Junior Year

September
  • Your junior year begins, challenge yourself academically, stay involved in your volunteer work, try to gain a leadership role within a club/ organization.
October
  • Take the PSAT/NMSQT exam. Use your results to prepare a study plan for the SAT. You should have downloaded Khan Academy by now. 

November/December
  • You may take a practice ACT or SAT to see which is the best test for you.

January
  • Register for Standardized Testing if you feel prepared:
    • ACT  www.actstudent.org
    • SAT & SAT Subject Tests www.collegeboard.org
    • Students eligible for Free or Reduced Lunch are able to obtain SAT and ACT Fee Waivers. Please come to the College Office to obtain fee waivers.
February
The College Counselors meet with all juniors during Advisory and College Seminar periods.
  • You will receive emails from your college counselor at the email address in your Naviance account – make sure that you check this address regularly.
  • Set up your Junior family appointment with the College Office
  • Research and apply for summer programs. Most programs are available online. (Be on the lookout for these in the Newsletter!)

March
  • You must fill out the assigned surveys on Naviance, both you and your parents, before your individual appointments with the college office. 
    • Become familiar with Naviance
    • Please visit individual college websites. You may find virtual campus tours, admissions data, information regarding specific majors and program, etc.
  • Register to take the SAT Test, SAT Subject Tests and/or exams.
  • For those interested in Questbridge, start researching now and notify your recommenders and the college office if you are considering applying.
  • Discuss college options and financing your college education with your family.

April
  • Free DOE SAT Day for all Juniors (specific date determined by College Board). 
  • Make sure that you regularly check your email address. The College Office often emails important information to you.
  • Ask two of your teachers from different subject areas if they would be willing to write a college letter of recommendation for you. 
  • Attend the NYC Unique College Fair
May 
  • We recommend that you take the SAT exam in May. It is advisable to take SAT Subject Test(s) in June to benefit from just having completed the courses at BCCHS.​
  • Fill out your recommendation packets for your teachers and a copy for the college office.
  • Continue researching colleges that might be of interest to you.
 
June
  • Take the SAT if you did not take it in March or May. SAT Subject Tests are offered. Please be sure to check individual college websites for specific Admissions requirements! You may not take both the SAT and SAT Subject Test(s) on the same day.
  • If you have not yet done so, ask two faculty members to write your college letters of recommendation.
  • There will a summer assignment given that needs to be completed on the Common App. 

July
  • Have a productive summer. Consider a variety of activities such as summer study in a college program, research, volunteering, perhaps a job that will help you put aside money for college, etc.
  • Research the various colleges. You want to find a college that will likely be a good fit for you.
  • Begin your college applications and essays (SUMMER ASSIGNMENT). For ideas and asssitance go here
  • If possible, visit college campuses
August
  • Create an account on www.commonapp.org. This is where most of your college applications will be submitted. Choose a username and password that is easy to remember; you will be logging in and out numerous times over the next few months.
  • Remember to link your common app with your Naviance Family Connection account by entering your common app user name and password on Naviance Family Connection under the Colleges I’m Applying To tab. (More Instructions on HERE )
  • We recommend taking the August SAT before the craziness of senior year begins!

Senior Year

 September--Your senior year begins!
  • Hand in your summer assignment (college essays) to your Advisor.
  • Questbridge Students must notify their recommenders and the College Office that they are applying for this scholarship within the first week of September!
  • Confirm with the teachers who have agreed to write your college letters of recommendation that they are still able to do so.
  • If you plan to apply Early Decision (ED) and/or Early Action (EA), you must attend the Early Action/ Early Decision meeting. Be on the lookout for this date.  It is important that you indicate this on Naviance Family Connection.
  • College counselors begin individual meetings with their students.  MARK YOUR CALENDER AND CHECK YOUR EMAIL! Parents are invited to come as well.
  • Students are to be given senior package, which includes Records Release form and summer update. This must be returned within one week of receiving!
  • College representatives will be visiting BCCHS and speaking about their schools.. You should attend sessions for colleges you know you want to apply to as well as colleges you would like to learn more about.  Check the monthly newsletter and mark your calendars!
  • Sign up for representative visits in Naviance
  • Complete the google form to notify the College Office that you will be attending the college representatives meeting.  
  • Start meeting with English teachers on essay help
           
