Senior year is an exciting and busy time in the college admissions process. Keep up with your schoolwork as you balance 
your academic responsibilities with the college application process. Use this checklist to stay on track.
August/September 
 Meet with your school counselor to make sure  
you will have enough credits at the end of the  
year to graduate and that the credits meet college 
admissions requirements. 
 Update your resumé, highlighting accomplishments,  
work experience, and awards. Provide a copy to 
teachers who will write letters of recommendation 
for you (pp. 12-13).
 Finalize your list of colleges and universities,  
and check their application requirements (p. 34).
 Register for all applications forms you plan to  
use (e.g., Common App, Common Black College 
Application, Coalition Application) (p. 35).
 Continue working on your applications, planning  
to meet all deadlines (p. 40).
 Research schools that meet full need (p. 58).
 Work with your parents or guardians to gather the 
financial documents and materials necessary for  
filing the Free Application for Federal Student  
Aid (FAFSA; pp. 46-47).
 Apply for an FSA ID at studentaid.gov/fsa-id/ 
create-account. Keep your login information in  
a safe place. You will need to refer to it often (p. 47).
October/November
 The FAFSA typically becomes available in October.  
Complete and submit the FASFA (studentaid.gov/ 
h/apply-for-aid or 1-800-4-FED-AID or  
TTY 1-800-730-8913) to be eligible for state,  
federal, and institutional grants and loans. Be ready 
for requests for income verification; check your  
email regularly (pp. 46-47).
 Watch for your FAFSA Submission Summary, which 
will be available online shortly after you submit your 
FAFSA online. Check your FSS for any errors and 
make the necessary corrections (p. 47).
 Determine whether the colleges which interest you 
require the CSS Profile on www.collegeboard.org 
by searching each school’s website or by calling  
the school’s financial aid office (p. 48).
 Attend a financial aid workshop or virtual  
class with your parents or guardians; visit  
bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/ 
get-help-paying-for-college.
 Visit as many of your potential colleges as possible, 
virtually or in-person (pp. 24-25).
 Attend free virtual or in-person college fairs through-
out the year (p. 23).
 Take the SAT or ACT (pp. 29-32).
 Check all college application deadlines and submit 
your materials and fees on time. Remember:  
the application deadline for early admission and 
Early Decision is usually around November 1  
or 15. Use the Track Your College Applications  
worksheet to stay organized (p. 40).
 Make copies of all documents you send by mail  
or submit online and place them in your college file.
 Follow up with colleges to make sure your early  
action, rolling admissions, and Early Decision  
application materials were received (p. 40).
December
 Retake the SAT or ACT, if you want to try to raise 
your score (pp. 29-32).
 Remind your teachers and counselors of the deadlines 
for submitting your college recommendations for 
regular admission (p. 40).
 If you were accepted on Early Decision, check the 
deadline for acceptance and meet that deadline  
(p. 33).
66
Activity   12th Grade Checklist
West Chester University

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