Senior Year Timeline
With our flexible timeline, it’s never too late! No matter where you are in your high school career, you can take control of your future.
With our flexible timeline, it’s never too late! No matter where you are in your high school career, you can take control of your future.
DISCLAIMER: We encourage everyone to try their best in classes, make meaningful connections, as well as explore themselves and their interests. If you haven’t followed this timeline completely, do not become discouraged! Try to pick up wherever on the timeline that you’re able to. Don’t forget to have fun!
August
August
Goal: prepare for college apps
- Finish your personal statement & common app sections (‘Templates’ for more!)
- Ask for recommendation letters if you have not already
- Finalize college list
Goal: prepare for college apps
- Finish your personal statement & common app sections (‘Templates’ for more!)
- Ask for recommendation letters if you have not already
- Finalize college list
September
September
Goal: prepare for college apps
- Apply for Questbridge if applicable
- Work on extracurricular descriptions
- Start your supplemental essays & get EA/ED ( early action / early decision ) apps in before Nov 1st
Goal: prepare for college apps
- Apply for Questbridge if applicable
- Work on extracurricular descriptions
- Start your supplemental essays & get EA/ED ( early action / early decision ) apps in before Nov 1st
October
October
Goal: polish up everything you can with your resume
- Register and take for the SAT/ACT if you are still not happy with your score
- Keep GPA in a good place
- Continue participating in extracurriculars that your school offers
Goal: polish up everything you can with your resume
- Register and take for the SAT/ACT if you are still not happy with your score
- Keep GPA in a good place
- Continue participating in extracurriculars that your school offers
November
November
Goal: finish college apps!
- Finish & turn in all college apps so you can focus on summer programs / scholarships
- Keep GPA in a good place
- Continue participating in extracurriculars that your school offers
Goal: finish college apps!
- Finish & turn in all college apps so you can focus on summer programs / scholarships
- Keep GPA in a good place
- Continue participating in extracurriculars that your school offers
December
December
Goal: find summer programs you can apply to in the new year.
- Send semester transcripts (some schools make your counselors send them for you, keep your grades up!)
- Mark the deadlines for summer internships & research positions
- Take a well-deserved break!
Goal: find summer programs you can apply to in the new year.
- Send semester transcripts (some schools make your counselors send them for you, keep your grades up!)
- Mark the deadlines for summer internships & research positions
- Take a well-deserved break!
January & Febuary
January & Febuary
Goal: apply for scholarships
- Research micro-scholarships, local scholarships, and state grants
- Submit most scholarship applications
- Submit any last college / summer programs applications if you need to
Goal: apply for scholarships
- Research micro-scholarships, local scholarships, and state grants
- Submit most scholarship applications
- Submit any last college / summer programs applications if you need to
March & April
March & April
Goal: confirm your college
- Compare acceptance options
- Start studying for AP exams
- Go to Admitted Students Day to decide and commit
- Start cold outreach for internships or research positions if you have not found one yet for the summer
Goal: confirm your college
- Compare acceptance options
- Start studying for AP exams
- Go to Admitted Students Day to decide and commit
- Start cold outreach for internships or research positions if you have not found one yet for the summer
May
May
Goal: final month of high school!
- Ace your AP exams (so you don't have to take harder versions of the classes in college)
- Finalize your decision (if you haven’t)
- Relax!
Goal: final month of high school!
- Ace your AP exams (so you don't have to take harder versions of the classes in college)
- Finalize your decision (if you haven’t)
- Relax!
Summer Break (June, July, August, September)
Summer Break (June, July, August, September)
Goal: get ready for college!
- Pursue an internship or research position, and start or continue with your passion project participating over break.
- Start your internship or research position and take the time to expand or build out your passion project. Having a team makes the passion project experience much easier, especially when you have underclassmen to pass it along for you!
- Visit your college, review your college schedule and campus, dorm setup, etc.
- Review SOAR’s ‘College & Career Readiness’ sections to be ahead of the game! If these timelines helped, leave feedback!
Goal: get ready for college!
- Pursue an internship or research position, and start or continue with your passion project participating over break.
- Start your internship or research position and take the time to expand or build out your passion project. Having a team makes the passion project experience much easier, especially when you have underclassmen to pass it along for you!
- Visit your college, review your college schedule and campus, dorm setup, etc.
- Review SOAR’s ‘College & Career Readiness’ sections to be ahead of the game! If these timelines helped, leave feedback!
Congrats on Graduating!
Congrats on Graduating!
