September

• Buckle down if you haven't already. Junior-year grades are extremely important, as is the rigor of your coursework.
• Attend college fairs and gather information. The District website has links that allow you to search for schools that meet your criteria. Talk with your parents about college costs. Knowing now how much they can contribute may affect your decision about where to apply.
• Start gathering information on scholarships. If you hope to qualify for an athletic scholarship, introduce yourself to coaches at the colleges you are considering (athletic resume and/or video e-mail).
• Start (if you haven't already) working on your "long list" of colleges or other post-secondary opportunities.
• Work on your long list of academic and non-academic opportunities.

October

• Take the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test to practice for the SAT and to qualify for scholarships offered by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.
• Attend regional fall College Fairs and visit with college representatives in the Boulder High Counseling Office (too numerous to list). This process will help you shorten your long list.
• If you are interested in attending a Military Academy, pick up "A Guide for Students Interested in the Military Academies" from the Counseling Office. You will want to order an application kit prior to Thanksgiving.
• Attend regional college fairs and visit with college reps that visit BHS. Pick up a Military Academy application kit, if needed. Attend the college fair at CU.

November and December

• Review your PSAT results and decide whether you'd benefit from an SAT preparation course.
• Continue to work on your college list.

January and February

• Check with your colleges to see if they require-or prefer-the ACT or the SAT. Most colleges will accept either and some counselors recommend taking both since many students do better on one than on the other. The ACT examines knowledge learned in school; the SAT at this point is an aptitude test. The SAT is more achievement based and includes a writing section. Check out local test prep courses and resources available for both tests in the Ozone, in our office, and on our website.
• Sign up for a solid course load for your senior year. The courses you choose will be listed on the transcript sent to colleges.
• Decide what type of college you are looking for - 2 or 4 year, public, private, technical, etc. Determine what factors are important to you - location, setting, size, etc. Select senior courses.

March

• Log onto Naviance, take "My Personality Type", and explore careers that match your interests and colleges that offer majors that are of interest to you.
• Identify the characteristics of a college that matter to you - size, location, cost, academic rigor, social environment, diversity, for example - and finalize your list of schools to visit and input them in "Colleges that I'm Considering" in Naviance. Plan to be on campus while schools are in session. This process will also help you to shorten your long list.
• Sign up for ACT/SAT exams for the spring.
• You will be taking the ACT at Boulder High in April at no charge and no pre-registration is necessary. If you want/need an SAT score, now is the time to sign up for a spring test. Start school visits.

April

• Plan to attend regional College Fairs that will be in the area.
• Be alert to the junior college planning activities that are scheduled in the District or at Boulder High.
• Juniors will take the State ACT test at Boulder High during April.
• Register for May SAT and June SAT Subject Tests in academic subjects that may be required for schools to which you are applying early.
• Take the ACT at Boulder High. If required for the colleges you're applying to, sign up for the spring SAT Subject Tests. Work on shortening your college list.

May

• Take Advanced Placements tests and prepare to take the June ACT or SAT tests.
• If you plan on playing sports in college - register online with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Directions and a packet to help you with this process are available in the Counseling Office.
• Division III athletes do not need to register for the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Summer

• Send for applications if you are not applying online and start thinking about your essay topics.
• Consider who might write your recommendations.
• Counselors advise entering senior year with three or four schools in mind that are apt to accept you and one or two "possibles."
• Compile a resume of activities, honors, leadership positions, and job experience. You'll need this information for college applications and scholarship information.
• Visit as many campuses on your list as you can so that you have a manageable selection of schools to work with in the fall.
• Take SAT or ACT as needed. Work on resume or student profile. Finalize college application list.

September

• Carefully check your transcript for accuracy. You will be having it sent to colleges and want it to be right.
• Continue researching your college options through Naviance.
• Visit the College Visit portion of Naviance and plan which visits you want to attend in September and October. Have your parents excuse your absences from class.
• Mark the dates of the Boulder area college fairs: October 7 (Out-of-State College Fair – Monarch High School) and October 13 (In-State College Fair – CU Events Center).
• View college applications online and get a clear picture of your application tasks.
• Review your ACT and SAT testing schedule and sign up for fall testing dates as needed.
• Prepare letter of recommendation folders for your teachers and counselor.
• Present your recommendation folders to your teachers and counselor so they have ample time to work on them.
• Thank your teachers and your counselor for writing a recommendation for you.
• Be well informed of the deadlines and requirements of your prospective colleges.
• If you plan to apply under Early Decision, research what this will mean for you as far as financial aid and other deadlines are concerned.
• Sign up for a graduation/college planning appointment with your counselor. This must take place before November 1.

October

• Begin researching scholarships online through Naviance or the Counseling Office website.
• If you are applying "Early Decision" or "Early Action", have your recommendation folders to your teachers and counselor by October 15.
• Continue gathering applications and finalize your list of prospective colleges.
• Get moving on your applications!

November

• All recommendation requests must be in to your Counselor before the Thanksgiving holiday.
• Beware of Early Action/Early Decision deadlines!
• Attend the Financial Aid Night on November 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the BHS Cafeteria.

December

• Parents begin working on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The applications are online at fafsa.ed.gov.
• Continue researching scholarships on Naviance.
• Finish college applications!
• Make arrangements with the Counseling Office to have Mid-Year Grade Reports sent to your colleges.
• Verify that all of your application materials have been sent out.

January

• Prepare to file all Federal Financial Aid forms – preferential filing date is usually February 15.

February

• You are almost there! Continue the scholarship search.

March

• Decision letters will begin to arrive.

April

• Evaluate your financial aid offers.
• Prepare to notify your college of choice by May 1 of your decision to attend.

May

• Submit your request to have your final transcript sent to the college of your choice.
• Complete the Senior Survey on Naviance.