• Applying to College FAQ

     

    Freshman Year
    _ Plan challenging high school courses for all four years

    _ Make good grades in your classes (As and Bs) 

    _ Create a CFNC account (CFNC.org)

    _ Explore personality and interests on CFNC.org and other internet sites

    _ Become familiar with college entrance requirements

    _ Join/continue extracurricular activities (consider clubs you will be a part of for all four years of high school)

    _ Attend summer camp at a college to experience a college-like atmosphere

    _ Research college costs 

    _ Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year

    Sophomore Year
    _ Continue to take and plan challenging high school courses

    _ Make good grades in your classes (As and Bs) 

    _ Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year

    _ Explore careers on CFNC.org 

    _ Think about what kind of education/training different careers require 

    _ Take the Pre ACT (offered at NHS) and review results with your parents and school counselor

    _ Take the PSAT (offered at NHS) and review results with your parents and school counselor

    _ ACT and SAT prep – use free online study tools by CFNC, Khan Academy, Union test prep

    _ Start collecting college information 

    _ Join/continue extracurricular activities

    _ Talk to family and friends about their educational choices

    _ Complete career assessments on CFNC.org

    Junior Year
    _ Continue to take and plan challenging courses (challenge yourself appropriately with AP and Honors courses)

    _ Keep your grades up (As and Bs) 

    _ Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year

    _ Continue / Join an academic club or extracurricular activity 

    _ Take the PSAT (offered at NHS in the fall)

    _ Talk with your parents and high school counselor about colleges that interest you

    _ Research at least six or seven colleges that interest you (go to school webpages or use bigfuture.collegeboard.org)

    _ Visit colleges and talk with college students 

    _ Prepare a list of questions to ask on college visits - check out this college visit guide

    _ List, compare, and visit colleges 

    _ Begin developing resume 

    _ Volunteer for activities and clubs related to career interests 

    _ Maintain good relationships with teachers and counselor, they will be writing your recommendations!!!!

    _ Register for the SATand/or ACT (ACT is administered at NHS for free to all Juniors in the spring)

    _ Get a part-time job or internship in a profession that interests you  

    _Attend the Guilford County College and Career Fair at the Greensboro Coliseum in October

    _ If you plan to participate in athletics in college, you will need to register through the NCAA Clearinghouse
    and provide a transcript

    _ Narrow down school choices to your top five

    _ Continue to make college visits during the summer before your Senior year.

    Senior Year
    August – December
    _ Sign up for and take the SAT ACT

    _ Plan a visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission
    requirements 

    _ Update your resume

    _Attend the Guilford County college and career fair at the Greensboro Coliseum in October

    _ Complete the Senior Brag Sheet and submit it to your counselor along with resume 

    _ Consider taking courses at the local community college

    _ Keep working hard all year and keep your grades up; second semester grades CAN affect admissions
    and scholarship eligibility

    _ Make a master calendar of ALL deadlines for applications and scholarships

    _ Meet with college admissions representatives who visit your school

    _ Ask for references from teachers, school counselors, or employers early in the year or at least two weeks
    before application deadlines

    _ Work in your Senior English class to begin drafting college essay 

    _ Apply for admission at all the colleges and universities you have selected and confirm that the universities or colleges have received
    all application materials (check your email regularly, as this is the way that most colleges will contact you about missing application materials!)

    _ Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college you have applied to

    _ Start the financial aid process by completing the FAFSA and Say Yes Certification form

    _ If you need it, get help completing the FAFSA on state-wide FAFSA Days around Guilford county  or at State Employee Credit Union branches in the month of November(must have tax forms to complete)

    January – May

    _ Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll

    _ Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork

    _ Decide which college to attend, and notify the school of your decision (usually no later than May 1st)

    _ Notify schools you will not attend of your decision 

    _ Continue to look for scholarship opportunities 

    _ Keep track of important financial aid and scholarship deadlines

    _ Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR) - it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed either by email (if provided) or postal mail

    _ Compare financial aid packages from different schools 

    _ Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money

    _ Notify your college about any outside scholarships you received