WHAT HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS & SENIORS SHOULD BE DOING

By Barbara DiAlberto

JUNIORS

• Guidance counselor. Discuss your college plans and make sure you are on the right track.
• Research colleges. Narrow down your list to three to four schools. Go on each school’s Web site for information. Check each school’s admissions criteria to see how you "fit."
• SAT and ACT. These are two different tests, and most schools take whichever one you do better on. Go to www.collegeboard.com to sign up for the SAT, and www.act.org to sign up for the ACT. Study before you take them. If you think it will help, get an SAT/ACT book or CD, or take a class. If you are on free or reduced lunch at your high school, there are fee waivers for these tests from your counselor. For the ACT, bubble in everything. They only give you points for what you get right. For the SAT, they take approximately one-fourth of a point off for each wrong answer.
• Résumé. This has everything you’ve done outside of academics—volunteer experiences, work experiences, extracurricular activities, awards, etc. Send this to the colleges to which you apply.
• Letters of recommendation. Have two to three from adults who will say wonderful and personal things about you. Be sure to give the people you ask for a letter a copy of your résumé.
• Sports. If college sports are in your future, speak to your coach and register with the NCAA at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

The best advice I can give juniors is to start the college process soon. It will make your senior year much less stressful!

SENIORS

• Grades. Don’t let "senioritis" get in your way! Senior grades are very important. If you transfer out of an academic class, or receive a D or F in an academic class, call the college and ask if it will change your admission status.
• Visit the schools. That is if you have not already visited them. Make sure you take the "college tour."
• Housing application. Send this in (if you will be living on campus) for priority housing. If you will be living off campus, start making your housing arrangements. The Housing Department at the college is a good source for information.
• FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). You can get loans, grants or scholarships from FAFSA. If you’re offered a loan in your financial aid package, you don’t have to take it. Grants and scholarships are free money. FAFSA is done by parents after January 1 and is based on their taxes. You may send in estimated or last year’s taxes and then revise them. Get these forms from the Web site or your counselor.
• Scholarships. Check the Web, books and your high school. Not all scholarships are based on grade-point averages and test scores. Many are based on essays. Some scholarship Web sites are www.fastweb.com and www.scholarships.com.
• SAT and ACT. If you are still trying to get into the college of your choice, check with the college to see if you may still take these tests (see information below).
• Final transcript. Before you graduate, order this to be sent to the school of your choice. When you get accepted to a college, it is a conditional acceptance based on your final transcript.

Barbara DiAlberto has been a college advisor at a South Florida High School for many years, as well as a private consultant. She has worked to help thousands of students achieve their goals, including her own two children. Her book, College Tips from a College Advisor, may be purchased at Booksurge.com, Amazon.com, Alibris.com and Abebooks.com. Mrs. DiAlberto may be contacted directly at dialbarb@aim.com.