• Start your year off right: Talk with your school counselor about your options and your plans.
  • Consider taking the PSAT at your home high school in October (gain knowledge that will assist you in taking the SAT and makes you eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Competition).
  • Challenge yourself academically.
  • Explore career interest paths and the education needed.
  • Sign up for extra-curricular activities and leadership positions to boost your college applications.
  • College search.
  • Gather information about schools through websites, catalogs, etc.
  • Attend college fairs and open houses.
  • Plan college visits. Fall, winter and spring breaks may be good times to attend.
  • Sign up for ACT or SAT prep courses.
  • Consider registering for the winter or spring ACT and/or SAT test.
  • Do your top college picks require essays or recommendations? Now is the time to begin planning your essays and choosing whom you’d like to ask for a recommendation.
  • Attend the College Credit Plus meeting at MCCC and/or your home high school to find out about your options for taking college classes during your senior year.
  • Start investigating private and public sources for financial aid. Take note of scholarship deadlines and plan accordingly.  Attend a financial aid night to learn the basics.
  • Stay focused on maintaining or increasing your GPA.
  • Take the ACT and/or SAT.
  • Meet with your school counselor to develop your senior schedule.
  • Organize your individual graduation plan.
  • Continue your college search and making a list of top college choices.
  • Plan campus visits for spring break.
  • Think about lining up a summer job, internship or co-op.
  • Consider putting together a portfolio/resume that highlights your special skills, talents and activities.
  • Sign up for the ACT/SAT if you didn’t take it as a junior, or if you aren’t satisfied with your score.
  • Visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements.
  • Keep working hard all year; stay involved in extra-curricular activities; seek leadership roles if possible.
  • List your top college choices and request admission information/catalogs from those schools.
  • Ask for personal references from teachers, school counselors or employers early in the year or at least two weeks before application deadline.
  • Begin writing drafts of your college application essays.
  • Request your transcript from your home high school, not the MCCC, when applying to colleges.
  • Visit with admissions counselors who come to MCCC.
  • Attend a college fair. The Medina County College/Career Fair is held in October at the Medina Fairgrounds.
  • Visit the colleges that you plan to apply to and be sure to submit your College Visit form in a timely manner.
  • Apply for admission at the colleges you’ve chosen.  Pay close attention to deadlines!
  • Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college to which you have applied.
  • Check Financial Aid deadlines for each college to which you have applied and be sure you meet it.
  • Student and parent need to register for an FSA ID before completing the FAFSA.
  • Start the financial aid application process by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) after it opens on October 1.
  • Attend a Financial Aid meeting at MCCC or your home school to help you better understand the FAFSA.
  • See your school counselor for information about where to look for financial aid and scholarships.
  • Continue to work hard, second semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility.
  • If you haven’t already, submit your FAFSA to receive the best financial aid opportunities.
  • Review your FAFSA Submission Summary to learn about your financial aid eligibility.
  • Review your college acceptances and compare the colleges’ financial aid offers.
  • Finalize your school choice to attend and notify all schools you were accepted to of your decision to attend or not attend.
  • Keep track of and observe deadlines for college enrollment paperwork and required fees.
  • Continue to look for and apply to scholarship opportunities; be attentive to deadlines.
  • Make informed decisions about student loans.
  • Notify your college about any outside scholarships you have received.
  • Notify your home school of all scholarships you have been awarded.
  • Plan for college registration, orientation and housing – mark your calendar with important dates.
  • Request final transcripts to be sent from your home high school to your final college choice.
  • CCP students: Request a final transcript from the college you are enrolled in for CCP classes be sent to the college you will be attending.
  • Find a summer job to help save or pay for college needs throughout the year.