Senior Year Timeline
The PDF below will give you a checklist of what should be done throughout your senior year. We suggest you keep it and mark the items off as you complete them. The list of items to be done can be found below:
September
- Discuss post-high school plans with family and guidance counselor. Senior Interviews are conducted through November; if you would like your interview sooner rather than later you should make an appointment in the Guidance Office
- Continue gathering college/trade school information and application info; Phone numbers & web pages are available on Guidance and on Naviance: https://student.naviance.com/fatherjhs
- Search the web pages of colleges/trade schools that interest you for Fall Open Houses and Admissions events (in person or virtual); look for notices posted near the Guidance Office, check announcements & this link: https://www.njsca.org/pa-open-houses
- Attend the virtual National College Fair on September 10: 2023 Virtual College Fair
- Complete a resume on Naviance & ask teachers and employers/coaches/moderators etc. for letters of recommendation.
- Practice a little bit every day for the SAT or ACT: https://www.khanacademy.org/SAT or https://www.act.org/
- If you intend to participate in Division I or II college athletics, register for the NCAA Clearinghouse and check the guidelines: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/
- Meet with the College/Trade School/Military Representatives via lunch visits or virtual events (A calendar is posted outside Guidance with dates of upcoming visits).
- Choose approximately 4-8 colleges/trade schools to which you will send applications.
- Attend the student Senior Guidance Assembly on September 13
- Begin gathering financial documents to prepare for filling out the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) — Do not submit before September 1. Visit www.fafsa.gov for a list of documents you will need.
- Watch your grades!! Most schools require first-quarter and/or semester grades before granting acceptance. This will be especially important because numerous colleges will again be optional with standardized tests. We have seen students get denied by schools because of their poor senior grades!
October
- Begin the application process (if you have not already done so). Follow the procedures outlined by the Guidance Office. If you are using the Common Application www.commonapp.org to apply to colleges, you MUST get it reviewed by Guidance before you send it!
- Review Scholarships that are listed on Naviance and register on some scholarship search sites like www.fastweb.com or www.unigo.com — watch deadlines! Don’t forget about the Big Future Scholarship Program: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships
- Check on Teacher Recommendation.
- If applying for Early Action (non-binding) or Early Decision (binding), check the deadlines! Remember the Guidance Office policy for submitting information to colleges, trade schools, unions, or scholarships is 7-14 days! Please plan accordingly!
- Register for the CSS/Financial Aid Profile if the colleges that interest you require it; a college’s website or the list on the college board will tell you which schools require this: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/
- October 7 – SAT Test
- Register by October 5 or November 4 SAT test.
- Utilize October 11 & October 19 for College Visits/Interviews — virtual or on campus if available.
- Attend the College Fair at Archbishop Ryan on October 11 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
- Attend the National College Fair at the PA Convention Center (12th & Arch Streets) from 11:00 am-3:00 pm on October 14 Fall Philadelphia NCF or the Virtual College Fair on October 15 from 1:00-6:00 pm: 2023 Virtual College Fair
- Attend the Father Judge/St. Hubert Financial Aid Night at St. Hubert on October 18 from 7:00-9:00 p.m
November
- Utilize November 1 for College Visits/Interviews
- Register by November 2 for the December 2 SAT test.
- November 4 – SAT Test
- Continue reviewing Scholarships: www.fastweb.org, www.unigo.com, and https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships
- Notify the Guidance Office if you need your first-quarter grades sent to any schools.
- Attend a virtual College Fair on November 12 from 1:00-6:00 p.m.: 2023 Virtual College Fair -November
- Reminder: The FAFSA Filing Period opens on December 1 — if you apply before this you will be using the wrong form!
December
- Complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov to apply for financial aid from the Federal Government and the State of Pennsylvania. You must use 2022 tax returns and information.
- December 2 – SAT Test
- Utilize December 8 for College Visits/Interviews — virtual or on campus.
- The deadline for application materials to be sent before Christmas is December 1
January, February, & March
- Develop a direct contact at the Financial Aid Office of those schools to which you have been accepted, and periodically check on the status of your financial aid application.
- Notify the Guidance Office if you need your first semester grades sent to any schools.
- Utilize January 15 for additional College Visits/Interviews
- Avoid Senioritis! — All acceptances are contingent on your Final Transcript!
- Write Thank-You notes to those who wrote your recommendations.
- Bring in ALL acceptance letters to Guidance.
April, May, & June
- Maintain files of acceptances, denials, and financial aid award letters; be sure to bring copies of all these to the Guidance Office.
- Make sure that all your financial aid information (the SAR) has been sent to the college or trade school of your choice.
- All Financial Aid Letters, from ALL schools where you were accepted, must be given to Guidance by April 29 to be included in the Scholarship Booklet at Graduation!
- April 30 — Guidance will distribute Final Transcript Request Forms.
- Make your final decision and send in a deposit by the deadline (generally May 1st).
- Notify schools that you will not be attending so they may offer admissions to others.
- Watch for important deadlines at your school of choice: housing, orientations, etc.
July & August
Congratulations!! Enjoy your graduation, have a safe and fun summer, and get ready for some of the best years of your life!
Five Tips on how to Have a Great Senior Year from Futures Magazine
- Relax. Make up your mind that you are going to have a good Senior Year and let the events of your year unfold.
- Make the most of your friendships. Enjoy the quiet moments and the big events with your classmates, and do not be afraid to expand your social circle. Appreciate what you have now because soon you and your friends will be moving on with the next part of your lives.
- Keep up with your coursework. Avoid the temptation to slack off, especially as the year winds down. Colleges and Trade Schools can rescind their acceptances of students whose grades dip too low. In addition, your Final Transcript follows you; and if you do not think you need it for next year, you can bet you will be needing it sometime down the road.
- Stay involved. Take advantage of every opportunity. Participate in whatever is offered just so you are able to have those memories.
- Get organized. Senior Year is crammed with things to do and places to go, and some of them will be missed if you are not organized. Use a planner and mark down appointments and activities. And do not forget to pencil in some quality time with your family, and some quiet time just for yourself.