Dear High School Seniors and Parents:
Hooray for you! It seems like yesterday that you were just stepping foot into high school! Just ask your parents! You may be celebrating now, but you do have a ways to go before receiving your diploma on graduation day. But, I know you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
As you await your final decisions for university or Gap Year, your story isn’t over. You have a few things to accomplish, aside from staying focused and doing well on all your exams from finals, AP and IBs or any state type exam from the country you are from (example- A Levels, French Bac, etc.).
Remember, your acceptance letter from university is essentially conditional based not only on your high school diploma, but also on your final performance in school. If your grades drop, the university has the right to:
- Take away your acceptance offer.
- Place you on probation.
Neither one of these are great options.
Your exams are high stakes in a way that you may be qualified to receive credits in university at some universities. Some will give credits for 3 and above for the AP, IB – it depends on the university. Exams from other countries, you will need to check with the university. Schools from abroad also may require you to achieve specific results on exams.
So, if Senioritis has affected you in some way, please, shake it off after acknowledging it.
Below is your ‘to do list’. It looks more daunting than it is.
Here is your list of things to do:
Now and in May
- If you are an IB or AP student, you will be taking your exams in May. Set up a study schedule- and perhaps a study group
- Once you determine where you are going to attend university, let your school counselor know. Also, let your school counselor know all the places you were accepted. Let your Independent Educational Consultant know as well.
- If you have been using your school address for university contact, change your address-your high school address will not be valid after a certain time
- Remember to thank everyone for all the support and assistance you have received throughout the application process: school counselor, those who wrote your Letters of Recommendation, any favorite teachers you have, and of course, your parents. A thank you note often suffices, but a box of chocolates is a great way to say thank you!
Summer Nuts and Bolts
- Remember to check your email for school orientation
- Determine your meal plan
- Shop for dorm and supplies for school
- Insurance-health and insurance for your dorm
- Sending in official transcripts to the school you have committed to-while your school does this, it is your responsibility to see that it is done
- Send any dual enrollment or college transcripts (official-after graduation)
- Send AP/IB results to your university-your responsibility
- Be sure you have a medical check up before leaving home with appropriate updated vaccines
Things to do Before Stepping Foot on Campus
- Find out who your adviser is and schedule an appointment
- Review college’s schedule of classes or catalog
- Register for classes
- Sign up for any placement tests if necessary
- If you need accommodations: schedule an appointment with Disability Services and have paperwork ready to submit
- Collect and make available medical information you might need: allergies, past medical conditions, take a photo of this information and store it in your phone
- Research various services offered to you on campus: career center, Health Center/Counseling, Recreation Centers, Financial Aid Office, Writing Center/Tutoring Center, Computer Labs, Hillel, etc
- Meet your roommate (this may happen before school starts) and sort out who is bringing what to the dorm
Yes, a nice long list of things to do, but clearly, nothing that needs to be accomplished all at once. Be sure to say goodbye to all those folks who have been instrumental in your high school life. Closure is important. That is a blog for another day. In the meantime, keep your head up and stay focused!