With the excitement for seniors as their journey through KHS is approaching an end and the real world will soon be their reality, application deadlines stand between them. Seniors have college, trade school, military, financial aid, and work applications to begin filling out. Luckily most colleges are consistent with their deadlines.

Generally speaking, early action applications, which are not binding, are due November 1st or 15th depending on the college. Early decision applications, which are binding if you get accepted, are due November 1st or December 1st. Regular decision applications are normally due either January 1st or March 15th. A vast difference! For this reason, it is important for seniors to create a spreadsheet to store the dates and prepare themselves as the deadlines loom closer. Some military application deadlines are either rolling admissions or sometime in January. It is critical that seniors know the terminology being thrown around.

Recommendation letters are another major task students must accomplish. Students should ask for letters in classes that mirror their major (if they know what they want to do) in college. If the student is undecided, they should ask a teacher whose class they did well in or a class that they enjoyed. To request a letter, login into your SCOIR account and click on “My Colleges”  in the top banner. On the right-hand side, you should see the name “Application Documents.” Click on it and then the button request a recommendation should appear. Do each teacher separately and add a message before sending the request to your teacher. It is best to speak to your teacher in person before sending the request.

Financial aid applications, especially the FAFSA, open on October 1st and close on June 30th, 2023. While this may seem like enough time, it is critical for seniors not to procrastinate as the longer you wait, the less available money is there for you to potentially receive. Before completing the FAFSA, a FSA ID will need to be created for both the student and one of their parents/guardians. 

Additionally, there is the CSS Profile which can be found on CollegeBoard. Not all colleges require the CSS Profile but many private colleges and universities do. Here is a complete list of the colleges that require the CSS Profile: click here 

Remember the FAFSA is free. The CSS Profile and college applications have a fee attached with them. However, if you are experiencing financial difficulty, contact your counselor and inquire about a fee waiver. 

In general, if you are struggling please contact your counselor to receive more information to clarify any concerns you may have.