Use the timeline below as your guide to preparing for post high school planning.
Summer Before Senior Year:
• Register for the September or October ACT if you need to improve your score or if you have not taken the ACT test yet. The Whitnall High School ACT test code is 500-838.
• Look over the online application to your schools by visiting the school's admissions page website or apply through Common App if your school uses this.
• Visit campuses - contact the admissions offices for an official tour for schools' programs of study. Create a list of things you liked/disliked at each school and compare your schools.
College Search Engines
College Majors
Explore Minnesota/Wisconsin reciprocity agreements.
• Review your transcript (report section on Infinite Campus) and all Whitnall High School graduation requirements. Be sure your Senior schedule has necessary courses.
September
• Meet with your Counselor to discuss the colleges/programs to which you plan to apply.
• Attend the financial aid workshop organized by the Counseling Office for information on the financial aid process. View the PowerPoint if you are unable to make the meeting.
- Keep track of your application dates and deadlines, scholarships & housing
• Write your college essays and applicant statements. Ask a teacher to proofread and give suggestions for improvement.
• Request letters of recommendation from teachers, employers, and/or volunteer coordinators, if needed. Provide them with a list of your school, community, and work activities that you have participated in throughout high school. (Request forms are available in the Counseling Office.) Bring letters to the counseling office to be uploaded into Career Cruising.
• Take the ASVAB - if interested in the military, see Mr. Gross in the Counseling Office to sign up for this test offered in the fall to Whitnall High School students. Take practice tests online to become familiar with the content and style of this test.
• Begin checking the Whitnall scholarship website for scholarship opportunities. Check this site weekly for updates on scholarship postings. Begin applying.
• Take a leadership role in your co-curricular activities. Employers, university admissions, and scholarship committees look for leaders.
• If needed, register for the October ACT.
• Seniors planning on participating in the Early College Credit (Wisconsin Private or Public Universities) or Start College Now (MATC/ WCTC) for spring semester must provide written notification and submit all necessary forms to the Counseling Office by October 1st. Three forms are needed for this program -- a Whitnall School District request form, the DPI form and the Youth Options application to the school which you want to attend. Please see your counselor for application materials.
• Narrow your list of schools to 5-7 for applications. Check the application deadline dates for schools. Make a chart. Determine any additional items that need to be addressed in the application process, interviews, portfolios, auditions, etc.
Required steps to apply for College/Tech schools:
Step 1
- Complete the online application
-
Submit test scores
- Do ACT scored need to be official or is unofficial accepted? Unofficial are on your transcript
- UW schools that require an official ACT score report include: UW Madison, UW Eau Claire, UW Green Bay, UW La Crosse
- Official have to come from ACT - order them online through ACT if you did not send them to the university when you took the test
- Pay the application fee online
- If students are eligible for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, please see your counselor for a waiver fee
- Request transcripts to be sent to your school through Career Cruising.
- Common App - counselors upload transcript into their section of common app
- Transcripts from dual enrollment classes need to be sent from that school the university you decide upon - may be needed for admissions decision. Check with your institution
- PIE UW Whitewater or
- MATC Med terms class
- If you transferred into Whitnall, the University may want your other HS transcripts
- If you studied abroad, send original transcript to admissions. Counselors can upload these official transcripts into Common App.
- Submit letters of recommendation to University
- Letters are only needed at UW Madison (one letter) or if you are on the bubble of meeting admissions requirements.
- Letters can be sent in the following manner
- Counseling office
- Upload into career cruising
- common app - recommender name email - talk to teacher first & give them a resume or letter of recommendation request form
- UW Madison letter of recommendation submission (SEND this link to your recommenders)
- Submit a counselor recommendation form to the Counseling Office (if required).
- Common App - counselor name & email address
If you want to apply for admission to more than one University of Wisconsin System school, you must submit a separate application to each school and pay the nonrefundable application fee with each submitted application. Further instructions can be found at https://apply.wisconsin.edu/ .
October
• Meet with college/military representatives at college fairs and school visits.
• Research scholarships opportunities at the schools to which you want to apply, your parent's or your place of employment, and community organizations.
• Parent and students should prepare and submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student AID).
• Attend a free College Goal Wisconsin workshop at a local site for help in filling out the FASFA .
• If you submitted the FAFSA, you should receive the Student Aid Report (SAR report); check it over for accuracy.
• Determine if official ACT scores are needed by looking on the university website, and if so, request these with ACT if you did not indicate the school when you registered for the test. Your ACT score(s) are now included on your transcript, but sometimes official scores are required directly from ACT.
• NCAAA Eligibility Center - Students intending to be a student athlete at the college level will need to apply for eligibility. Course selection and grade point average are important. Register online and then stop in the transcripts to be sent to NCAA through Career Crusiing.
• Male students age 18 and older, who are United States citizens, must register for the Selective Service within 60 days of your 18th birthday. You may register online. This must be done to complete FASFA (financial aid) forms.
November
• Don't get Senior SLIDE while working on your college applications. It is important to maintain good grades and study habits to prepare for post secondary work.
• Review your school's housing application requirements, and submit applications and deposits in a timely fashion. Housing fills up quickly on some campuses. Make note if they are refundable deposits, and keep note of necessary dates to request return deposits.
December
• Continue to research scholarships. Send in college and scholarship applications.
January
• If mid-year transcripts are needed by the schools, request that the Counseling Office send these through Career Cruising. Colleges will specifically indicate if these are needed. Read materials carefully.
• If any schedule changes are needed, you must get prior approval from your college or university which has accepted you based upon successful completion of your senior year course submitted on your application.
February - March
• Register to take the AP Exams through your AP teacher. (Students participating in the Free and Reduced Lunch Program are eligible for a fee waiver, so see your school counselor.) Many schools offer credit for high AP scores.
April - May
• Keep track of all acceptances, rejections and wait lists. Move ahead with back-up plans, if needed, and see your counselor to discuss options.
• Wisconsin students who will be attending school in Minnesota should submit the reciprocity application www.heab.wi.gov . Please visit the Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board website for more information.
• If you have ruled out some colleges that previously accepted you, contact their Admissions Department and notify them that you will not be attending. This will help colleges move other students off their wait lists!
• Once you have decided which school/program you will attend, pay necessary deposits. Schedule and take placement tests, if needed. Register for summer orientation programs, if available.
• Notify the Counseling Office of your post high school plans (Senior sheet) and of any scholarships you receive.
• Attend the Senior Awards Night to cheer on you classmates and receive public recognition for your hard work and accomplishments.
If you took a dual enrolled or MATC (medical terms or Speech 201) request your transcript from MATC.
June
• Congratulations on your graduation! Commence onto your post high school plans!
