College application time is here! Your college counselor expects to meet with you often to help you refine your college list, critique your essays, and discuss other important college-related matters. Your counselor is your advocate and ally, and will write a supportive, comprehensive letter of recommendation on your behalf. This letter is included with the transcript and other credentials that College Guidance sends to colleges at your request.

Senior year is incredibly busy! In addition to keeping your grades up (yes, colleges care a lot about senior year grades and expect you to maintain a good record until you graduate), you are community leaders who are managing many demands on your time. Do your best to stay organized and one step ahead of all deadlines! Use Naviance's Family Connection to communicate with the College Guidance staff and to keep your application process on track. Use the Common Application website to complete many of your applications. Use College Board to have SAT scores sent to colleges and to access the CSS Profile application for financial aid (required by many private colleges). Work with your parents to complete the FAFSA (required by all colleges at which you are applying for financial aid) soon after January 1.

By April 1 you should hear from all your colleges, and by May 1 most of you will be committed to a college. The College Guidance staff will be among the many who celebrate your achievements as you walk the path to Commencement!


Senior Year Timetable for the Class of 2010

During the summer: Visit colleges. Follow instructions on their websites to sign up for tours, information sessions, and interviews (if offered). Interviews should be requested at least two weeks in advance.

If your first language is not English, take the TOEFL over the summer in your home country.

August: Register for any SAT test(s) you plan to take on October 10. The registration deadline will be in early September, so register well in advance and do not leave this critical task until you return to school! If you know you will be taking SAT test(s) on November 7, register ahead for that date also.

Begin your Common Application (not available until July 1). Begin working on a college essay.

Reread the College Guidance Handbook; it will guide you through senior year.

September 1: Attend all-senior meeting with College Guidance staff.

September 9: Registration deadline for October 10 SATs.

September 18: Registration deadline for October 24 ACT.

October 1: Registration deadline for November 7 SATs.

Early fall: Schedule the required meeting with your college counselor to update plans and achievements, fine-tune your college list, and go over specifics of the application process including visits, essays, teacher recommendations, and standardized testing.

If you hope to play a varsity sport in college at the Division I or II level, register with the NCAA for initial eligibility.

Mid-September through early November: College representatives visit George School to meet with prospective applicants. Check the College Guidance bulletin board and the calendar on Family Connection regularly for an updated schedule. To miss class for one of these sessions, follow procedures in the Community Handbook and the College Guidance Handbook.

Ask two teachers to write college recommendations for you. Then, give them specific information and forms at least a month ahead of your first deadline.

Late September: College Guidance mails CSS PROFILE financial aid information to all seniors’ parents.

Throughout the fall: Arrange any remaining visits to colleges. George School allows seniors two class days’ absence per term for college visits. Follow procedures in the Community Handbook and the College Guidance Handbook.

Early October: Complete any Early Decision or Early Action application(s) you wish to submit. Apply now to any “rolling decision” colleges for the best chance of acceptance.

October 10: SATs administered at George School.

October 16: College Guidance deadline for requesting that we send your transcript and supporting documents to colleges with November 1 deadlines.

October 17: The college counselors lead a question-and-answer session for senior parents on Parents’ Visiting Day.

October 24: ACT administered at off-campus locations. Note that this may be the same date as many varsity sports playoff games, which take precedence for athletes.

October 30: College Guidance deadline for requesting that we send your transcript and supporting documents to colleges with November 15 deadlines.

Registration deadline for December 5 SATs. When you take your final round of SATs, make sure to instruct the College Board to send the appropriate SAT scores to each college.

November 7: SATs administered at George School.

November 1 and 15: The most common deadlines for Early Decision/Early Action applications.

November 13: College Guidance deadline for requesting that we send your transcript and supporting documents to colleges with November 30 or December 1 deadlines. (Many state universities, including Penn State, have one of these as a priority or final deadline).

Early December: College Guidance mails Term 1 grades to all colleges from which you are awaiting decisions.

College Guidance mails to all parents (except parents of international students) a worksheet for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) along with detailed instructions.

December 5: SATs administered at off-campus locations. College Guidance provides transportation for senior boarders to Council Rock High School South test center.

December 11: College Guidance deadline for requesting that we send your transcript and supporting documents to colleges with January deadlines.

December 12: ACT administered at off-campus locations.

During Holiday Break: International students should complete the required financial documentation form for each college. Those who are not native English speakers should instruct ETS to send their highest TOEFL scores to all colleges.

January 1: Application deadline at many highly selective colleges.

January 15: College Guidance deadline for requesting that we send your transcript and supporting documents to colleges with February deadlines. 

Between January 1 and January 31: Families wishing to apply for financial aid must file the FAFSA. If your family has not already done so, submit the CSS PROFILE financial application as well, for any colleges that require it.

Late January: Your college counselor will verify with you and your parents the list of colleges to which we have submitted your credentials, and pass on any suggestions for further action.

January through April: As you receive decisions from colleges, let College Guidance know what they are and keep us informed of your plans. Consult us as needed for help with decision-making.

Early February: College Guidance mails a midyear report to all colleges from which you are awaiting decisions, showing your grades to date in all senior year courses.

April 1: By this date you should have a decision from each college to which you applied, and financial aid decisions from those to which you applied for aid on time. Arrange any final college visits you may need to make.

May 1: By this date, you must choose a college, accept its offer in writing, and submit a deposit. It is unethical submit a deposit to more than one college; if you do so you may lose your place! Notify all other colleges that accepted you that you are declining their offers.

Throughout May: IB and AP exams for some seniors. Arrange to have your official IB and/or AP score records sent by the test organization directly to your college.

May 29: Commencement!

Before June 30: College Guidance mails your final transcript to the one college at which you have enrolled, and to the NCAA if requested.