College Planning - SAT Test Dates 2021 and How to Choose a College

Aug 29, 2026

Upload by Riley

College planning packet for high school students, combining SAT test-date timelines and registration deadline guidance with a structured, step-by-step approach to selecting a college. It explains how to build a personal college list through factor identification, online search, research, campus visits, and final application decisions in senior fall/winter. It also provides a comprehensive checklist of 29 decision considerations covering academics, costs, financial aid, campus life, location, safety, academics and curriculum, graduation and placement outcomes, facilities, and technology, plus guidance for creating a free College Board account and using search filters.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Five Steps to Choosing a College

29 Points to Consider When Choosing Your College

11th Grade: How to Build a College List

Create a Free College Board Account

Search Colleges by Locations, Majors, and More

Choose a Filter to Get Started

Select Your Preferences and Get Guidance on Every Step

Get Your Search Results

| SAT Test Dates 2021
Interested in taking the SAT at ESHS-South?
May 8th, 2021
Registration Deadline 4/8/21 – SAT $52, w/ Essay $68 Late Deadline 4/27/21- $30 Late Fee will be added
October 2nd, 2021 November 6th, 2021 December 4th, 2021
Additional Test Dates at Other High Schools | | --- | | *June 5th, 2021
Reg. Deadline 5/6/21
Late Reg. Deadline 5/26/21
*Pocono Mtn. East & Pleasant Valley HS
*Check collegeboard.org for testing locations and registration deadlines* | FIVE STEPS TO CHOOSING A COLLEGE 1. Developing a list of college factors, which are most important to you. 2. Performing a college search based upon the factors determined in Step 1. 3. Conducting Research on your initial list of colleges that were discovered in Step 2. 4. Visiting as many colleges as possible after narrowing down your initial list in Step 3. 5. Determining 3 or 4 colleges in which to apply during Fall/Winter of your senior year. 29 POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING YOUR COLLEGE | 1. Academic Programs: Does the college offer the program(s) you are interested in? | 11. Campus safety: Are the dorms secured? Does the college offer an escort service for late at night? Are there police phones on campus? | 20. Study Abroad: Does the school offer a study abroad program? | | --- | --- | --- | | 2. Quality of Program: Is the college known for a particular program? What are the strengthsand weaknesses of the program(s) you are interested in? | 12. Rural, Suburban or Urban: Is the school in a large city, college town, or rural setting far from a major city? | 21. Graduate School: What percentages of graduates go on to graduate school immediately upon graduation? What percent are accepted by medical, law or the business school of their choice? | | 3. Selectivity: Is the college highly competitive, very competitive, less competitive or non-competitive? | 13. School size: Is the school small (fewer than 1000 students), medium, or large (more than 15,000 students)? | 22. Graduation Rates: What percentage of student graduate? How long does it usually take formost students to graduate? | | 4. Chances of Admission: Be realistic! What are your chances of getting in? Is this a “reach” or“safety” school? | 14. Geographical Diversity: Is the college a regional one attracting students from the same state or region? Or does the school attract students from all over the US or the world? | 23. Placement: How many graduates go right into the marketplace? Is there a Job Placement office that assists? Which firms recruit on campus? | | 5. Difficulty: Will the work be a challenge for you, too advanced, or too easy? Is it a grind school? A party school? | 15. Ethnic Diversity: What percentages of the students are from minority groups? | 24. Library: How many books are in the library? Is it computerized? Is the campus library tied into a larger network? | | 6. Costs: What is the cost, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation and travel to and from campus, and pocket money. | 16. Other Students: What are the students like? Will you fit in? Will you be able to make friends? | 25. Facilities: Are there adequate sports and recreational facilities? A swimming pool? Athletic field for non-varsity? Music practice rooms? | | 7. Financial Aid: Does the school offer merit based aid or is all financial aid based on need? Does the school negotiate its financial aid offer? | 17. Faculty: Are most classes taught by professors or teaching assistants? | 26. Athletic Programs: Does the school offer a wide variety of intercollegiate and intramural sports programs? Are there adequate programs for women? | | 8. Commuters vs. Residents: Do most students commute from within town or do most students live on campus? | 18. Curriculum: Is there a core curriculum for all students in your program? How much freedom do you have in choosing courses? | 27. Computers: Are computers required of incoming freshmen? Are there adequate facilities o

FAQs

What are the key SAT 2021 registration deadlines and late deadlines mentioned?

The packet lists May 8, 2021 with a registration deadline of 4/8/21 and a late deadline of 4/27/21, with SAT fees and an additional late fee. It also includes June 5, 2021 with registration and late registration deadlines, and it notes other test dates later in 2021.

What are the five steps for choosing a college?

The steps are: develop a list of college factors, search colleges based on those factors, research the initial list, visit colleges after narrowing, and determine 3–4 colleges to apply to during fall/winter of the senior year.

Which categories are covered in the 29-point checklist for choosing a college?

The checklist covers academics, program quality, selectivity and admission chances, difficulty, costs, financial aid, student life and living conditions, campus safety and activities, curriculum and advanced placement, graduation and placement outcomes, and support facilities such as libraries, computers, and recreational resources.

Aug 29, 2026

Upload by Riley