served basis, and once the college uses their financial aid funding, they cannot help you, so apply ASAP!!!
ü Students whose parents are undocumented can file the TASFA (the Texas Application for State Financial Aid) at http://www.aie.org/State/TASFA/
o There is no risk to undocumented family members as it is against the law for the personal information to be shared with anyone other than the universities designated.
o The form can be completed in English or Spanish.
ü Visit Ms. Sparks in the College and Career Office for assistance with the FAFSA or other financial aid
o Call the college or technical institute you plan to attend and seek financial aid there.
o Colleges offer a variety of scholarships, grants and work/study opportunities. They will work with you if you ask for their help.
ü Pay your enrollment fees and dormitory fees on time
o The college website will give you deadlines for these fees
o This will ensure your place in the freshman class.
ü Write thank you notes to scholarship donors and to people who wrote letters of recommendation for you.
End your senior year happy because you are headed for the college, university or technical school of your choice, ensuring yourself a bright future!!!!
Application guides by school
(Printouts Available in the College and Career Center)
Colleges and universities are very serious about deadlines. They don’t accept excuses from applicants about why they missed deadlines. Deadlines indicate the date the college must receive your application, not when you mail it!
University of Texas: http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/freshmen/admission/requirements
University of Texas at Tyler: http://www.uttyler.edu/admissions/freshman/
Texas A&M University: http://admissions.tamu.edu/freshmen/default.aspx
Baylor University: http://www.baylor.edu/admissions/index.php?id=80266
Stephen F. Austin University: http://www.sfasu.edu/admissions/freshmen/
Texas Tech University: http://www.admissions.ttu.edu/freshman/requirements/default.asp
LeTourneau University: http://www.letu.edu/opencms/opencms/_Admissions/before-you-apply.html
Kilgore College Admissions page: http://www.kilgore.edu/sitemap.asp?Landing=483
Panola College Main page: http://www.panola.edu/
Community Resources
East Texas Educational Opportunity Center, 2009-C S. Mobberly Street, Longview, Texas 903-757-9660 www.tadc.org
· Career counseling
· College selection counseling
· Academic counseling
· Financial aid counseling
· Application assistance
· FAFSA assistance
Longview High School College and Career Center
· College and career advising
· Scholarship assistance
· FAFSA and TAFSA assistance
· Assistance with preparing applications, résumés and essays
· Computer lab available daily for college prep use only