Winter Break Tips for High School Seniors

The holidays bring a break from school that provides a good time for high school students to make progress in their college searches. The Meredith College Office of Admissions offers the following tips for high school seniors on making the most of this opportunity:

1. Complete your college admissions applications and submit them in advance of the published deadline. Submitting complete applications well ahead of the deadline means your schools of choice have more time to process your application and supporting credentials before the flood of mail arrives just before the application deadline.

And, if you are applying to schools with rolling admissions, the earlier you apply, the earlier you receive your decision!

Still missing something for Meredith? Find it at meredith.edu/admissions/apply.

2. Search and apply for scholarships. Meredith’s talent scholarship deadline is January 15. Visit our financial assistance page to see a complete listing of the College’s scholarships as well as many external scholarship opportunities. Websites like fastweb.com, scholarsnapp.org, and cfnc.org are also great resources for scholarship searches. Scholarship search engines may require you to create a profile. Creating a profile is worth the time!

3. Still haven’t submitted your SAT and/or ACT scores? Contact the College Board or ACT to register or request your scores. Visit collegeboard.org or actstudent.org for more information. (And remember, we’re test-optional.)

4. Have you visited each of the schools to which you are applying? If not, pull out the calendar and find a date that works for you and your family. Remember, Meredith College’s last Think Meredith Open House for high school seniors is Saturday, January 22. Register online.

5. If you have been admitted Early Decision to a college or university, or have made your final decision to attend a particular school, withdraw any active or incomplete applications you have at other colleges. You won’t hurt any feelings; admissions offices will appreciate your honesty and respect for their staff time.

6. Submit the FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available athttps://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

7. Is your spring semester senior year course load challenging enough? Don’t be afraid to tackle some honors and AP classes as you prepare for the rigors of a college curriculum.

For seniors, the holidays can be both exciting and stressful as the reality of college draws near. Set aside some time this holiday season to work on your college search so that you can enjoy your break – and the rest of your senior year!