6 Mistakes to Avoid During your Senior Year + College Prep Checklist
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Senior year can be stressful. You want to make the most of the time you have left with your friends and have a rich social life, but there are so many things that have to be done to prepare for college that life can begin to feel overwhelming. You’re worried you won’t make the right college decision or that you won’t enjoy your major.
TAKE A DEEP BREATH! Everything will be ok, I promise!
It’s my job, as the College and Career Advisor, to walk you through the college planning process step-by-step. Together, we will find answers to all of your questions and check each item off your College Planning To-Do List. One of the great advantages of being a senior at RCA is that you have a small class, so I am easily accessible to you and your parents for questions and concerns.
In this blog, you will find a College Planning To-Do List and a list of common mistakes to avoid. I have refined both of these lists over the last ten years to give you and your parents a road map that is broken down into manageable action steps for each season of your senior year.
We can do this...together!
Mistakes to Avoid during your Senior Year:
- Worrying about the Future/Not Being Present in the moment -
Do not get caught up in worrying about your college decision, your field of study, scholarships, etc... Take this year one step at a time. Follow the College Planning To-Do List, give your maximum effort to everything you put your hand to, and pray for guidance from the Lord. Your two main jobs this year are to 1.) get ready for college, and 2.) make tons of great memories with your friends and family as you close this chapter of your life. Focus on present events. Worrying about the future can be hurtful because it causes unnecessary stress.
“Your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” ~ Matthew 6:32-34
-Senioritis -
It happens to the best of students. Senioritis is an “affliction” that plagues students in their last year of high school. This “affliction” is characterized by a decline in motivation. Even the most ambitious students can lose interest in their studies and start a bad habit of procrastination as the year progresses. Keep your goals in mind. You can do this...finish strong!
“Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” ~ Proverbs 13:4
- Burning Out -
Senior year can be stressful. You will have difficult classes, the ACT, sports, work, clubs/organizations, college applications, spring formal, the list goes on and on! You must prioritize and organize to keep from burning out! Begin keeping a planner now! Break your to-do list down into manageable chunks. Mark items off your list as you finish them; this will give you direction, and a sense of accomplishment!
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” ~ Proverbs 21:5
-Not Using Your Resources -
Your teachers and I are willing to help you with anything! We want to see you succeed, but we don’t know how to help if you don’t ask. Don’t be afraid to ask someone to review your resume or scholarship application, write a recommendation letter, or help you understand a financial aid packet. Email me with any questions or concerns: whitney.creasy@rcaknights.org
-Lack of Attention to Detail -
The small things matter! Pay attention to the details, from deadlines to instructions, spelling, grammar, and handwriting on all of your admission and scholarship applications. The small details are what make the difference sometimes between one scholarship application and another. Make a habit of checking your work before hastily turning it in.
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” ~ Colossians 3:23
-Don’t Forget to Have Fun! -
Your senior year will be packed with applications, deadlines, and other commitments. Work on managing your time. If you can master this skill, you will have less stress and more time for the fun things! It is your last year in high school; enjoy the moment, make memories with your friends, and get involved. Work hard, play hard!
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” ~ Proverbs 17:22
COLLEGE PLANNING TO-DO LIST
FALL 2023 (AUGUST - NOVEMBER)
You should have a general idea what field you would like to work in, and then begin compiling a list of your top 3 to 5 schools that offer the degree you need to get a job. There are many free career aptitude testing options online that students can consult. I suggest that a community college should be on everyone’s top 3 to 5 school list.
Compile a resume that includes all of your extracurricular activities, work experience, community service/volunteer work, and awards and honors. Sometimes college applications will ask you to include a resume, but this will mostly be a huge time saver when you begin applying for scholarships. Most scholarship applications ask you to list all of these items; if you have your resume saved on your computer, filling out applications will be a lot less work...hello copy and paste! Click here for an easy resume template gallery on Google docs.
Create an account on www.fastweb.com to begin receiving notifications about national scholarships that you are eligible to apply for. Schedule time each week to check your fastweb account and work on scholarship applications. DO NOT GET BOGGED DOWN WITH FASTWEB. Just schedule an hour or so each week to work these applications.
Visit your prospective colleges to get a feel for the campus. All juniors and seniors have three pre-approved college visit days per year. Fill out a student leave request in the office before scheduling your college visits. Be sure to ask the admissions counselor about the application process, financial aid, admissions requirements, and deadlines.
Register to take the ACT! October is your last chance for many scholarship opportunities. Contact the schools you are considering enrolling in and ask if they require the writing test for admission. More and more colleges and universities are requiring the writing test for admission.
Pay attention to college application and scholarship deadlines! Deadlines usually begin around November 1; therefore, I encourage everyone to apply to the schools they are interested in attending by Halloween. Also make sure that all required documents (transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc...) for admission and/or scholarship opportunities are sent on time. REMEMBER, just because you are accepted to a school doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve completed the scholarship application. Your admissions application makes you eligible for scholarship opportunities at some colleges, but others require separate applications for admission and scholarships.
All Tennessee residents need to apply for the Tennessee Promise! The application goes live today, August 1, and the deadline to apply is November 1. It is important to apply even if you do not think you will attend community college or technical school. TN Promise is the ultimate Plan B because it is FREE!
Fill out the FAFSA. The FAFSA is your application for all federal student assistance. It is also your application for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship. Be sure that you include all of the schools that you have applied to on your FAFSA school list. This is important because it will hold up your financial aid packets if you do not. All Tennessee Promise applicants must have their FAFSA completed by April 15, 2024. The 2024-2025 FAFSA application will open in December of this year.
Remember to STUDY!
WINTER 2023 - 2024 (DECEMBER - FEBRUARY)
Make sure the college admission process is complete (all required documents have been received, entrance essays have been written, and interviews have been scheduled).
All Tennessee Promise applicants will have to a mandatory “team meeting" led by TN Achieves. Failure to attend the mandatory meeting will result in loss of the Tennessee Promise scholarship. TN Achieves will communicate with each student the schedule of meetings. Keep an eye on the TN Achieves website for dates, times, and other important information.
Continue the hunt for scholarships through fastweb.
I will begin passing out applications for local scholarships as soon as I receive them (January or February). I encourage everyone to fill out all scholarship applications that they are eligible for. It’s a good idea to invest in a planner if you do not already have one to keep track of all of the local scholarship deadlines.
Remember to STUDY!
SPRING 2023 (MARCH - MAY)
Once you have received all of your responses from colleges, make your final decision. Accept the financial aid you’ve been offered and pay your tuition deposit (if your school requires this step.)
Continue applying for scholarships.
Meet your school’s housing deadlines.
Be sure to notify the College & Career Advisor of all scholarships that you receive for the Senior Recognition Day and the Graduation section in the newspaper.
Remember to STUDY!
Be fitted for your cap and gown.
Mail out your graduation invitations.
Before graduation, fill out a transcript request form for your final transcript to be sent to the college you are attending.
Whitney Creasy