Creating a Senior Packet

One of the things you can do to help your Seniors is to create a Senior Packet for them. This can be their go to document that includes everything they will need this year to get ready to pursue that next step in life.

Erika Levet, a Counselor at Baton Rouge Magnet High School in Louisiana, has created a great Senior Packet for her students that can be used as a template on what you should include in your schools packet.

Here is a Table of Contents showing what is included in their packet:

Senior Counselor Information – Should include all contact information for each Counselor in the school and which students they work with (Last Names A-D, Freshman & Sophomores, etc.)

Senior FYI – General information about requirements they will need to fulfill in order to graduate

Dates to Remember – Holidays, Test Dates, Prom, Graduate Date, etc.

Graduation Requirements/Transcript Audit Form – Credits needed to graduate and a grid showing classes needed to fulfill requirements

SCOIR – Information about their College Guidance Management System

Selecting a College – Some guidelines for selecting target schools, safety schools and reach schools

College Visits – Some tips and ideas for selecting Colleges to visit

ACT/SAT Test Dates & Deadlines – Might also consider listing some test prep companies they can choose from for added help

Scholarships – List of some scholarship sites and list of local scholarships available specifically to students from your High School as well as broader national scholarships. Include direct URL links

Scholarship Request Information & Request Form – Guidelines and the blank form to submit to teacher and counselor

College Visits – Guidelines and list of any upcoming visits as well as a link to the online calendar where visits will be updated regularly

Common App – Link to the common app and an overview

Coalition for College – Similar to common app with link and an overview

State Student Hub if any offered in your state specifically

FAFSA – Overview with a direct link to the application

Teacher Recommendations – Guidelines for how the student should approach asking for Teacher Recommendations with deadlines/dates

References – Links to references such as The College Board, ACT, etc.

This is a great document to put together and when completed it is recommended to include it online on your Guidance page on the school’s website.

Here is a link to Baton Rouge Magnet High School’s excellent example – https://brmhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2020_BRMHS-Senior-Packet.pdf