College Planning Timeline
- Freshman Year
- Sophomore Year
- Junior Year
- Senior Year
- College Visit Questions
- College Application Deadlines Explained
- Writing College Admission Essays
- College Admissions Visits at LOHS & Onsite Admissions
- FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid
- Michigan Achievement Scholarship
- Local Scholarships
- NCAA Eligibility
- Transcripts
Freshman Year
Focus on your Grades: Begin to develop study habits and learn to manage workload.
Create a 4 year plan: Ask your counselor to help you plan the courses and electives you will take for the next 4 years.
Involvement: Find clubs, activities, sports. Explore different groups and find something you are passionate about. Consistency of involvement gives you a longer time to make an impact.
Hobbies: Blogs, vlogs or self created content can be a great thing to show colleges but be mindful that it does not consume all your time. Make sure your time is productive.
Take time to get to know yourself: Learn your personality traits, values, strengths, weakness and what kind of learning environment you need to thrive as a student.
Be careful what you post: Remember that admissions counselors will be able to see your online personality. What you post or share is public.
Sophomore Year
Review your grades
Update your 4 year plan: Meet with your counselor to see if you would like to make any changes or add any electives based on new interests
College Research: Begin to review colleges based on your hobbies, interests or a proposed career path
Visit Colleges: If possible, do an in person college tour. If not, virtual tours are often available on their website. Contact the admissions counselor for Michigan area (if out of state) and begin to create a connection. If you need help, stop in the Career Center or see your counselor.
Testing: Take the PSAT through school. If your test scores are not what you would like, begin to test prep through your College Board account.
Summer: Volunteer. Not only is it a requirement, but many colleges like to see the heart of service on college applications. Also, get a job. It is important to show you are well rounded and employment is an important life skill.
Junior Year
Grades: Typically, Junior year is the most challenging. It is also the most heavily evaluated by colleges on your transcript. Get an unofficial transcript for you to review.
4 year plan: Meet with your counselor to adjust any classes for the last two years of high school based on your interests or proposed career paths.
College Admission Representatives: Take advantage of the visits scheduled by colleges visiting your school. Meet with them and ask questions. Attend the Spring College Fair at LOHS.
College Tours: Create a plan to visit colleges during school breaks.
Testing prep: Log into your College Board account and take some prep SAT tests. Schedule an ACT test at an offsite location if you are interested in trying a different type of standardized test.
Scholarships: Begin to research for local and national scholarships.
Letters of Recommendation: Ask 2-3 teachers for letters of recommendation for college applications.
Essay: Begin to draft your college essays.
Acceptance probability websites: You may wish to review websites that calculate how likely you are to be accepted to various colleges. Be sure to choose schools in all three categories of "likely", "target" and "reach". Sites like MyCollegeCounselor, Naviance or SCOIR can be helpful.
Senior Year
Grades still matter! You may need to submit quarter or semester grades to your college of choice.
4 year plan: If you have identified a likely career path, make sure to take all the electives offered in that area.
College Admission Representatives: If you have narrowed down your college choice, be sure to still attend the visits scheduled by the college reps visiting your school. Meet with them and ask follow up questions. This is your chance to get personal questions asked.
Deadlines: Review College and Scholarship application deadlines. Make sure you apply in order to get the maximum scholarship benefit. Attend prospective student open house days on campus.
Testing: Retake SAT or ACT test for maximum benefit if necessary.
Thank you notes: Write a thank you note to teachers who wrote a letter of recommendation or for any scholarships you received.
Financial Aid- Fill out the FAFSA
Notification- Notify schools that you will NOT be attending and Ms. Varney, (Kristin.Varney@lok12.org) Records Secretary, so your final transcript is sent to the correct location.
College Visit Questions
Below are some suggestions of questions to ask when visiting a college campus
To ask an admissions counselor:
What is the typical student that is admitted?
Are specialized academic opportunities available? (if needed)
Is there out-of-class interaction between students and faculty?
Is there access to career planning?
Are there internship opportunities and help finding them?
Do most students finish in 4 years?
When on a tour with a student:
What is the average class size?
What made you choose this school over other schools?
What are a few things you wish you had known before arriving on campus?
What do students do for fun on weekends?
What is your favorite food to eat on campus?
How do you get around on campus?
Who has the best cup of coffee/slice of pizza in town?
Which professor is your favorite and why?
What is the most popular major on campus?
College Application Deadlines Explained
Application deadlines vary dramatically: Early Decision (binding, November), Early Action (nonbinding, November-December), and Regular Decision (January-February). Missing any of these deadlines can eliminate YOU entirely from consideration at a school. There is no extension, redo or makeup in the college application process!
