AtomicMind 12th Graders: September Highlights
Congratulations - your student is officially a senior in high school! For 12th graders, the month of September is crucial to set the foundation for academic success and work towards college admission. There's a lot to keep up with, so we've put together the dates, deadlines, and activities to keep your student on track.
College Admissions Timeline:
Deadlines are rapidly approaching. Here is a breakdown of different application types and their due dates.
Application Types:
- Early Action (EA): Early Action allows students to apply and receive a decision earlier, without being obligated to attend if accepted. These applications are often due in early November (commonly, November 1st); however, some schools have moved up EA deadlines to October. Your AtomicMind Head Advisor will ensure you are up to date on school-specific deadlines.
- Early Decision (ED): Unlike Early Action, Early Decision is binding, so if a student is accepted, they must attend that institution. This makes ED ideal for students who have a clear top-choice school. ED deadlines are typically November 1st or 15th.
- Early Action 2 (EA2): Early Action 2 is similar to normal EA, but with a later deadline.
- Regular Decision: Regular Decision deadlines typically fall between January 1st and January 15th.
- University of California (UC): The UC application deadline is November 30th.
Please remain up to date with our college application timeline here.
To-Do List:
- Complete Common Application Sections: If students haven't already, they should finish completing all sections of their Common Application. AtomicMind Head Advisors are here to provide guidance to your student and ensure all sections are properly completed.
- Finalizing Personal Statement: Ideally, by the middle of September, students should have their Common Application Personal Statement and UC Personal Insight Questions finalized.
- Review and Write Supplemental Essays: Students should be making progress on their supplemental essays under the guidance of their Head Advisor and Writing Coach. Priority should be given to student's ED and EA schools.
- Register for Final SAT/ACT Exams: If your student is still working on their score, we suggest that they register as soon as possible for one of the upcoming exam dates. For additional support, our team of SAT tutors is available to support your student to improve their score.
Top Resume Builders of the Month:
Our Discover+ portal contains curated, high-impact extracurriculars and competitions for your 12th grader. Here are some of the standout opportunities for your rising 12th grader:
- Ayn Rand Essay Contest - Fountainhead Competition
- Columbia Junior Science Journal (CJSJ)
- CoderZ League - Pro Division
- Bennington College Young Writers Awards - Submit entries in Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction
Please reach out to AtomicMind for additional support and guidance as your student navigates their senior year.