Now that most seniors have applied to the colleges they wish to attend, many more steps come to place. At the beginning of the school year, seniors had a meeting in which they discussed important things to be considering as the school starts.

During the senior meeting, counselors discussed important topics like making the most of your time in high school, staying informed and setting goals. Counselors help you with deciding your future through assistance with academic planning, post-secondary planning, as well as providing social/emotional support.

Staying informed is one of the most important things seniors can do. Deadlines are everywhere. You must complete everything before its due date comes up. A lot of forms are due on New Years Day. If you don’t remember until the day before New Years and try to contact your counselors to seek help, they will be on break and most likely won’t be able to help you.

Some colleges require applications to be turned in by December 31st. Others require transcripts or even ACT/SAT scores by that date. It’s good to visit the college’s website for all that information.

Once students have applied to colleges, the next best step is scholarship applications. Linda Noble, Pleasant Valley counselors, says, “There are many scholarship opportunities student should not miss out on.” Noble thinks that students should stay on top of things so they’re not late with turning in any forms.

There are more than 80 scholarships that are offered here at PV. You can visit the counselors’ website to view them and apply as well. Applications open December 1st and the deadline is February 8th. For most of them, an essay is required to prove you meet the requirements for the scholarship.

Additionally, college visits are very important. It’s good to visit and talk to an advisor at the college you wish to attend. This helps you plan and shape your college path. Most college requirements for classes needed for a certain major differ. Set up a meeting with an advisor as soon as possible to discuss possible routes to take.

Senior year is very heavy with important events and dates to keep track of. Make sure you’re visiting your counselor more often than you’ve ever done in previous years.