High School Seniors: The Final Stretch

If you’re a high school senior who’s headed for college and you’ve made it through the first half of the year, congratulations! Your FAFSA has been submitted, your college applications are in and now you just wait, right? Wrong --- not if you want to make the most of your time and the opportunities that are out there.

It’s a big temptation to just kick back and relax: the high-pressure application period is behind you and some celebrating is well deserved. That attitude can backfire though if you go too far and perhaps risk jeopardizing your college plans. Even if you are careful to stay on track you may miss some big opportunities if you think you’ve done all you can to prepare and pay for college.

So enjoy a brief break and then take stock of your current situation. Be sure you are meeting your goals. Commit to take advantage of the numerous opportunities still available to you. In fact this can be the best time to go after scholarships: the competition may be down as others succumb to “senioritis”. Here's where you should take action:

Increase Your College Knowledge

Even if you think you know everything you need to about your top school choices this is a perfect time to learn more. Have you had a chance to visit the campus, take a tour, and talk to some students? If it’s possible to do so it’s a great way to get a better feel for what it’s really like to go there. Firsthand experience could help you make a decision if you're lucky enough to get several acceptance letters --- and it could even change your mind about what’s really your number one choice.

If you’ve already been accepted and you know where you're going, congratulations! But it’s still not time to kick back. If you have been assigned an admissions counselor, continue to cultivate that relationship even though you’re already “in”. They can be a great resource for all kinds of information, including help with financial aid. Take a careful look at your financial aid package: many people are unaware that you can appeal the amount offered if your situation has changed since you submitted your applications.

Stay On Track

A major goal for your final semester at high school should be: No Surprises. Take these steps to be sure you will graduate as planned and are not jeopardizing your college admission:

1. Check in with your guidance counselor to confirm that you have completed, or are on track to complete, all necessary coursework for graduation.
2. Maintain an acceptable grade level. Doing so may be crucial not only to graduating but also to remaining eligible for your college of choice. Colleges don’t stop caring about your high school performance just because you’ve been accepted. It may not seem fair but students have had acceptances rescinded due to a final term decline in grades.
3. Always take time to use good judgment about what kind of information you make public on social media.

Renew Your Scholarship Search

This is the time to go after scholarships with renewed energy. There are literally millions of scholarships and their deadlines are not the same as college application deadlines! Even scholarships at your college of choice may have different deadlines so they are well worth checking out if you haven’t done so already. Read our Scholarship Search Tips for some great ideas and direction. Some additional tips about finding scholarships:

1. You may have been too overwhelmed to do this before, but now be sure you are signed up for a free scholarship site – there are several good ones that do not charge you a fee.
2. Visit your guidance counselor and check all available bulletin boards and web sites for information on new or ongoing scholarship opportunities.
3. If you already know your major, contact related professional associations and see if they offer scholarships to encourage students in their area of study.
4. Enter all the scholarship drawings you can find --- including ours. To promote further education at college or career schools we are giving away $100 every month to be spent as you wish. See our Giveaway Guidelines and then enter to win --- it’s fast and easy!