Sign Up for the June ACT
After reviewing your April ACT scores, which you should receive in the mail, consider retaking the ACT in June or July if you were not happy with your scores, or if you landed with a score on the cusp of the Hathaway Scholarship criteria. There are also many opportunities to retake the ACT next school year, though the earlier during senior year the better.
Choosing a College
- Learn about choosing a college and find a link to a free college search tool.
- Visit colleges. If time and money allow, visit the campuses of your top five college choices. Take a tour and speak with the admissions and financial aid staff. You may also be able to talk to students if some classes are in session. If you have an interview, be sure to send a thank-you letter to the interviewer once you return home.
- Get advice from other college students. If you have friends or relatives in college, talk to them about what college life is like, especially if they attend a school you’re interested in. Although it’s important to hear what the admissions staff has to say about a school, it’s also important to get the students’ perspective.
Applications
Create a Common Application account.
- Get organized for the application process using a spreadsheet like this.
- Make early decision preparations. If you plan to apply “early decision” to any school, take the time to visit the school again and make sure you’re willing to commit. If you elect to apply early decision, you should start working on your application as soon as possible because its deadline will be earlier than others.
- Consider applying to Fly-In programs if you qualify. Many colleges seek to increase their student diversity by offering chances for first generation, minority, and/or students from rural communities to fly to their campus and visit for free. Most applications open the summer between your 11th and 12th grade year; fly-ins happen in the fall of 12th grade. Check out this list of colleges that offer some form of fly-in program to prospective students.
What is Early Decision?
According to collegeboard.org –
Early decision (ED) plans are binding: A student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college.
Early action plans are nonbinding: Students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1.
College Essays
Start working on your application essays. Compose rough drafts of the essays you’ll need for your college applications. Have a teacher read and discuss them with you so you can see what to work on. Make any revisions to your application essays and prepare final drafts. Don’t forget to proofread your final essays a few times.
- Tips for writing those pesky essays.
- Examples from Johns Hopkins.
- Some colleges offer virtual workshops to help with your application. Check out these free Application Workshops from Johns Hopkins.
