Senior Timeline
All the preparation and planning you have done during your high school career will hopefully help your senior year go easier. This is when you will be finalizing your post-high school plans so it is important to stay organized and keep working hard all the way through the end of the year.
- Maintain grades: Each year is just as important as the next. Continue to take challenging classes so you will be better prepared for the demanding course load in college. Keep working hard to keep your GPA in good standing, even through the end of second semester!
- Stay involved: Keep participating in sports, clubs and organizations. These experiences will help you become a well-rounded student and may spark some new interests.
- Update portfolio: Make sure you update all information in your folder (grades, new activities, offices, etc.).
- Check transcripts: Check to make sure all information is correct on your transcripts. If you notice something is missing or incorrect please let us know as soon as possible.
- ACT/SAT: Register to take the ACT or SAT if you have not already or if you want to improve you score. Remember improving your score by 1-2 points could mean more scholarship money.
- Compare/select colleges: This is the time to make your final selections on which colleges you would like to apply to. Make sure you apply to more than one school so you can compare financial aid packages. We suggest applying to at least 3-5 colleges so you can see what all your options are. Make sure you pay attention to application deadlines, especially if you are applying for early admissions and/or scholarships.
- Meet with college representatives: Throughout the year, college representatives will visit OHS to meet with students about their college programs. Make sure you check our website and listen to the announcements so you don't miss an opportunity to learn more about a college you are interested in.
- Prepare resume: Using the information you have been collecting in your portfolio, start creating a resume. This will be very helpful since most college and scholarship applications will ask for information about your activities and work experience throughout your high school career.
- Scholarship applications: Check with the colleges admissions representative about which scholarships you would be eligible for and when their deadlines are. Be sure to start checking the scholarship files in the OHS Counseling Office to make sure you apply for local, state, and national scholarships. Please provide a copy of any scholarships you receive to the OHS Counseling Office to be listed with the Senior Awards.
- Letters of recommendation: Several scholarship applications will require you to submit letters of recommendation. Make sure you give the person you are asking sufficient time to complete these (approximately 2 weeks). Please note that teachers are asked to write several of these for students so make sure you don't wait until the last minute. If possible, give that person a copy of your resume to help them write a strong letter.
- Financial aid meeting: Attend the OHS college financial aid meeting with your parents. A college representative will be available to explain the process of applying for federal financial aid and provide information for other financial resources. This meeting typically takes place in January, please pay attention to the student bulletin for exact date and time.
- Maintain employment: Continue working on your budgeting skills and saving money for college expenses.