Index |

This document is intended as a guide to enrollment and major administrative tasks that are so often
under-explained to students. Use this document to clarify the order of operations, overall trends in enrollment
requirements, and help keep you on track for timely enrollment. In addition to using this guide, make sure
that you regularly check your mail, college email address, and college school portal account over the
summer for official communications.

Enrollment Checklist
Pg 1. Admissions
- Confirmed Enrollment / Accepted Admission
- Paid / Waived Enrollment Deposit
- Activated Student Account & School Email
- Submitted Official Test Scores
- Sent Final High School Transcript
Pg 2. Housing
- Secured On-Campus Housing
- Paid / Waived Housing Deposit
- Submitted On-Campus Housing Form(s) / Off Campus Application
Pg 3. Financial Aid
- Accepted Financial Aid Package
- Completed Entrance Loan Counseling & Signed Master Promissory Note (MPN)
- Paid First Semester Deposit / Set Up Payment Plan
- Notified Outside Scholarships
- Applied for Work Study
Pg 4. Health
- Submitted Immunization Forms
- Waived / Enrolled in School’s Health Insurance Plan
- Connected with Mental / Physical Health Resources
- Connected with Accessibility Services / Followed-Up On Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Pg 5. Summer Plans
- Personal Enrichment
- Registered for & Attended Pre-College Program / Orientations
- Saved Summer Earnings
Pg 6. Preparing for Classes
- Signed Up for & Attended Orientation
- Took Required Placement Tests
- Registered for Classes
- Purchased Books and Other Class Materials

**Style and Formatting inspired by New Visions for Public Schools!

 Enrollment Checklist | 1

ADMISSIONS
Additional Resources / Info
Confirmed Enrollment/Accepted Admission ● How to accept admission
Most schools have the official decision date of May 1.
● The Waitlist Process
● Even if you are on a waitlist, you must commit to another school
by May 1 to ensure you have a spot at a college. If you are
accepted off the waitlist, you may have to forfeit your deposit
to make another at your chosen school.

● Once you have committed to your school of choice, it is

professional courtesy to withdraw your applications from other
schools you were accepted to. This is not required, but allows
the school to potentially offer your spot to another student.

Additional Resources / Info

Paid / Waived Enrollment Deposit ● If you are unable to pay
Find out about enrollment deposits at your school via your
your enrollment deposit
school’s website, your student portal, or communications from due to financial
the college (like your admission letter, emails, etc.) hardship: contact your
school’s admissions
● Until you have paid your enrollment deposit, you are not office. They may be able
officially committed to your school. to work with you to add it
to a payment plan and/or
waive the enrollment fee.

Additional Resources / Info

Activated Student Account & School Email ● Create a system that
Usually you’ll receive an email with your initial login information. If
works for you: check
you don’t know how to access your online portal, don’t hesitate to your email regularly, and
contact your admissions officer. consider syncing your
school email to your
● Expect this email to be BUSY during your time in school; get phone or setting up daily
used to checking both your student email and the student reminders until you get in
account regularly. the habit.

Additional Resources / Info

Submitted Official Test Scores ● Fee waivers may be
If you applied with unofficial ACT or SAT scores, make sure your available! If the cost is a
school has received official test scores from your test agency barrier, reach out to your
(ACT or College Board.) You may also want to submit AP scores, school for options.
etc. ● Submitting SAT Scores
● Submitting ACT Scores

Additional Resources / Info

Sent Final High School Transcript ● Submitting your Final
Your high school counselor is expected to send this information Transcript
where it is requested, but you should ensure that they have the
necessary information to do so.
 Enrollment Checklist | 2

HOUSING
Additional Resources / Info
Secured On-Campus Housing ● Work to understand your
Find out about housing options at your school via your school’s rights as a tenant! They
website, your student portal, or communications from the are different from your
college like your admission letter or email. rights as a renter /
● Some colleges offer living learning communities; these can be homeowner.
great ways to connect with other people who are interested in
● If you require
similar things as you. accommodations
(accessible housing,
If living off campus, be sure that you have the logistics mapped religious needs, etc.), be
out. in communication with
the Office of Residential
● Ask: What expenses (both time and money) are associated with Life (housing) early to
your method of travel? Do you need to purchase a permit or ensure your needs are
register your vehicle to park on campus? Etc. met.
● This must be completed
yearly.

