Holy Family High School College Preparatory – Glendale, CA

12TH GRADE

September

  • Check your course schedule with your counselor. Make sure you are taking all required courses.
  • Review your transcript.
  • Return the Cal Grant approval form.
  • Get a calendar, and write down all important dates.
  • Develop college application plans with the counselor (Reach, Safety, Target)
  • Identify 5-9 colleges that you wish to apply to; get applications!
  • Begin working on college applications (What are the DEADLINES!!!!!).
  • Create a filing system for your college application process.
  • Register for any additional SAT I, ACT, and SAT 2’s.
  • Look for scheduled visits of college representatives.
  • Attend all college department programs about admissions.
  • When a college rep comes you want to talk with sign up in the College Office.
  • Plan campus visits.
  • Look for and attend college fairs and events.
  • Request letters of recommendation from your teachers and church advisors.
  • Prepare your resume.
  • Submit requests for transcripts.
  • Submit counselor recommendation requests at least four weeks before the application deadline. (Fill out the request and include your resume)

October

  • Take SAT I, SAT 2, or ACT if needed.
  • Begin filling out UC and CSU on October 1st.
  • Continue preparing and finalizing college list.
  • Continue meeting college reps and visiting colleges.
  • If applying Early Decision: prepare transcript and request necessary documents.
  • Submit Early Decision transcripts requests Ms. Ortega.
  • Research financial aid and scholarships.
  • Review sample essays questions and look at old questions from the colleges you have chosen. Utilize the resources listed below the calendar for additional help.

November

  • Visit colleges and attend college rep meetings.
  • November 30 is the UC and CSU deadline, PLAN AHEAD!
  • Many other colleges have November deadlines, be sure to check dates.
  • Take SAT I or SAT II. This is your last chance!
  • Finalize college list.
  • Visit college center as necessary.
  • Complete college applications and give the college center a copy.
  • Keep copies of everything, print out application confirmations.
  • Maintain grades, no senioritis allowed.

December

  • Holy Family goes on Christmas break starting December 19th, make sure anything you will need over the break is done.
  • Many applications are due over Christmas break, keep track of dates.
  • Submit college applications with January deadlines by December.
  • Keep looking for scholarship opportunities.

January

  • Check your upcoming courses. Meet with your counselor to make any necessary changes.
  • Regular admissions deadlines for most colleges occur this month.
  • Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and complete the application. Take your time, answer each question, and be sure to request a pin for you and your parents.
  • Save your work and print out copies of everything you need.
  • Begin requesting and completing scholarship applications, the more the merrier.

February

  • Are your Christian Service hours completed or nearly completed?
  • Request mid-year grades, if necessary, for schools that require them.
  • Review first semester grades, contact the counselor for problems.
  • Begin looking for summer work and internships.
  • If you will be taking an AP exam, make sure you are signed up.
  • Scholarships, scholarships, scholarships.
  • Receive Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Federal Student Aid Program and review for accuracy.
  • Respond to college requests in a timely manner.
  • Keep your grades up.

March

  • Some universities have late application deadlines; make sure you meet them.
  • UC and CSU admissions results come out later this month. Be patient!
  • Use your Financial Aid results and determine what college you can afford and wish to attend, create a balance sheet to assist you.
  • If possible, visit top-choice colleges one last time to help your decision.
  • Sign up for AP exams.
  • If schools ask for a decision by the end of the month, ask for an extension if you have not received info from all colleges applied to or if your FAFSA results have not come in.

April

  • Begin receiving financial aid award letters from the colleges you have applied to, and make comparisons.
  • Investigate payment options with each college.
  • Accept all or part of the financial aid offered; sign and return acceptance letter.
  • Many schools require commitments to attend by May 1st. This may also want a deposit, so be prepared.
  • Don’t commit if you have not yet received all of your award letters from the colleges to which you have applied. Call the college admissions offices and ask for extensions.
  • Don’t let your grades slip; you want to graduate in good standing.

May

  • May 1st, notify the college you plan to attend by this date.
  • Let the college office know where you plan to attend.
  • Put all of your finances in order. Plan out how much in loans you will take out. If you decide to take a private loan or have received a private scholarship, let you’re your school’s financial aid know.
  • Notify colleges you will not be attending.
  • Be sure to thank your teachers, Deans, principal, and counselor for their help.
  • Take AP exams and get a 4 or 5! Keep the receipt to prove that you passed the test if your college does not receive it.
  • One more month, don’t let your grades slip. A drop in grades could be reason for a college to rescind their offer.

June

  • Request a final transcript.
  • Be sure any fines or fees owed to Holy Family are cleared.
  • Graduate!!!!!!!

Entrance Essay Resources

  • Visit Holy Family’s college center for a limited assortment of books about college entrance essay writing.
  • Research common essays from the schools of your choice. Many essays are simply reworded repeats of past essays. Big Hint: There is always a “you” question, work on this one and make sure it is great!
  • Use your English teachers. If you give them plenty of time. Our great teachers at Holy Family High School will be more than willing to read through your essay and give necessary feedback.
  • Visit the following websites for essay help:

Financial Aid/ Scholarships

Scholarships will be updated and listed as they are found. Individual students will be contacted based on the demographics of each individual scholarship discovered. To help in the search please use the following websites.

Scholarships:

  • FastWeb – A comprehensive tool to finding the college that fit you. You have to sign-up for an account.
  • Scholarship Links

Financial Aid:

Holy Family High School College Preparatory – Glendale, CA