Planning Timeline
Junior Year
December
Autobiography Questionnaire: Complete the survey on Naviance as soon as possible. The autobiography allows us to get to know you better, as well as gives you ideas that might turn into college essays.
January
First Meeting: Upon returning from winter break, you will meet with your college counselor individually to discuss your autobiography.
Parent Response Form: This form asks parents for their insights, interests and concerns. We have frequently found that what parents share with us is extremely helpful in the college process.
January/February
Plan Spring Break Visits: We strongly encourage students to visit at least three colleges over spring break. These visits can give you impressions of what you do and do not want to look for in a college, and can help you design your spring research and your summer trips more precisely.
March
College Visits Report Form: This form asks for your impressions on the schools visited, and helps us prepare a more targeted (though still quite rough) list for you to consider over the spring and summer.
March/April
Initial Thoughts on College Form: To help us frame our next discussion, this form asks for your thoughts on the college process thus far.
Initial List Meeting: We will discuss the characteristics you like in a college and develop a very loose list of colleges for you to research and to visit over spring break.
April
Spring Research Form: On this form you record from your spring research and visits why you decided to drop certain colleges, and why you chose to research further the ones that remain on your list.
April/May
Post-Research Meeting: At this meeting we will confirm the list of schools that you have carefully researched and have determined worthy of a summer visit, as well as discuss senior course selection, fall testing strategies and teachers to approach for recommendations.
College Essay Writing Workshop: The college counselors will meet with the juniors in small groups to discuss the process of writing the college essay. The workshops will focus on getting started, appropriate topics, telling your story, lively prose and understanding the reader.
May
Ask Teachers to Write Recommendations: Before you leave for the summer you should ask your teachers to write recommendations. These requests should be made in person and, if the teacher agrees, you should follow up with a thank-you email or note.
Junior/Senior Summer
College Visits Report Form: This form allows you to look at each college carefully and gives us a clear sense of the choices that you make when you decide to apply to a college or to take a college off your list.
Reread the Middlesex College Handbook
Register by the end of June for SAT Is and/or SAT IIs for the October and November test dates.
Visit, tour and interview at a mix of reaches, possibles and likelies.
Complete the Common Application; the online version will be available at www.commonapp.org.
Write the Common Application activities essay.
Write a complete response to one of the five 500-word Common Application essay topics.
Complete both the forms and the essays for one non-common application school.
Complete your applications to colleges or universities, such as Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin or Colorado, that are rolling admissions institutions.
Complete the "Important Dates and Obligations by College" form found at the back of the Handbook.
Research (if you are interested in seeking merit scholarships) all the merit aid programs at each of the schools to which you are applying, and prepare to the extent possible your applications for those scholarships.
If you are planning on pursuing athletics, complete the following tasks: send each college coach a cover letter, resume and game schedule; complete all athletic questionnaires; send video tapes; send transcripts with grades and test scores; arrange for official visits; discuss any financial aid issues with your parents and the colleges; prepare to make a decision on which college to apply early.
Senior Year
All Fall
College Representatives: College representatives will hold group meetings throughout the fall for interested seniors. On Thursdays, you will receive a schedule of meetings for the following week.
September
Finalize the List Meeting: During this meeting we will review what you accomplished over the summer and confirm your final college list.
Polish Essays: Share your essays to your college counselor, English teachers, parents and others for feedback.
Teacher Recommendation Forms: Make sure you provide each teacher with a completed form for every school that you are applying to, and attach to it a stamped envelope with the college's address, the teacher's return address and the date the recommendation is due in the bottom left-hand corner.
Complete Applications: Because you will have returned to school with a completed Common Application and completed essays, completing the applications will not be an overwhelming task. You should complete all applications within two weeks of having the "finalize the list" meeting.
Secondary School Report Forms: When the applications are complete, you will submit one secondary school report form per college, as complete as you can make it, to the college counseling office.
All Fall
Alumni Interviews: When you have completed the applications, you should contact each school to see if it offers alumni interviews.
Prior to November
Early Applications: Strive to mail any early applications no later than a week before the deadline.
December
Early Applications Decisions: Report all early application decisions to the college counseling office to discuss your situation and learn what to do next.
January
Second Semester Course Changes: Discuss any potential changes in your second semester courses with your college advisor prior to switching courses.
February
Activities Update E-mail: Send an e-mail to the college counselors to update us on any activities and successes you have experienced since the applications were sent.
April
Regular Admission Decisions: As you hear from colleges, please fill out one of the green slips in the College Counseling Office.
Waitlist: Discuss your options with your college counselor. Return any waiting list card(s) immediately to the college(s) in which you are interested.
Visiting Colleges: You can take up to two days away from school to visit one or two schools to help make your decision.
Having Decided: Having decided where to attend college, you should write thank you notes to the teachers who wrote for you and to anyone else who helped you with the process.
