Mentoring Checklist 2018-2019

Keep track of what you should be doing with your mentee each month with this list

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September 2018

Important dates

  • September 26: Late registration deadline for October SAT (Register here)

To do:

  1. Prepare for FAFSA
    • Get parents’ tax information
    • Pay attention to deadlines – they may be different for federal, state, and college 
  2. Think about applying to fly-in programs (optional)
  3. Make sure your mentee makes a Common App account if they are going to apply to schools through the Common App
  4. Begin work on the college essay
  5. Begin thinking about who your mentee wants to ask for recommendation letters
    • Should have 3 individuals in mind
    • IDEALLY they will ask them by the end of September so that the recommender has as much time as possible to write the letter
    • at least 1-2 should be a teacher in the subject they wish to major in

October 2018

Important dates

  • October 1: FAFSA is released (submit ASAP for better chance at getting $$)
  • October 5: Deadline to register for November SAT
  • October 6: SAT
  • October 24: Deadline for late registration for November SAT

To do:

  1. Make a college list and start applications
  2. Continue applying to fly-in programs (optional)
  3. Continue working on or finishing college essay for the Common App
  4. By early October, your student should have asked 3 people to write letters for them
    • Check the recommendation requirements for the colleges your student is thinking of applying to
    • At least 1-2 should be a teacher in the subject they wish to major in
    • Usually 1 can be a non-teacher, someone who knows them well and can speak to their abilities and personal qualities

Yleana has tons of resources to help you in your college search. Here are a few to get you started:

list of colleges with programs for historically underrepresented students

colleges for high flyers to look into (if you’re getting 500+ on both Verbal and Math and 3.5+ GPA)

list of HBCUs

list of women’s colleges

You can find even more resources here


November 2018

Important dates

  • November 1: common deadline for early action/early decision
  • November 2: Deadline to register for December SAT
  • November 3: SAT

To do:

  1. Finish FAFSA if it isn’t done yet
  2. Continue filling out college apps for the colleges on your mentee’s list
  3. Start writing supplemental essays for colleges
  4. FINISH the college essay for the Common App
  5. Check in with recommenders on the status of recommendation letters
    • make sure your student has provided their recommenders with information on how to submit their letters
  6. Make sure you send your test scores to your colleges
  7. Optional: talk to a current student at schools you’re interested in (talk to us for details)

December 2018

Important dates

  • December 1: SAT (last time!)
  • December 31/January 1: common deadline for regular decision

To do:

  1. Turn in college app materials including:
      • Common App essay
      • supplemental essays
      • SAT scores
      • FAFSA
      • CSS profile
      • recommendation letters
  2. Start looking for scholarships
    • Keep EFC gap in mind

January 2019

Important dates

  • December 31/January 1: common deadline for regular decision

To do:

  1. All college app materials should be turned in
  2. Continue looking for scholarships

Yleana has tons of scholarship lists available. You can find the full list and other resources here. Some of these include:


February – May 2019

Important dates

  • March – April: admission decisions often come out

To do:

  1. Continue applying for scholarships
  2. MAKE SURE FAFSA is complete and that students do not need to provide additional paperwork
    • Our students can have complicated tax information and don’t always get notices that paperwork is missing. If the student has not received a financial aid package from a school that admitted them by April, make sure to call that school to see if anything is missing.
  3. When decisions come out, compare financial aid packages to help decide
  4. Visit schools, if possible
  5. Talk to current students at schools you’re interested in
  6. Make a decision!

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