• This is it! Your moment, your YEAR

    You have worked long and hard and now it is your time to shine. Don't take this year to relax and fly under the radar, this is your last stance, you need to end your high school career with a bang. If you have done your homework and stayed on track for the past 3 years, it will be a piece of cake. If not, get ready to get down and dirty.

    • Make your advisory teacher and your counselor your best friend!
    You may not realize this now, but both your counselor and advisory teacher have tremendous power when it comes to making sure you graduate on time. Your advisory teacher can let you know if you still need to make up classes or if you can improve in any area, be it curricular or extra curricular. It is of utmost importance that they know who you are and that you communicate constantly with them so that there are no "surprises" down the road.

    • Start a college/future "file"
    One of the biggest irritations and frustrations that may lead to "senioritis" is disorganization. You can avoid some of that stress by designating a manila folder, large envelope, milk crate, etc. to hold all your important documents for applying to college/vocational program. When you apply to college, you may need to provide your social security number, alien resident number, your or your parents income tax returns, and other sensitive information. Make sure you make copies of all your important documents so you have them close at hand when you start to fill out your applications. Most public libraries have copy machines that you can use for much less than Kinko's or other copy place.

    • Apply for FAFSA
    Every year, thousands of dollars go unclaimed in California by students who do not fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Even if your parents "make too much money" you may still be eligible for financial aid. Whats more, when you fill out your application, you are also considered for certain scholarships you may also be eligible for. Make sure your parents file their taxes early in the year, or make sure you have last years Tax Return (also known as the IRS form 1040) handy. Generally the deadline for the FAFSA is in late March, but the earlier in the year you apply the more likely you are to receive financial aid.

    • Read the applications/requirements

      Another senioritis inducing mistake many  Seniors make is leaving applications until last minute. Your advisory teacher or counselor can walk you through the process of applying for the UC's and CSU's but often times these require you to submit transcripts, recommendation letters, and even short essays! Make sure you read the essay prompt and prepare a rough draft. During the process you can ask your teachers, and friends to help you proofread your work.

    You can use the following online tool while searching for your perfect college/university:

    http://www.onlineschools.org/guides/california/
Last Modified on January 22, 2012