SENIOR YEAR TIMELINE FOR CONTACT WITH COLLEGES

Contact with college admissions offices during fall semester senior year is inevitable. Not only will you be sending them your applications, but also making arrangements for personal interviews and calling them with any questions you have. To make your contact count, do some or all of the following:

• If you haven’t already, let colleges know that you are interested in them by getting yourself on their mailing list (online or through a phone call).

• If you haven’t already, find out who the college rep is assigned to your high school and his/her email address and make contact.

• Arrange for a personal interview on campus with your college rep or another admissions officer

• Arrange for an off-campus interview in your hometown

• If a college rep comes to your high school, go out of your way to meet that person. If for some reason you cannot attend his/her session (can’t get out of class, have a test, will be away from school for an athletic competition), be sure to ask the high school counselor to explain why (or leave a note for the counselor to give to the rep).

Ask your high school counselor for a list of dates and times when college reps will be visiting your high school. If there is no printed list, find out where a list is posted so that you can consult it and add the dates and times to your calendar. Also ask the counselor if you need an official excuse from a teacher to leave a class for the meeting.

PARENTS
More than any other time during the admissions process, senior year is when you can be a real help to your child. Help your student plan and make college trips where they can make contact with different campus people, including admissions reps, students, faculty and others. Be supportive of their meeting college representatives at their high school, at local meetings, or on college campuses. You can be a means of transportation, as well as a companion and support person, remembering that “This is my kid’s college process, not mine.” Regardless of ranking, prestige, the football team’s record or anything else, what’s important is what colleges your child wants and likes.