Checklist: What You Should Be Doing Now

List of North Carolina Community Colleges (provided by NCCCS)
List of North Carolina Colleges & Universities (provided by State Library of North Carolina)
College Planning Handbook

August

• Bookmark your favorite college planning websites as you come across them. (Don't forget www.cfnc.org is a huge help for North Carolina students!)
• Review your career plans and decide which type of school is right for you.
• Schedule a campus visit to your favorite colleges.
• Narrow your college list to 3-5 schools. (See http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/the-application/102.html for tips on how many applications to send.)
• Request catalogs and admission information.
• Contact your high school counselor for registration materials and test dates for SAT and/or ACT or go to www.collegeboard.com for the SAT dates or www.actstudent.org for the ACT test dates.
• Contact colleges to determine if they prefer the ACT or SAT. (For example, UNC accepts either one.)
• Go to www.fastweb.com to review scholarships that may be available to you.
• If you plan on competing in Division I or Division II college sports and want to be eligible to be recruited by colleges, you must register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse. Crossroads Christian School is currently in the evaluation period with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse; however, you can still register.

September

• Make a list of test names, dates, fees, registration deadlines, and of deadlines for college admission and financial aid applications.
• Remember that you must take the SAT or ACT at least six weeks before the college application deadline in order for scores to be submitted to each college.
• Begin asking teachers, guidance counselors, and/or employers for letters of recommendation to include with your admissions and/or scholarship applications (some colleges specify that they want recommendations; others do not ask for them.).
• Use online tools to help you keep track of your research - for example, use the College Tracking Worksheets from offtocollege.com.

October

• Visit colleges that interest you. Call ahead for the campus tour schedule. Schedule an on-campus interview with an admissions representative.
• Finalize your list of colleges. Be sure your list includes "safe" schools, as well as "reach" and "realistic" schools. Request college applications and informational packets. Organize materials into separate files by college.
• Keep a college calendar of all admission deadlines.
• Write and edit your college essays, if required for your college's application process. Use Google or another search engine to find sample essays, check our school library for books on how to write your college essay, or refer to the links on our school's College Planning page for more info.
• Watch for college fairs in your area. We usually visit North Raleigh Christian Academy's College Fair (~50 schools) in October, and Wake County usually has a very large college fair (~150 schools) one Sunday at the State Fairgrounds or McKimmon Center in Raleigh.
• Submit your college applications if you are aiming to meet early admissions deadlines. Again, make sure you are aware of the deadlines for the schools you choose! Early admissions applicants usually know by January if they are accepted, deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.
• Begin now to search for scholarship and other FREE money! FastWeb is one of the most popular scholarship tools, but don't forget our books in the school library and in your counselor's office! The College Foundation of North Carolina (www.cfnc.org) is another good resource for college funding ideas. If you are pretty sure of the college you are going to attend, check its website for its own scholarship opportunities.
  NOTE: Beware of potential scholarship scams. A general rule to follow is, "if they request money from you in order to get money", they are likely (not always, though) a scam.

November

• Request financial aid information from your college. Contact your college's financial aid and admissions departments for specific procedures to apply for financial aid through that college. Remember, there are two types of financial aid (gift aid such as scholarships and grants, which you do not have to pay back; and loans, which you DO have to pay back).
• Find out more about financial aid -- start researching sites like cfnc.org, the Financial Aid Guide at offtocollege.com, or collegeboard.com.

December

• Start collecting financial information about you and your parents in order to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form will be required for all college aid programs. You can submit your FAFSA form anytime after January 1. The FAFSA can be a bit intimidating at first glance; be prepared to spend some quality time with your parents or guardians on gathering all your documentation and filling it out. The earlier you submit the FAFSA, the earlier you get a Student Aid Report back and can begin working with your individual college to figure out your financial aid package. (The FAFSA website also has plenty of worksheets to help you get ready - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/worksheet.htm.)
• If you are aiming for regular application deadlines, most are in January so make sure you are working toward those deadlines. Usually, regular deadline applicants will receive a response in March about their admissions status.

January

• If you were an early applicant, you will most likely hear from your college this month. If you are accepted, you must notify the college of your decision to attend (with the required deposit money) by mid-January (usually). Watch the deadlines so that you don't lose your spot!
• Male students 18 years or older - must be registered for Selective Service to receive federal financial aid. Don't forget to register before you apply for financial aid (www.sss.gov).
• Start thinking about where you will live - college housing, apartments, townhouses, your home, etc. Check with your college early so that you won't wind up on a waiting list!
• And as always, keep on searching and applying for those scholarships!
  

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