Torrey Pines High School

Senior Timeline

Senior Year Timeline

August

Read the Counseling Office Bulletin regularly. The TPHS Counseling Office Bulletin is full of news of scholarships, college representative visits, SAT and ACT test registration date reminders, and much more.
Use The TPHS Counseling website to help decide which college to attend.
Check your credits and schedule for the new year to be sure you are on track for graduation and are meeting the requirements of the college you plan to attend. Unofficial transcripts will be given to you at various times by your counselor. Counselors do a graduation check, but the student is ultimately responsible for being sure he/she meets graduation requirements.
Be sure to have all off campus official grades sent to TPHS.
Continue to find information about colleges and try to visit as many college campuses as possible. Don't have time to travel the country? Take a virtual tour!
Study the scholarship and financial aid information found on the Counseling web site and also in the Counseling Office Bulletin so you will be ready to apply when appropriate. Have you been working on the FAFSA with your parents? Do any of the colleges that you are applying to require the CSS Profile?
Did you complete all necessary paper work for letters of recommendation? Another good idea is to get a head start on the college application process and work on the common application that is used by many colleges and stays fairly consistent from year to year.
If you are planning to participate in collegiate athletics, be certain that you are meeting the requirements to be eligible. You may see the requirements at the NCAA Clearinghouse website or check with your counselor.

September

Register for SAT, SAT II's & the ACT if you are still trying for that perfect score!
Begin the planning process to visit colleges that you are applying to for over night visits if it is possible to do so. Be on the look out for college open house weekends. Print the College Visit Checklist from the College Board before you leave.
If you are applying to a community college schedule an appointment with their counselors to discuss various transfer options. Now is the time to organize and work on all your college applications.
Sign up in the counseling office to meet with college representatives as they visit TPHS. To know when they are coming, pay attention to the Counseling Office Bulletin. Always try and send a thank you card or e-card after you have made personal contacts.

October

Seniors will most likely have to report midyear grades to most of the colleges that they applied to so don't slack off!
Register and again take more tests that may be required. Time to start sending in necessary early action and decision applications.
Military academy or ROTC applicants need to get all nominations and applications done now. Think about taking the ASVAB even if you are not looking at a career in the military, this is a great free test that could help you explore careers you never thought of before.

November

Continue to work hard to make excellent grades. Continuing signing up for college representative visits. Become familiar with the Counseling Center and reference materials.
Send in UC & CSU applications as soon as you can. Do not wait until just before the deadline. Have you had a variety of people proof read your college essays? Remember that once a deadline is past colleges will no longer accept your application. Don't make it a habit to procrastinate this year!

December

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA should be completed January 1 of your senior year, we recommend doing it online. If anything can be done online, admissions applications, FAFSA, test registration etc... DO IT ONLINE if you can.
Deadline to request a letter of recommendation from your counselor is December 1st.

January

Be sure you are still on track for graduation and meeting the requirements of your colleges by checking your transcript.
Submit mid year requests to your counselor and check with colleges to confirm that they received your initial applications.
Continue the tedious scholarship search and remember the bulk of your financial assistance may be available from the schools that accepted you. Ask them if they offer any scholarship competitions or programs.
Seniors should take the SAT I, SAT II's, AP exams and the ACT this year as well as in the junior year. Piece of cake!!! If you are in and AP class and do not take the AP exam for that course you are doing a disservice to yourself and should reevaluate your priorities. For all these exams it is to your advantage to register on line when ever possible as early as possible.

February

Register for college housing if it is available. Inform your counselor and teachers of your acceptances
Stay calm and focused, many colleges reserve acceptances until later this spring!

March

It is all about scholarship searching!
Make sure colleges receive your Student Aid Report.

April

Most colleges will have decided your fate, please inform your counselor. Wait listed? Consider writing a pleading letter to the dean of admissions. It can't hurt!

May-Summer

Be sure to have mailed in all your deposits, taken all your placement exams and ordered your final transcript to be sent to your college and the NCAA if you are an athlete with the TPHS registrar.
Try to hook up with your room mate(s) and get an idea what you are bringing to college!