The following calendar will help lead
you through the highlights of the college selection process
throughout your four years of high school. It is intended as a
rough guide, so if you have more particular questions, don't
hesitate to call on one of the college guidance staff.
Freshman
Year
Sophomore
Year
Begin/Continue:
to build a
solid academic foundation
Challenge
Yourself In:
Academics
Extracurricular activities
Personal reading
Summer
Experience
Is College a
possibility? If it is:
Talk with your parents about it
Share your ideas with your guidance
counselor
Talk with your guidance counselor
concerning a master course schedule
August
Consider ways to become more involved
in community life at MHS.
October
Take the PSAT (sign up in the Guidance
Office)
December
Look over your PSAT test scores and
talk with your Guidance Counselor.
March - April
Talk with your Guidance Counselor
about taking an appropriate courses for the following
year.
May
Take the MCAS
tests.
June
Think about
your plans for the summer. Explore ways in which
you might pursue an interest, volunteer in the
community, or work in a vocational area that suits you.
Junior
Year
August
Realize that this may be your toughest
year academically. Commit to excellence in the
classroom. College admission hovers on the horizon.
October
Take the PSAT.
December
Look over your PSAT test scores and
attend group guidance counseling session to review your
test scores.
January
Begin thinking about when you want to
sign up for the SAT test. SAT’s are offered in
January, March, May, and June.
February
Attend Junior Planning Sessions
offered by MHS Guidance Counselors
March –
April
Meet with your Guidance Counselor to
determine courses needed and interested in for next
year.
May – June
Think about your plans for the summer.
Begin to explore the schools on your initial list. Write
to several of your colleges requesting an information
and application packet. Plan an interesting summer which
might include: college visits, reading, a co-op
experience, a college summer program, community service,
or travel.
Consider taking the SATs (Reasoning or
Subject tests) or the ACTs.
Register with NAVIANCE and complete
the required surveys. See your counselor with any
questions you have about the program.
Senior
Year
August - September
Sign up for any testing you plan to
take in the fall, which will be the last chance to
improve test scores before you send your
applications and the colleges read them. Begin work,
if you haven't already, on application essays.
If you're planning to apply early
to a college (either Early Decision or Early
Action), let your counselor know right away so that
you can set a deadline for the completion of your
application and for submitting it to the college
guidance office.
Remember that the grades you make
this semester will be an important ingredient in the
way college admissions committees view your academic
seriousness. Your first semester grades will be the
last ones they see before deciding whether to admit
you to their school.
Meet with your college counselor
for an update on the progress in researching the
colleges on your list. If you plan on applying early
this is a must.
Attend the College Visits if
representatives from schools on your list are
visiting MHS and speak to them about your specific
concerns and questions.
Attend the Senior Seminars that
will provide information on researching colleges,
college visits, application do's and don'ts, and
financial aid.
Contact colleges on your list and
ask their admissions office to send you a viewbook
and application packet.
Ask teachers for recommendations.
Don’t wait until the last minute.
Begin to work on those essays.
Continue to utilize the NAVIANCE
program - conduct college searches, check for
upcoming college visits and email your counselor
with any questions!
October
Narrow your list of colleges to
those that you are seriously considering and make
plans to visit.
Sign up for the SAT-I, and the
SAT-II Subject Tests as needed
Attend the College Visits if a
college you're interested in will be visiting.
Keep grades up, as your first
semester's work will be an important aspect of your
total academic snapshot.
Reread and revise your application
essays; get feedback from others.
Line up teacher recommendations for
the applications that require them.
Search the Internet scholarship
databases for possibilities, if you're interested in
reducing college costs.
November
This will be your last chance to
sign up for and take the SAT or ACT in this year's
admission pool.
Narrow your list to the schools to
which you will actually apply.
Tell your counselor your college
choices and set your deadlines (the date the
application is due to the college and when you plan
to send everything out).
Decide how you will actually apply:
paper application, computer software (e.g., Apply),
or using the Internet.
Pick up FAFSA and Profile (if
needed) forms from the college guidance office and
deliver them to your parents.
December
Work on your applications. Be aware
of the deadlines.
Parents should be working on
financial aid forms like FAFSA.
Make your semester's grades count.
They will be the final marks a college will see
before they decide on your application of admission.
January
Complete the FAFSA and any
financial aid forms from the colleges to which you
have applied. Send them in as soon as you can, as
aid is distributed on a first come first served
basis. Miss the financial aid deadline and you miss
your chance for aid next year.
Fill out the mid year report
(listing anything you've done or been awarded this
semester that you would like to add to your file)
and turn in to your counselor.
Complete applications due this
month and turn them in by the guidance office
deadline.
February
Complete any applications due this
month.
Visit schools to which you've
applied, and see them anew from the perspective that
you might actually be there next year.
March
Visit schools to which you applied
(if you haven't already done it).
Don't miss any financial aid
deadlines.
Pick up local scholarship
information in the Guidance department
April
Register for Advanced Placement
exams.
See your counselor for strategies
if you've been wait-listed by a school.
Mail a written acceptance to your
first-choice university.
Respond to financial and
scholarship offers.
Notify all colleges that accepted
you of your final decision.
May
May 1 is the National Candidate
Reply Date.
Make your decision before this date
and send a deposit to the school you want to attend.
