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College Search and Application Timeline

Find the Class of 2025 timeline below, which begins when the students are juniors.

College Search and Application Timeline

Jump to the 2024-25 academic year.

NOVEMBER, 2023 

  • Junior Seminar begins at the start of Q2

  • Students begin work in Naviance 

  • November 4 - Registration deadline for December 10 ACT

  • November 29 - College Kickoff Program for Class of 2024 Parents/Caregivers, 7 p.m.


DECEMBER, 2023

  • Junior Seminar continues

  • December 3 - SAT

  • December 5 - PSAT results available to PA residents

  • December 10 - ACT 

  • Parents begin work in Naviance 

  • December 17 - January 2 - WINTER BREAK
     

JANUARY, 2024

  • January 6 - registration deadline for February 11 ACT 

  • Individual student appointments with college counselor begin

  • Junior Seminar continues until end of Q2


FEBRUARY, 2024

  • February 10 - registration deadline for March  SAT

  • February 11 - ACT 

  • February 8  - College Case Studies program for 11th grade students and parents, 7 p.m. 

  • February 25 - Registration deadline for April 2 ACT

  • Visit colleges over Presidents’ Day Weekend, if possible, or attend virtual Open Houses

  • Individual student appointments with college counselor continue

  • Family conferences with college counselor begin 


MARCH, 2024

  • March 10 - Registration deadline for April 15 ACT

  • March 11 - SAT

  • Family conferences continue

  • March 24 - April 3 - SPRING BREAK - Visit colleges, if possible 


APRIL, 2024

  • April 15 - ACT 

  • April 7 - registration deadline for May 7 SAT

  • April 19 - College Counseling Keynote for parents/caregivers, 7 p.m.

  • Family conferences continue 
     

MAY, 2024

  • May 1 - May 12 - AP exams administration 

  • May 4 - registration deadline for June 5 SAT 

  • May 5 - registration deadline for June 11 ACT 

  • May 6 - SAT 

  • May 17 - Philadelphia Independent School sponsored college fair

  • Request two (2) letters of recommendation from eleventh grade teachers 
     

JUNE, 2024

  • Deadline to request two (2) teacher letters of recommendation prior to close of school 

  • June 3 - SAT 

  • June 10 - ACT (PC’s 2023 Commencement is also this day.)

  • June 16 - registration deadline for July ACT 

  • SUMMER BREAK - Visit colleges and attend virtual admissions programs
     

JULY, 2024

  • College Counseling Office will be open - email to check director’s availability

  • July 15 - ACT 

  • SUMMER BREAK - Visit Colleges, if possible and/or attend virtual programs
     

AUGUST, 2024

  • August 23 - Common Application Workshop with College Counseling team

  • August 24 - College Essay Workshop

  • August 26 - SAT 

  • August 25 - Arts and the College Process Brown Bag Lunch 

  • Begin Common Application, www.commonapp.org

  • Outline and draft essay topics

  • SUMMER BREAK - Visit Colleges


SEPTEMBER, 2024

  • Senior Seminar begins

  • Students refine working list of colleges with “September Information Update”

  • Individual student conferences; family conferences as needed 

  • September 7 - Nuts & Bolts Evening Program for Class of 2024 Parents, Virtual at 7 p.m.

  • September 9 - ACT 

  • College admissions representatives conduct high school visits with seniors 

  • Student access to Naviance is switched to “view only” capability

  • Students begin submitting “Pink Sheets” (transcript  request form) to their counselors 

  • Confirm two (2) teacher recommendations 
     

OCTOBER, 2024

  • Individual student conferences continue 

  • October 1 - CSS Financial Aid Profile available to file as required

  • October 7 - SAT 

  • October  28 - ACT 

  • College admissions representatives continue to do high school visits with seniors 

  • Prepare Early Decision, Early Action, and Rolling applications

  • Students continue to submit “Pink Sheets” (transcript request form)

  • Senior Seminar continues through Q1
     

NOVEMBER, 2024

  • Individual student conferences continue

  • November TBD - SAT  

  • November 1 & 15 - Early Decision/Early Action deadlines

  • November TBD - Financial Aid program for Philadelphia Independent School families 

  • College admissions representatives continue to do high school visits with seniors

  • Students finalize list of colleges with “November Information Update” 

  • Students complete applications

  • Students continue to submit “Pink Sheets” (transcript request form)

  • File FAFSA as required 

  • File CSS Profile as required
     

DECEMBER, 2024

  • Individual student conferences continue

  • Students continue to submit “Pink Sheets” (transcript request form) to counselors

  • December 1 - Early Action deadlines

  • December TBD - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available to file 

  • December 2 - SAT

  • December 9 - ACT 

  • December 15 - Early decision notifications arrive in mid-December over a two-week period 

  • WINTER BREAK 
     

JANUARY, 2025

  • January 1 through 15 - Regular Decision deadlines

  • January TBD - FAFSA Completion Program 

  • File financial aid forms as required 

  • Students confirm list of colleges with “January Information Update”
     

FEBRUARY, 2025

  • The great wait begins!  Keep us informed of all developments.


MARCH, 2025

  • Admissions decisions begin to arrive from colleges
     

APRIL, 2025

  • Admissions decisions continue to arrive from colleges

  • Attend accepted student programs


MAY, 2025

  • May 1 - National Candidates’ Reply Date. Enrollment deposit at one college must be submitted by this date.


JUNE, 2025

  • June 8 - Graduation, OPC!