Additional Resources / Info

Paid / Waived Housing Deposit ● This must be completed
When living on campus, you’ll often be asked to pay a housing
yearly.
deposit to secure your spot in the dorms. This is usually accessible
through your student portal.

Additional Resources / Info

Submitted Supplemental On-Campus Housing
Form(s) / Off Campus Application (If Required)
May include roommate request form or matching survey, location
preferences, etc. This is usually accessible through your student
portal.
 Enrollment Checklist | 3

FINANCIAL AID
Additional Resources / Info
Accepted Financial Aid Package ● Understanding Payment
This is your chance to cut your aid package to your needs. If you are Plans
not taking a piece of your total aid package, now is the time to ● Understanding your Loan
specify that. Repayment Timeline
● This must be completed
● Look into your gift aid & loan options - Do you feel confident in yearly.
your understanding of your college payment plan/loan
repayment timeline?
● If there are gaps in your aid package, are there any further
scholarship applications you must complete to cover your costs?
Look to outside sources, and the institution itself.
● Will this level of financial aid remain static throughout your
undergraduate tenure?

Additional Resources / Info

Completed Entrance Loan Counseling & Signed ● Only applicable if taking
Master Promissory Note (MPN) out federal loans
If you plan to take out federal student loans, before that money ● Complete Entrance Loan
will be disbursed, you must complete Entrance Loan Counseling here
Counseling, and sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN). If you ● What is an MPN?
do not complete this, you will not be able to take out a loan.

Additional Resources / Info

Paid First Semester Bill / Set Up Payment Plan ● How do I get my money to
Often there are fees and other punishments associated with a the school?
failure to make this payment.

Additional Resources / Info

Notified Outside Scholarships ● Check if any have
Connect with any outside scholarships you’ve been awarded to tell continuing requirements
them where to send award money. for you
● This must be completed
yearly.

Additional Resources / Info

Applied for Work Study ● What is work study?
While Work Study is part of your financial aid package, it is
● This must be completed
dispersed as you complete hours of work. yearly.
● Your earning potential is capped at the amount of work study
award specified in your financial aid package. (If you reach the
cap, but need more money, ask your financial aid office
about raising the cap. Your school may be able to provide
extra funds.
● These positions will typically cap hours per week at 20.
● These positions may still require an application, so prepare a
resume/cover letter.
● If you’re not eligible for the federal work study program, you
may still be able to find employment, on campus or otherwise.
 Enrollment Checklist | 4

HEALTH
Additional Resources / Info
Submitted Immunization Information ● How and where to get
Use your state database of immunizations to see if you’ve gotten vaccinated
the vaccine, and contact your healthcare provider(s) to send
● Due to COVID, this may
confirmation of treatment. be more difficult than
usual as doctor’s offices
● Often required: Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Tetanus, have limited hours.
Diphtheria, & Pertussis (Tdap), Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis
● If you do not yet have
B, Polio (IPV), Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) required immunizations,
● Often recommended: Influenza, Pneumococcal Conjugate check with your school to
(PCV13), Pneumococcal Polysaccharide (PPSV23), Hepatitis A, see what options are
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) available to you.

Additional Resources / Info

Waived / Enrolled in School’s Health Insurance Plan ● To Waive or Not To
These programs are typically opt-out. You will most likely be Waive? Understanding
automatically enrolled in the school’s health insurance. If you student health insurance
want to remain covered under your family’s (or other) insurance,
● Student health insurance
you must waive the insurance plan. may be automatically
covered by your financial
aid as a “health insurance
grant;” you may need to
contact the aid office to
ask for it to be included.
● This must be completed
yearly.

