Calendar of Things To Do
Hi Alexandra, I summarized the key events in the college application process for you below. Note that these are deadlines… so you have to actually have applications completed and in the mail, a week BEFORE the deadline.
This stuff can be pretty hard to finish on time. Call me if you have questions, need any help, or just need some motivation to get you through it. At all times, remember this: the point of college is to prepare you for life. The better the college, the more prepared you’ll be, and the more options you’ll have in the future. It’s worth the time now to get this right.
| Date | Alexandra’s Things To Do | Done? |
|---|
| October 2006 | Roberto to get admissions packets sent to Alexandra | Yes |
| | Alexandra to set dates in Oct / Nov to visit U-Miami, U-Florida, UCF, FIU | |
| | Alexandra to register to take ACT / SAT | |
| | Alexandra to check into number of community service hours needed for scholarships | |
| | Alexandra to talk with guidance counselor about applying for scholarships | |
| | Alexandra to find out what her cumulative GPA is form her counselor | |
| | Alexandra to start looking at application forms for colleges and filling them out / writing essays | |
| Nov 1, 2006 | UM application deadline | |
| Nov 3, 2006 | Deadline to sign up for ACT | |
| Nov 7, 2006 | Deadline to sign up for SAT | |
| Nov 15, 2006 | Study for SAT / ACT | |
| Dec 2, 2006 | Take the SAT Test | |
| Jan 2, 2007 | Complete the mandatory FAFSA forms after January 1 http://www.fiu.edu/orgs/finaid/ | |
| Jan 16, 2007 | UF application deadline | |
| Feb 1, 2007 | FIU application deadline | |
| | Make sure you’ve completed your Geometry course and are ready to graduate | |
| May 1, 2007 | UCF application deadline | |
| ?? | Have final transcripts sent from highschool to college | |
Getting Started
Write down your address, home phone number, and social security number. You’ll need it for the applications and other websites.
Signing up for the SAT and ACT:
If you don’t take these, you’re screwed. Sign up for them as soon as possible. I’m telling you, it’s worth the time to buy an SAT prep book and take the practice exams a few times.
| Test Date | Test | Registration Deadline |
|---|
| December 9, 2006 | ACT | November 3, 2006 |
| December 2, 2006 | SAT & Subject Tests | November 7, 2006 (revised) |
| January 27, 2007 | SAT & Subject Tests | December 26, 2006 (revised) |
Scholarships:
It’s a pain looking into these, but how else can you make $10,000 in the time it takes to fill out an application?
University Application Information
This is the basic information and deadlines I found for each of the schools you’re interested in.
University of Miami [Miami, FL]
University of Florida [Gainesville, FL]
University of Central Florida [Orlando, FL]
Florida International University [Miami, FL]
Application Tips:
- Get your FAFSA done (this is required for student loans and scholarships) — its a government form
- Get the school codes right (double check them)
- Get your transcripts sent
- Study for the SAT (Buy the book, take the practice exam a few times!)
- Check your application for mistakes, have dad look it over, then run it by your guidance counselor or favorite teacher before you send it. (this is important, it will help you avoid spelling and grammar mistakes that can count against you.)
- You can send me your essays for checking, or take them into your favorite teacher. Spelling and grammar and your ideas are VERY important. You really need someone else to take a look at it.
- Be as inspiring, truthful, and humble as you can in your essays. Colleges want to know why they should choose you instead of the 200 other applicants fighting for your seat.
