November To-Dos

High school students should stay organized with to-do lists to help prepare for college.

Seniors

Write thank you letters to the teachers, counselor, and others who wrote recommendations on your behalf. They spend a great deal of time writing your recommendation so showing your appreciation is essential.
Plan to submit all your applications prior to the December vacation so you can enjoy some well-deserved time off. This means you should be working on your supplemental essays this month.
Continue to schedule and prepare for virtual or campus interviews (if offered, instructions are on the college website). Keep in mind deadlines for requesting or completing interviews.
Check the status of your applications once submitted to be sure all components of the application have been received by the colleges such as test scores, transcript, letters of recommendation, and all supplementary applications. Most colleges use a portal to which you log in and review the status.

Juniors

Make a plan for standardized testing. If you think you will need to do test preparation, find a tutor or online class now and create a preliminary test schedule to ensure that you have adequate time to practice.
If you receive testing accommodations at school, be sure to apply to ACT and/or College Board for accommodations well in advance of your test.
If you plan to apply test optional be sure to discuss this with your consultant.
Make at least one college visit this fall. Begin to create a college list that is based on well-thought-out criteria.

All Students

Take a look at your extracurricular activities to determine if you are using your free time in an engaging way. While having downtime is important, it is also essential to explore your interests in a meaningful way. You want to ensure that come application time you can list activities that reflect a strong commitment to a few meaningful activities.
Assess your school performance and whether you need to make adjustments to your study skills, habits, or commitments. If you need extra support to do well in a course or in general, talk with your parents and counselors about a plan.