Additional Resources / Info

Connected with Mental / Physical Health Resources ● National Center for
Many chronic or short-term conditions can be treated using College Students with
on-campus health resources! Professionals in these offices will Disabilities (NCCSD)
help you receive adequate housing, learning opportunities, and ● How Health Centers on
ensure you are receiving the support that you need. Campus Help Students
Succeed.

Additional Resources / Info

Connected with Accessibility Services / Followed up ● Department of Education
on Individualized Education Plan (IEP) on IEPs
As a student, you are entitled to receive accommodations that suit ● Americans with
your needs. Merely contacting accessibility services does not grant Disabilities Act
you an IEP that will work for you. It is necessary for you to ● This must be completed
advocate for yourself, connect with teachers, and to clearly yearly.
communicate your needs.

● Collect Social Workers’, Psychologists’, or Therapists’

documents on your previous diagnoses and treatment plans.
(This can include previous IEP’s from previous educational
experiences.)
● Each course/ semester may require you to build a new IEP, and
work with your professor to design accommodations that will
not compromise the integrity of the course, but will allow you
to participate in positive ways.
 Enrollment Checklist | 5

SUMMER PLANS
Additional Resources / Info
Personal Enrichment
The summers between college years can be meaningful in many
disparate ways; make meaning in your pre-college summer in
whatever way feels right to you. Here are some ideas:

● Get involved in your community, leave on a positive note

● Strengthen friendship bonds before college, make plans to stay
in touch!
● Bonding with your support network
● Building a new skill or hobby

Additional Resources / Info

Registered for & Attended Pre-College Programs /
Orientations
Some schools offer Summer Bridge programs or other pre-college
orientations for certain groups of students. These can be a great
opportunity to get to know campus and other students before
classes start!

Additional Resources / Info

Saved Summer Earnings ● How to save money while
Many schools include potential summer earnings in your working a summer job
expected family contribution. It’s important to save, but have a
little fun, too!
 Enrollment Checklist | 6

PREPARING FOR CLASSES

Additional Resources / Info
Signed Up For & Attended Orientation ● What actually happens
Many schools use orientation as an opportunity to offer: during college
orientation?
● Educational seminars/workshops
● Student safety/rights information, departmental seminars, etc.
● Social events where you will meet members of your class,
faculty/staff, and student-support networks like R.A.’s.
● Class registration and/or a session with your academic advisor
● and sometimes even placement tests (described below)

Additional Resources / Info

Took Required Placement Tests ● What are placement
These tests will determine the courses offered to you; you can tests?
test into a course intended to help you succeed or, if you’re
practiced in the subject, you might get to skip an introductory
course altogether!

Additional Resources / Info

Registered for Classes ● Five Functions of an
This is the process of building your schedule for the upcoming Academic Advisor
semester. ● Wikihow: Register for
Classes
● Know when your registration period begins/ends. ● This must be completed
● Contact an academic advisor at your institution. every semester.
● Know if there are recommended schedules for your major
(check for tables the department’s/registrar’s website).
● Know transfer credit policy, and the status of your transfer
credits, so you don’t misunderstand your graduation
requirements.

Additional Resources / Info

Purchased Books & Other Class Materials ● When searching for class
Materials will typically be listed on the course description materials on your own, be
webpage, and will typically be offered by the college bookstore sure to use the
(although usually not at the best price). ISBN/other identifying
numbers to get as exact
● Look for books on-campus book rental/second-hand as possible
bookstore, local Facebook marketplace/private sellers pages,
● Wikihow: Shop for
etc. College Textbooks.
● Order your books ASAP, it’s always the book you get last that ● This must be completed
you need first.
every semester.
● Your school may offer scholarships/other funding for those who
cannot afford all class materials.