I never listened when people told me my senior year would be over before I knew it, until it started happening. For the class of 2019, the school year seems to be flying by already. Trying to keep up with all of the upcoming deadlines can get very overwhelming. If you’re feeling the pressure of the last year of High School, look no further to get yourself back on track!

1. Take the SAT/ACT

As of now, the vast majority of colleges require a standardized test for admission, the most common being either the SAT or ACT, or sometimes both.

Most of the CCHS seniors were required to take the SAT last year. If you didn’t, or if you were unhappy with your score, there are options for you! There is an SAT retake date on December 1, 2018. The registration deadline is November 2, 2018. There is another retake on March 9, 2019; registration deadline being February 8, 2019.

There is a large amount of colleges that require an ACT alongside an SAT. Those of you who have yet to take an  ACT, if the colleges you’re interested in do require an ACT it’s imperative that you set that up as soon as possible. There are ACT test dates all the way through July 2019, the first being on December 8, 2018. The registration deadline for the test on December 8 is November 2, 2018. The next ACT test date is set for February 9, 2019. If you plan on taking your ACT this day, you need to have signed up by January 11, 2019.

To find test dates further into the future, the test dates for both the SAT and the ACT can be found on kaptest.com.

1. FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is a document that determines one’s eligibility for student financial aid. Financial Aid for many people is essential to take care of college tuition and other costs.

The form is available now and has been since the first of October. It can be filled out on studentaid.ed.gov. The sooner the document is filled out and turned in, the better. All students are encouraged to fill out the document regardless of financial status.

1. Discuss letters of Recommendation

For many universities, letters of recommendation can be one of the deciding factors of if they want to accept you or not. A letter of recommendation can make or break you. Admissions officers look for students with good social skills and academic ability. Reference letters are a good way to communicate to that you’ll succeed in college.

It’s important that you choose the right teacher to write your letter. You should choose somebody who’s formal and literate enough to write a strong letter. Also, someone who knows you well enough to shed light on your character and not just your academic capacity. Be sure to ask in a polite but serious manner.

To make it easy on the teacher you requested write your letter, provide them with a list of relevant details about yourself. These could include your GPA, class rank, or even just something you learned from the teacher that’s stayed with you. Do not forget to mention the deadline!

Follow up with the teacher if you see fit. It won’t bother them too much if you shoot them an email to remind them that the deadline is coming up. Teachers are busy people, so a reminder or two definitely won’t hurt. When all is said and done, don’t forget to thank the teacher you chose for their time and effort!

Seniors, it’s almost the end of the first quarter. High school is coming to an end. It seems unreal that the end is right there within sight. For those attending college, it seems even more surreal, as countless different deadlines draw closer. Sadly, there’s nothing that can be done to make it go any slower. The only thing we can do is make sure that we’re ready to start our futures. Stay on track, SEN19RS!