Blackman High School

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Counseling Office

College Planning

FRESHMAN YEAR:

Build a flexible schedule allowing for study time, extracurricular activities, and other interests.
Take challenging academic courses to better prepare you for post-secondary work.
Get involved only in extracurricular activities that you have a genuine interest in and those to which you are willing to make the necessary time commitment.
Start developing a resume by keeping a scrapbook of your accomplishments including articles about yourself.
Find out about summer jobs and how to gain the skills necessary to obtain one.
Participate in volunteer opportunities that will expand your experience and skills.

SOPHOMORE YEAR:

Explore college catalogs and other college materials including financial aid information.
Visit websites to explore colleges online, such as www.ecampustours.com.
For most students, it is not necessary to try to cram all your graduation requirements into your first three years of high school. ALL students must take six (6) classes their senior year. Many students who take all their requirements early are left with nothing to take their senior year. This year, take an elective class that is of interest to you and the area in which you want to major in college, such as art, Media Concepts, Legal/Protective Services, Early Childhood Ed., etc.
Take the PSAT (Pre-SAT) in October and/or the PLAN (Pre-ACT) in November to prepare you for college entrance exams.
If pursuing athletics, check out NCAA requirements online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

JUNIOR YEAR:

For the FALL . . .

Take the PSAT (Pre-SAT) in October to practice taking college entrance exams and to compete for prestigious National Merit Scholarships.
Attend sessions with college representatives who visit Blackman High School during lunch. Attend the college fair that is held at MTSU's Murphy Center, usually in early October.
Develop a list of possible post-secondary schools. Visit websites to obtain information on those post-secondary schools.
Begin researching private sources of financial aid such as scholarships and write for applications.

For the SPRING . . .

Take the ACT/SAT.
Begin narrowing your choices for post-secondary schools. Schedule campus visits.
Visit colleges online for information.
Now is the time to check with libraries and community organizations for the names and addresses of possible scholarship sources. Keep records of anyone you speak with concerning grants or scholarships.
Start developing portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talents required for college admission and/or for scholarships.
If you plan to play sports in college, write to college coaches at your target schools. Include a schedule of your athletic events for the upcoming year. Develop a resume of your sports accomplishments including a highlight tape and relevant articles about your successes. After your junior year has ended, register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. For information on how to do this, visit www.ncaaclearinghouse.net or go see your counselor.

For the SUMMER . . .

Practice writing online applications, filling out rough drafts, without submitting them.
Review applications, especially the essays. Ask others to proof the essay for any grammar, content or punctuation errors.
Read all college mail and send reply cards back to schools of interest.
Apply for those scholarships whose deadlines are in the fall. You may be too busy once school starts.

SENIOR YEAR:

For the FALL . . .

Make sure you continue to meet high school graduation and college admission requirements.
Organize and record relevant dates on a calendar so you can plan your year more efficiently.
Read the Senior Journal each month, noting important dates.
Make copies of your admissions and financial aid forms. Practice filling them out before doing the final one.
Meet with visiting recruiters from the schools of interest to you.
Arrange visits to schools you are considering and schedule admissions interviews if required.
Make the final preparation of your portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent required for admission and/or for scholarships. Finalize your resume to send with your applications.
Submit your college admissions applications. Watch out for DEADLINES! Often, scholarship and admissions deadlines for a university are different; many times scholarship deadlines are much earlier in the year than application deadlines.
Remember to request a transcript from the Counseling Office that will accompany each college application you send out. Remember that each official transcript you request costs $1.00.
Take or retake the ACT or SAT.
Keep records of everything you submit.
Identify at least two of the following to write solid recommendation forms for you: a teacher, extracurricular advisor, principal, employer, or counselor. Give the recommendation forms, along with your senior resume, to teachers, advisors, etc. at least one month before they are due. Follow up on the progress of these recommendations.
If seeking athletic scholarships, contact the coaches from the schools you are considering and include a resume of your accomplishments.

For the SPRING . . .

Apply for financial aid by completing and submitting your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon after January 1 as possible. The FAFSA is available from the Counseling Office, from your college�s financial aid office, or online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. This form must be filled out for any federal or state money to be awarded, including the Hope Lottery Scholarship.
Call the school of your choice and confirm that they have received your admissions application materials, including letters of recommendation and housing applications.
Request a transcript from the Counseling Office to accompany each college application you send out. Remember that each official transcript you request costs $1.00.
The information you receive back after the FAFSA is processed is the Student Aid Report (SAR). If any portion of the information on the SAR is incorrect, please correct it and resubmit it to the processing center.
Notify the school(s) in writing as to whether you are accepting or declining admission by the proper deadline.
Review your financial aid award letter with your parents and be sure that you understand the terms and conditions that accompany each kind of aid. Sign your financial aid award letter and return it to the school.
Notify the financial aid office of any outside scholarships or grants that you have accepted since your initial application.
Be aware of due dates for tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses.
Respond immediately to all correspondence regarding school, scholarships, and financial aid.
Participate in summer orientation programs for incoming freshman after graduation.
Meet all class registration deadlines.

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