Almost everything in the college selection process is attached to a deadline.

TESTING -- You will encounter deadlines for SAT I & II and ACT tests. If you miss a registration deadline for these tests you will pay an additional fee. Even more risky -- you may not be admitted to the test or may not be able to test at St. Margaret's.

UC system -- The University of California (UC)  applications must be completed within the month of November. November 1st - 30th is the filing period. We strongly encourage you to submit these applications on November 1. A late application to these schools almost always means a rejection.

CAL STATE System -- All Cal State Universities will begin accepting applications on October 1, and will accept applications until they are full.  Students are encouraged to file applications in early October.  Some of the more popular campuses can close by November.

SECONDARY SCHOOL REPORTS  (SSR)-- The SSR is a document included with most private school applications and is to be completed confidentially by the college counselor. This form asks for academic information regarding the strength of your curriculum at SMES as well as subjective information about the applicant.  Complete the top portion which generally includes your name, address and social security number and give the rest to your college counselor.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION -- Many schools provide you with teacher recommendation forms. Give them to the 2 teachers you have selected as soon as you receive them and have asked and received agreement from the teachers you are working with.  Forms must be given to teachers 3 weeks in advance of due dates

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS --  Every college states its deadline clearly on its application. Do not miss their deadline. Respecting the SMES College Counseling deadline mentioned earlier and setting your own deadlines early will ensure that everything arrives on time. By submitting your applications early in the fall, college admission officers will review your credentials at the beginning of the process when they are refreshed and can spend more time on your application than towards the end of the admissions cycle. Also, for schools that arrange alumni interviews, receipt of your application in the office will enable the admission office to notify the local representative to make an appointment for an interview. Again, as deadlines approach, the volume of mail increases in admission offices and you run the risk of not getting the full attention that your application deserves.

FINANCIAL AID -- There are 3 major deadlines associated with financial aid. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form should be submitted by February 15^th and accompanied by you and your parents' previous year tax information. Your taxes must be completed early, even if your accountant must estimate. Incomplete information, missed deadlines and delays in this process will cause you to lose financial aid monies. The CSS Profile is a supplementary financial aid form used by many colleges within the U.S. This form needs to be filed by February 1. Colleges that do not use the CSS Profile will have their own institutional form and are usually due in mid-March. However, check this date on your own as each institution is different. The Cal Grant program, for those planning to attend college in California, needs to have a GPA verification form completed by your college counselor (forms are in the office). The Cal Grant deadline is due March 1, 2005.