Plan with purpose using our suggested timelines for your junior and senior years.
Junior Year
Fall
Encourage your student to take AP courses.
Winter
Discuss career and major options with your student.
If your student is unsure of what to study, encourage them to take a personality or career assessment.
Spring
Plan your finances now, together.
Investigate financial aid options, loans, grants and scholarships.
Attend college fairs.
Summer
Start exploring ways to connect with colleges.
Encourage your student to find a job, internship and explore extracurricular experiences in the real world.
Senior Year
Fall
Finish identifying schools of interest.
Begin applying to colleges. UB’s application opens in August.
Make sure your student submits all application components by the stated deadlines. Tip: Create an email address just for the college admissions process. This will keep everything organized and in one account that you and your student can share.
Remind your student to give recommendation letter writers ample notice.
Winter
Help your student stay organized by keeping copies of everything.
Apply for as many scholarships as possible.
Remind your student to keep their grades up.
File the FAFSA.
Spring
Check your email and the mailbox for college decision letters, which can begin arriving mid-winter.
Review all financial aid award letters. Call financial aid offices if you have questions.
Send your student's enrollment/tuition and/or housing deposits by the deadline of May 1.
Celebrate!
Summer
Be sure your student has submitted a final high school transcript.
Prepare for orientation.
Get ready to send your student on the next step of their journey!