Early Decision (ED) is binding. If you are admitted, you commit to attend. You may send ONE ED application maximum. ED deadlines typically November 1-15. Early Action (EA) is nonbinding; you may apply to multiple EA schools, enabling you to compare offers. EA deadlines: November 1-January 1. Regular Decision (RD) is standard nonbinding deadline: January 1-February 15 (varies by school).
Strategic Deadline Application
| Deadline Type | Schools | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision (ED) | 1 school maximum (if using ED) | Apply by Nov 1-15, hear Dec 15 |
| Early Action (EA) | Multiple schools (nonbinding) | Apply by Nov-Dec, hear Jan-Feb |
| Regular Decision (RD) | Most schools use this | Apply by Jan-Feb, hear Mar-Apr |
| Rolling Admission | Some public universities | Apply anytime (advantage: early) |
Writing College Admission Essays
College Admissions Visits at LOHS & Onsite Admissions
College Admissions Representatives and On-Site Admissions
College representatives will be scheduled to visit Lake Orion High School in the fall for informational sessions. The procedure is as follows for students wishing to attend informational presentations:
3. On the day of the informational college visit, the students will receive an e-Hall Pass for the visit. Meetings take place in Extended Learning Space A, outside of the Career Center.
4. Students are responsible for coursework missed while attending the presentation.
Some colleges conduct on-site admissions at the high school. These opportunities are reserved for seniors only. During an on-site admission, a student who has followed the proper procedure has an opportunity to meet with a college representative and receive an immediate decision regarding admission. During these face to face meetings, students are expected to personally describe their accomplishments and academic success, and have their questions about the colleges answered. The procedure is as follows for on-site admissions:
- Only certain institutions offer on-site admissions. If on-site admissions meetings are offered it will be indicated on the sign-up form for that particular college. When completing the form, students will have the opportunity to request an on-site admissions session (first-come, first serve basis).
- Any student who signs up for an on-site interview must also attend the informational session with the same college.
- Specific requirements and necessary documents for the on-site admissions process will vary by institution. These requirements will be communicated to students initially with the sign-up and via a follow-up email. In general, most colleges will require a completed, hard copy application. Additional items that are usually requested include copies of transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, and an application fee (only checks or money orders will be accepted).
- Students should be prepared and dressed “business casual” when meeting with the college representative.
FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid
FAFSA
What is the FAFSA?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines eligibility for grants, scholarships, and loans. It is required for federal student aid, such as the Pell Grant and work study, as well as most State of Michigan aid programs like the Michigan Achievement Scholarship (Michigan Achievement Scholarship).
The FAFSA submission will typically be processed in one to three days and once processed, applicants can review the summary and FAFSA information will be made available to selected schools.
Applicants may also make updates or corrections (such as adding a school or a missing signature) to a FAFSA form.
Submitting the FAFSA is important for several reasons:
- Eligibility for Federal Aid:
- Completing the FAFSA is the first step to access federal financial aid. This includes grants (like the Pell Grant), work-study programs, and federal student loans.
- State Aid:
- Students must complete the current year FAFSA to be considered for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship Michigan Achievement Scholarship), and the Community College Guarantee (Community College Guarantee).
- College/University Aid:
- Colleges and universities often use FAFSA data to determine eligibility for their own scholarships and institutional aid programs. Some schools may even require FAFSA completion for non-federal aid.
- Financial Aid for Private Scholarships:
- Some private scholarships or external funding organizations require the FAFSA to help determine need-based awards.
- Changes in Financial Status:
- If a family’s financial situation changes, the FAFSA may help provide access to additional aid or accommodations through school or federal programs.
Prepare To Fill Out the FAFSA® Form
- Create a StudentAid.gov account
- Learn about the documents you may need to fill out the FAFSA form.
- Determine your dependency status and whether a parent(s) will be required to contribute information on the FAFSA form.
- If you’re a dependent student, use the Who’s My FAFSA Parent? wizard to identify which parent(s) is a required contributor.
Apply now! FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid
For more information on the college application process, students are encouraged to contact their LOHS counselor. Please visit the LOHS Counseling webpage for more information.
Michigan Achievement Scholarship
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is designed to help recent high school graduates in Michigan receive funds for continuing education. Eligible students could receive financial aid to attend a college or university with the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, or for a career training program with the Michigan Achievement Skills Scholarship.
Local Scholarships
NCAA Eligibility
NCAA
For Division I or Division II Colleges
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Register with the NCAA Clearing Center as early as sophomore year
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NCAA Eligibility Center Presentation – requirements for Division I and Division II college
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To send ACT scores to NCAA Eligibility Center, use code 9999
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To send SAT scores to NCAA Eligibility Center, use code 999
For an NAIA college
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Register with NAIA Eligibility Center
Contact Mrs. Bell with any questions regarding NCAA eligibility Christine.Bell@lok12.org