Senior year is often a grueling time for high school students, as it causes students to work harder to prepare for college. While the going will get tough, senior year is never the time to stop working hard. Seniors must apply to colleges, fill out scholarships and other forms of aid, and keep their grades up.
The early deadline for most colleges was November 1st, but applications can still be admitted. If any applications were withheld, it is important that they are sent as soon as possible. A large majority of colleges have rolling admissions, which means that they will continue to receive applications until they are full. For other colleges, this is not the case, and those who applied earlier than others will have a better chance of being considered. Nevertheless, the latest any application should be submitted is in December.
The second most important task for seniors during the fall season is applying for scholarships. While financial aid and student loans are beneficial, scholarships will reduce the overwhelming school debt that most college students are burdened to carry. Scholarships can be applied for online using websites such as Fastweb, but it is important for seniors to look into scholarships that their specific college offers. Each college hosts its own scholarship program so even if someone has yet to decide on a school, it is a good idea to apply for as many scholarships available, and for any college they may be interested in. Scholarships can be given for academics, sports, and various other characteristics in an individual. Mishawaka High School has a list of scholarships and information on the school website, listed under Guidance. If you meet the requirements, apply!
After applications for colleges and scholarships are turned in, the last thing seniors will need to worry about (besides grades) is financial aid. All seniors will need to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if they are interested in receiving financial aid. There will be an important meeting about filling out the form FAFSA on December 15th at 6:00 p.m. in the MHS LGIA, so it is important that all seniors attend this meeting with their parents or guardians.
As seniors work to finish their year and prepare for college, it is just as important for them to maintain their grades as they did during their previous years at high school. “I understand senioritis, but you must work harder than ever this year!” says guidance counselor Mrs. Walton with a laugh. It is possible for a college to revoke admissions due to poor grades during the senior year of high school. Just because someone is accepted into a college does not guarantee that they will still be able to attend that college in the fall. Keeping all of this in mind, seniors still have much to accomplish as the year goes on and must continue to keep up the hard work!