12th Grade To-Dos: Winter

For seniors, this can be an exciting—and sometimes stressful—time. While we hope you have been admitted Early Action or Early Decision by this time, we know you may still be waiting for decisions or moving past disappointing news. Remember, your College Advisor is here to support you, so please keep them informed of decisions as they come out, and continue to work with them as you finalize your choices.

Admitted Students

• Congratulations! Now is a great time to begin connecting with other admitted students. This will help you develop a strong sense of community with your admitted peers, and in the case of Early Action, it can also give you insight into what life would be like at this college, helping you make your final decision in the coming months.

• If you already know where you’re enrolling (or you were accepted ED), make the required deposit and withdraw all other applications. You can do this on your applicant portal or via email. Remember, the sooner you withdraw applications at colleges you are not going to attend, the more likely it is that some other deserving student could get that spot!

• International students: complete your required documents, including your Certificate of Finance (which you hopefully have already secured and submitted) and any paperwork needed to obtain your student visa.

ALL Students

• If you have been deferred from Early Decision or Early Action, there are steps you can take to let colleges know of your continued interest. Many colleges accept or even encourage a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI), in which you can reiterate your interest in the college and share any application updates with the admissions committee.

• Check all your application portals (and if you’ve already done so, check them again!) to ensure you have no unfinished requirements. As you progress from applicant to (hopefully) admit, the portals will also be a great way to keep up-to-date on information about housing, orientation, course selection, and more.

• Keep up your grades! Every year, some students lose their admission offers because of a significant decrease in academic performance. While it’s okay to relax a little, you must still maintain your grades at about the same level you were achieving before your acceptance.

• Thank your teachers and your school counselor. They have spent a lot of time helping you with letters of recommendation and other documents. Most teachers write these letters on their own time, and it’s very thoughtful to handwrite a thank you note or even give them a small gift for their support.

• Keep your social media clean. Posts (even ones you did not make, but might be tagged in) that are disrespectful, illegal, unethical, or just show poor judgement can all lead to an admission offer being rescinded.

• Celebrate your accomplishments! Whether or not you have gotten an acceptance yet, you have worked so hard to get to here. You have grown and matured, and you are well prepared to thrive at whichever college is lucky enough to receive you!

Academic Support

• Seek help early. If you’re struggling in any subject, connect with your teachers and/or tutors as soon as possible to ensure you maintain strong academics. A dip in grades could impact admissions decisions or scholarships.

• Begin preparing for your final AP or IB tests—May is coming soon! Even if you just sit down and map out the course content to create a study schedule, it’s much easier to review one topic/unit per week rather than cramming it all in right before the test. Don’t forget, LP tutors can help!