January
 Continue to meet application deadlines for regular 
admission (p. 33).
 Confirm that all of your college admissions  
materials have been received by each school  
to which you applied (p. 40).
 Continue to check your email for requests  
for income verification (p. 47).
February/March
 Send thank you notes to those people who wrote 
recommendation letters on your behalf (p. 36).
 Continue to research and apply for scholarships  
(pp. 52-57).
April 
 Maintain organized files of all admissions and  
financial aid correspondence that you send  
and receive.
 Analyze your offers of admission and financial  
aid packages carefully (pp. 48-50).
 Identify a financial aid contact at each college 
where you have been accepted. Check in with that 
person if you have any questions. Request a review 
of your financial aid offer if it does not meet your  
financial need or a new situation has developed  
impacting your ability to pay for college (p. 51).
 Choose your college and accept its offer  
of admission before the National Candidate  
Reply Date of May 1. Send in any required  
deposits and paperwork.
May/June
 Take applicable Advanced Placement (AP) exams 
and request that your scores be sent to the college 
you will be attending.
 Make sure your school counselor sends your  
final transcript to your selected college.
 If your acceptance offer includes a summer bridge 
program, register on time.
 Work with your parents or guardians to apply  
for Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Parent Loans for 
Undergraduate Students) and other private loans,  
if necessary. If your parents are not eligible for a 
Parent PLUS Loan, inform your college’s financial 
aid office, so it can authorize you for additional  
Federal Direct Loans (p. 45).
 Visit PHEAA at www.pheaa.org to make sure  
the correct college is listed to receive a state grant.
 Review your financial aid award from the college  
you will attend and accept or decline each loan  
or grant individually (pp. 48-49).
 Create a realistic budget for indirect college costs, 
such as books, phone usage, computer needs,  
and travel expenses (p. 62).
July/August
 Log in at studentaid.gov to complete your Loan  
Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory  
Note for any federal loans noted on your financial 
aid award letter.
 Review all bills for tuition and room and board. Follow 
all directions carefully and meet deadlines for payment.
 Set up email address provided by your college,  
then check it regularly to meet all deadlines for 
class registration, orientation registration, tuition, 
room and board payments, placement testing, and 
housing requests.
 Regularly check your college portal, email, and 
postal mail to meet all deadlines for class registration,  
orientation registration, tuition, room and board  
payments, placement testing, and housing requests.
 Check on your medical insurance coverage at 
school and provide any information your college 
needs, such as your vaccination records.
 Choose a tuition payment plan and understand how 
your tuition payments work. Contact the bursar’s 
office to set up a payment plan, if necessary.
 Contact your future roommate(s) and discuss what 
you will need to bring for your dorm room (p. 61).
Checklists
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