Goshen High School College Planning Calendar

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Resolve to improve senior year grades. Colleges look unfavorably upon falling grades and/or light course load.

Things to do...

September--October 

• Meet with counselors. 

• Review senior course schedule; check that graduation requirements are being met. 

• Review transcript; update activity sheet. 

• Narrow down number of colleges to be seriously considered. 

• Develop clear understanding of financial aid sources--check scholarship files and internet. 

• Advise counselor if you are considering an "early decision/early action" application to college. 

October--December

• Meet with college reps who visit school; visit colleges; arrange interviews; prepare applications and essays. 

• Request teacher recommendations; forms are available in the guidance office. Recommendations are kept on file and attached to requested transcripts. 

• Submit completed applications (with application fees) and/or secondary school report forms to counselors (be sure to inform your counselor if you apply "on-line"). Counselors will prepare transcripts and recommendations and will send applications and required forms to colleges. 

• All college applications should be turned in to the guidance office as early as possible. It is generally to your advantage to submit applications by Dec. 1. 

• Check financial aid application requirements. Register for CSS/PROFILE, if required. 

• Students planning to participate in Division I or II NCAA athletic programs in college must file necessary forms with the NCAA Clearing House. Forms are available in the guidance office. 

November

• Early decision/early action college deadlines. Check deadlines for your colleges! 

December

• Pick up Federal financial aid application (FAFSA) from the guidance office

January

• FAFSA, required for all types of financial aid, must be filed with the processing agency as soon as possible after Jan. 1. New York State TAP forms will be mailed to NY College applicants after you file the FAFSA. Also, send any required institutional financial aid applications to individual colleges. Make sure you have registered for CSS/PROFILE, if required by your colleges. 

February

• Mid-year grade reports. Guidance office will automatically send mid-year reports to each college to which you have applied.

January--June

• Keep track of acceptances, denials, and awards of financial aid. Keep counselor informed of status. Reply promptly to colleges asking you to notify them of your decision. May 1 is generally the notification deadline. Notifying colleges that you will not attend can free up a spot for a waiting-list candidate. Meet deadlines, or you may lose the acceptance and/or the financial aid you have gained.

March-April

• Apply for local community scholarships. Lists of local scholarships will be distributed to all seniors in English classes. 

July

• Final senior grade reports. Guidance office will automatically send final grade reports and certification of graduation to the college that you plan to attend per senior data sheet that you submit to the guidance office in May. 

Student's Ongoing Responsibilities

• Carefully check deadlines for college, financial aid and scholarship applications. 

• Carefully check admission requirements. What tests are required? When? Check to see if you need to take College Board SAT ll (formerly called Achievement Tests). 

• Check guidance bulletin board and listen to announcements for: 

  • dates of college representatives' visits 

  • dates of area college nights 

  • dates of area career days 

  • dates of college entrance exams 

• Review each report card carefully for failures and incompletes and check with guidance counselors to make sure graduation requirements are being met. 

• Listen to daily announcements during homeroom for college and scholarship information. 

• TALK WITH YOUR COUNSELOR. If you have questions, need information or help, see your counselor.