1. COLLEGE PLANNING
TIMELINE
Jill Okey
Assistant Director
Ohio University

2. Terminology to Know
 Public: Institutions that are predominately funded by public means through
the government, not typically religiously affiliated, levels of selectivity vary
 Private: Not operated by governments, although may receive public subsidies,
especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants
 Selective Admission: Universities that have guidelines students must meet for
admission
 Open Enrollment: These institutions do not have minimum academic
standards for general admission to the college
 Rolling Admissions: Applications are reviewed and decisions rendered as they
are submitted
 Early Decision: Decisions are binding, if admitted, a student must withdraw all
other applications
 Early Action: Similar to ED but decisions are NOT binding

3. Terminology to Know: Continued
 Application Fee: This is the payment required at the time of application
 Enrollment Deposit: Typically confirms your intent to enroll at a school
 FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid
 Grant: Monies that do NOT require repayment, typically need-based
 Loan: Monies that requires re-payment (Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized)
 Scholarship: Merit-based, Need-Based, Athletic, Talent- do NOT require
repayment
 Work-Study: This a form of financial aid where students work on campus
for a paycheck. Students can opt out if they are not interested in work
 Common Application: One application that can be submitted to multiple
institutions- many will require a college-specific supplement
 NCAA Eligibility Center: All students interested in Division I or II sports
must pass through the Clearinghouse (*NAIA)

4. Set the Expectation: Programming
 Junior/Senior Planning Workshops
 Early Spring for Juniors, Early Fall for Seniors
 Post presentation online for parents to view
 NCAA Eligibility Center Information Night
 Early Fall
 Include Athletic Director, Coaches and NCAA Compliance Official
from local college/university
 Financial Aid Information Night
 Mid-January
 Involved Local College/University Financial Aid Office
 Website with resources, timelines, check lists

5. Set the Expectation: College Visits
 Create a “college must-haves” list prior to your visits
 Schedule all visits at least two weeks in advance
 Meet with your academic area of interest
 Athlete? Set up a meeting with the coach
 Eat in a Dining Hall
 Check out the bulletin boards/ campus newspaper
 See if there is an event taking place on campus, join in!

6. Set the Expectation: College Fairs
 Create a “college must-haves” list prior to the fair
 Do you know what colleges are attending? Plot your route
 Plan your questions ahead of time
 Bring along address labels: saves time for conversation
 Students should ask the questions, not parents
 Take notes!

7. Set the Expectation:
College Entrance Exams
 Register for the exam by the due date
 Provide photo when registering for exam.
 Need accommodations? Take action early.
 Register for “Question of the Day” e-mail/text service
 Study: guides, prep-courses, past curriculum
 Get a good night’s sleep, wake up early, eat breakfast
 Remind students to manage their time, to read each question
thoroughly and to bring photo ID to exam.

8. Freshman Year
 Fall- Winter
 Build a strong foundation of classes, get the basics out of the way
 Get involved in extra/co-curricular activities
 Athlete? Be sure to learn the NCAA requirements
 Winter-Spring
 Keep your grades up
 Set sights on leadership roles
 Consider possible career fields
 Summer
 Get a part-time, summer job
 Keep reading to increase your vocabulary

9. Sophomore Year
 Fall-Winter
 Register and begin studying for the PSAT and PLAN tests
(September)
 Take the PSAT/PLAN Tests (October)
 Review the results with your parents & school counselor (December)
 Winter-Spring
 Keep your grades up!
 Explore careers by completing a job shadowing experience
 Register (April) and take (June) SAT Subject Tests
 Summer
 Research colleges online

10. Junior Year
 Fall
 Register, Take and Review PSAT Test
 (Scores could qualify you for a National Merit Award)
 Meet with your school counselors to discuss your plans
 Register for the ACT and SAT
 Review NCAA Eligibility Center requirements to ensure compliance
 Examine skills, interests & abilities to narrow down academic plan
 Winter
 Create a list of colleges & make plans for Spring/Summer visits
 Keep your grades up, Junior year GPA is what colleges first see
 Challenge yourself with your senior year curriculum

11. Junior Year: Continued
 Spring
 Take college entrance exams (SAT/ACT)
 Line up teachers, counselor & others to write letters of
recommendation
 Attend college fairs in the local area
 Do research on majors that interest you
 Summer
 College Visits!
 Narrow list of colleges to those at which you plan to apply
 Understand their application process, Know their deadlines
 Prepare your personal statement & resume to send with applications
 Complete the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Center form

12. Senior Year
 Fall
 Register for the fall ACT and SAT exams
 Meet with your school counselors to discuss your plans
 Submit applications to the colleges you have selected
 Request that your official transcripts be sent
 Apply for a FAFSA Pin Number
 Determine if your schools require the CSS Profile
 Apply for scholarships
 Winter
 Complete the FAFSA between January 1st and mid-February
 Take a second look at the schools to which you’ve been admitted
 Begin the enrollment process by submitting the housing deposit at your top
pick

13. Senior Year: Continued
 Spring
 Complete the financial aid process by accepting your award package
 May 1st is the National College Reply Date
 Confirm your intent to enroll (housing deposit submission) by this date
 Let all colleges/universities know what your plans are for fall
 Attend admitted student programming both on & off campus
 Register for new student orientation
 Complete final stages of NCAA Eligibility Center
 Summer
 Get a job to help fund your college experience
 Attend orientation
 Connect with your roommate

14. Tips for Success:
College Deadline vs. Counselor Deadline
 Letter of Recommendation Timeline
 Due December 1st vs. Request by November 1st
 Transcript Request Timeline
 Due December 1st vs. Request by November 15th
 Application Submission Timeline
 Early Decision, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action
 November 1st vs. October 15th
 December 1st vs. November 15th
 Rolling Admission
 February 1st vs. January 15th

15. Tips for Success:
Personal Statements
 Follow prompt and guidelines (if given)
 A good essay is a good STORY. Show a snapshot of yourself.
 Write in your own voice!!
 Be genuine, don’t try to impress the reader.
 SHOW don’t tell.
 Uniqueness and creativity are valued.
 Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

16. Tips for Success:
The Admissions Review
 Course Selection vs. Course Offerings
 Course Selection/Grades vs. Intended Major
 Grade Trend!!
 Standardized Test Performance
 Personal Statement
 Passionate Extracurricular Involvement
 There is NO magic formula!

17. Tips for Success:
Thriving in Your First Year
 Get Involved: Clubs, Organizations, Intramurals,
Academics, Residence Hall
 Expand your horizons… meet new people
 Ask for help before you need it
 Learn about Resources: Library, Tutoring, Academic
Advisor, Office Hours
 Work Hard & Manage your time well
 Find balance between work and play
 Make healthy choices: eat well, work out, relax

18. QUESTIONS?!