October 
  • FINANCIAL AID NIGHT- TBA
  • In October, November, and December, you will be notifying the College Office of your college selections by completing the Colleges I’m Applying To section on Naviance Family Connection.
  • Regarding colleges that you are interested in applying to, it is crucial to thoroughly read the colleges’ Admissions Offices’ websites. You must provide each college with everything that it requires.
    • Do not be disqualified for consideration because you have not provided the college with, for example, a certain SAT Subject Test or a teacher recommendation from a specific subject area.
    • In addition, you must adhere to all application deadlines, including application due dates and financial aid forms due dates.
    • For students applying EA/ED: The FAFSA and CSS Profile will be due earlier than normal. The CSS-Profile is a financial aid form that is required by some colleges. It is available at: https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profileFinancial aid applicants can complete your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form at www.fafsa.ed.gov
If available, send your SAT/ ACT Scores to ALL colleges you are applying to. Remember it takes 2-3 weeks for College Board to send out your SAT scores. ** Please see SAT/ACT section on website for further information! 
November 
  •  If you plan to apply to colleges that have Rolling Admissions (e.g. Penn State University, Rutgers, etc.) or a Priority Deadline (University of California, University of Texas), you must indicate such on Naviance Family Connection three weeks before the deadline.
  • Apply to college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system – General CUNY applications may be submitted online at http://www.cuny.edu/admissions/apply.html. Be sure to include your 9-digit OSIS number in your CUNY application. Please print your document return form and bring it to us in the college office.
  • If you plan to apply to the Macaulay Honors College, the CUNY Honors Programs, you do not need to complete a separate general CUNY application. Your CUNY Macaulay Honors application will automatically be considered for general CUNY admissions.
  •  You may apply to colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) by using www.CommonApp.org.
  • It is recommended you send these by Thanksgiving!
  • Most colleges’ deadlines for submitting your completed ED and/or EA applications are November 1 or November 15.
If available, send you SAT/ ACT Scores to ALL colleges you are applying to.
December 
  • ED and EA applicants should begin hearing from their colleges by mid-December. You may be “accepted,” “deferred,” or “denied.”
  • If you are accepted via ED application and have received a sufficient financial aid package, you must withdraw your applications from all other colleges where you have an active application.
  • If you are admitted to one or more colleges via the EA application(s), you may choose whether or not to withdraw some or all of their remaining college applications.
By now you should have sent ALL scores/ applications/ materials to colleges!!!!
January 
  • Indicate all of your Regular Decision or Rolling Admissions colleges in Naviance by the first week of January. 
  • Complete the FAFSA if you have not already done so at www.fafsa.ed.govIf required, complete the CSS-Profile on www.collegeboard.org and the financial aid application forms on the websites of the individual colleges to which you are applying.

February
  • Use the Mid –Winter recess to visit the campuses of colleges that you have not yet seen.
  • Make sure you have completed all financial aid applications/forms: FAFSA, CSS Profile, TAP Tuition Assistance Program – please visit www.hesc.ny.org (Higher Education Services Corporation of New York State) for more information regarding the TAP Grant, and any other financial aid forms your colleges may require.

March 
  • CUNY Macaulay Honors decisions are sent out in mid-March.

April 
  • Most colleges have sent their regular decisions to applicants, and invite admitted students to visit their campuses.
  • Evaluate your acceptance and financial aid offers so that you can decide where to attend college by May 1st!
 
May 
  • As required by many colleges, you must accept admission to one, and only one, college by May 1 and make a tuition deposit.
  • You cannot submit more than one deposit. If you do, you may forfeit your acceptance at both institutions; some colleges share lists of depositing students.Select a college in the “college that I am attending” in your Naviance Family Connection account.
  • Please be considerate of students on waiting lists of colleges that have accepted you, but that you do not wish to attend, and promptly decline these colleges’ offers of admission.
  • If the school you will be attending is different from the one listed in your TAP online application at www.hesc.ny.gov , change the school and correct any incorrect financial data as soon as possible. Tuition Assistance Program grants are available only for New York State residents who attend college in New York State.
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June 
  • The College Office sends your final transcript and certification of graduation forms to the college that you will attend.
  • If you will need to borrow additional student loans to help pay for college, contact your college’s financial aid office for information regarding how to obtain college loans if you have not already done so.
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CONGRATULATIONS, YOU DID IT! WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK FROM HERE!