Off to College

Transcripts, Paperwork and More

Graduation Day

Jackie Burrell

• High School Transcripts: Don't get so caught up in the excitement of graduation that your teen forgets to order his final high school transcripts before the counseling office closes for the summer. If your teen dropped a class senior year, make sure he alerted the college admissions department and explained his reasons. Do not wait for the admissions office to discover the news on the transcript. Colleges have been known to rescind acceptances when grades drop or high level courses go missing without explanation.
  
  
• Advanced Placement Scores: Your teen's college will also want to see any Advanced Placement exam scores. Send those scores online via the College Board website or by calling 888-308-0013. Your teen should have his social security number and a credit card handy to pay the $15 fee.
  
  
• Docs and Shots: Make an appointment for your teen to visit his doctor and get all his immunizations updated in May or June of senior year. The meningitis vaccine is particularly recommended for students who will be living in dorms or other group living situations. Your child may also need a tetanus booster and a TB test. Have your doctor print out and sign a copy of the immunization record and all the other necessary health forms because there's ...
  
  
• More Paperwork: Make sure your teen checks both the snail mailbox and his email account frequently throughout the summer. He should be getting requests for his medical background, immunization history, health insurance verification, orientation information, housing forms, roommate questionnaires, student loan promissory notes and tuition bills. Set aside a basket to corral the paperwork, and save copies of everything you submit.

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• College Orientation
• Dining Halls, Meal Plans and the Freshman 15
• Outfitting the Dorm Room