Patch Blog: College Advising--Deadlines to Know

Deadlines are everywhere in the college application process. One of the biggest mistakes college applicants make is to miss a deadline. There is no forgiveness for late applications or missing transcripts.  It is the student's responsibility to know what’s due in the coming months. You can use a wall calendar with pictures of horses, a free pocket calendar from the dentist, or the calendar on your desktop.  Whatever works! Put down all the following dates and add to them as you go.  A good calendar will work to decrease much of your anxiety in these coming months.  Here are our suggestions:

August

1—The Common Application goes online.  Start filling in the information, selecting your colleges, and looking at essay topics.

1—Register for all SAT and ACT tests you might want to take this fall. SAT II tests are on regularly scheduled SAT test dates.

15—Contact the teachers you wish to ask for recommendations as soon as possible.  Have a meeting with them and give them as many recommendation “notes” as possible.  Keep them informed of due dates.  If you have Naviance, fill in every question.

September

8—ACT (To take this test as a walk-in, show up one hour early.)

9—College Advising Night at Once Upon a Time Bookstore in Montrose.  Perfect Fit College Consultants will guide you through the college process.  4-6 pm. Free.  (Call:  818-248-9668)

10-- Meet with your college counselor this month. Edit your college list.

26—St. Francis High School (La Canada) College Fair. 7-9 pm/

October

1—The University of California Application opens online.

1—Submission begins for the California State Universities, now through October 30.  (Note:  Getting your application in early is an advantage for these schools.  CSU applications do not require essays or recommendations.)

1—Work on Common Application this month. Have it finished early.

6—SAT

20 ACT

November

1—Submissions begin for all University of California applications.

1—Deadline to submit all Early Action applications and some Early Decision schools.  (Note:  By applying Early Action, you increase your chances of acceptance by as much as 50% and there is no commitment to attend.)

3—SAT (Note:  This is the last chance to take the SAT and have it considered for Early Action applications.)

(Note:  There is no ACT date for November.)

15—Deadline for Early Decision applications. (Note:  Early Decision applicants increase their acceptance rate by as much as 80%, but, if accepted, you are obligated to attend.)

30—Deadline for all University of California and California State University applications.  (Note: Submit early in case of power failure, downed server, or other catastrophe!)

December 

1—SAT

8—ACT

15—Early Action/Early Decision notification day.  You should hear from the colleges you applied to early near this date.  If you are accepted, you are done.  Hurray!  If not, you are either denied or rolled over into the Regular Application pool. Results will be sent by April 1.

31—Deadline for many Regular Applications, including The University of Notre Dame.  (Note: Follow all directions and have your semester transcripts sent now.)

January

1—Deadline for Regular Application at many schools. Check each of your colleges for their deadlines. Deadlines occur throughout January and February. 

March

Some notifications may start appearing.

April

1—College Notification Day.  This is the official deadline for all colleges and universities to let students know if they have been accepted, wait-listed, or denied admission.

25-26—NACAC College Fair, Pasadena Convention Center. Free.

May

1—Student Notification Day.  This is the official deadline for students to accept or decline offers of admission to each of the schools where they applied.  Students who are Wait-Listed should accept another school while they wait for the Wait-List to move. 

June

As soon as you graduate, request that your final transcript be sent to your college.  Have transcripts sent to your accepted school as well as to your wait listed school.  Always be sure to notify all schools of your final decision.  Other students are waiting for the admission you decline!

-- All the best from Perfectfitcollege.net.  Come meet us Sunday night!