Donna’s Monthly to Do List - October

Now that you’re back in the swing of things, October becomes a very busy month. For Juniors and Sophomores, use this time to focus on getting good grades, participating in school and extracurricular activities and attending the numerous college fairs that will be held during October and November. It’s never too late to start looking. If you are a junior, this is the ideal time to start creating that long list of schools you might want to consider. Don’t just pick up brochures: use the opportunity to speak with admissions representatives as well as alumni who attend many of the local fairs.

This is also the month for the PSAT. Juniors should be signed up for this test which also is used to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship. Sophomores looking to get a head start with a practice PSAT are also encouraged to register. October is also the month many students will take the SAT for either the first or last time. Both the SAT and ACT are offered this month. But, pay attention to registration deadlines for these tests is in September. (More and more students are choosing to take both tests to compare their performance on them.) If you are a senior and already know what schools you are applying to, check to see whether you need to take the SAT subject tests. Many competitive schools require them. While it is recommended that you take them after finishing the subject, you’ll do best on the Math and English ones if you wait to take them in your senior year. In either case, take them early in order to meet college application deadlines.

Seniors planning on applying for early action or early decision admission should have completed their applications and submitted them to their schools to be sent out. The deadline for most of those applications is early November (November 1 or November 15) so it is important to have them ready now. Many schools may take as long as 2-3 weeks to get transcripts out, so get your requests in early. This is also important for school recommendations. Don’t assume that a teacher will be able to get that recommendation letter to you immediately, so give them time.

For those students applying regular decision or rolling decision, you should be using your time to narrow down your choices to a short list. Attend local and regional college fairs to collect information and pick up applications. Stop by the table of colleges that you are applying to. Introduce yourself to the college rep and ask them questions. You not only may pick up valuable tips, but you make yourself known to individuals who can be a useful resource. Although you may have your parents accompany you to these fairs, it is your job to step up and ask specific questions you have about the school. After all, you are the one who will be ultimately attending that school. Ask about admissions deadlines, interview requirements, open houses and campus tours. If you have the opportunity to speak with alumni, don’t be afraid to ask them about their own experience. They may have a very different perspective from the admissions counselor. The information you collect will help you create that short list of schools that you will eventually apply to.