College Bound Planning
Milford High School: College Planning
Welcome to our College Planning page! School counselors play a key role in guiding students through every step of the college planning process, helping them explore options, complete applications, and prepare for their future. This journey is a partnership between students, counselors, and families. Students are responsible for taking ownership of their goals and deadlines, counselors provide expert advice and resources, and families offer support and encouragement. Together, we focus on identifying colleges that are a good fit academically, socially, and financially, ensuring each student finds the right environment to thrive. Whether it’s navigating applications, registering for standardized testing, understanding financial aid, or exploring career aspirations, our counselors are here to help students make informed decisions and confidently take the next step toward their goals.
Click here for a College Planning Timeline for your SENIOR year to help you stay organized!
Click here for a College Planning Timeline for your JUNIOR year to help you get on track!
Click here for a College Planning Timeline for your SOPHOMORE and FRESHMAN year to build a strong foundation for postsecondary success!
College Applications
Exploring Colleges
During junior and senior year, school counselors meet with every student individually or in small groups to discuss postsecondary plans.
Naviance is one of the most helpful online tools for Milford High School students. School counselors provide this tool to students for career and college exploration, scholarships, and other useful information. Students create their own individual account in Naviance, allowing them to save colleges they are thinking about, create activity lists, and help assess where they fall in relation to other Milford students’ applications to specific colleges via scattergrams.
Big Future by The College Board is a site to help you find a college, pay for college and make a plan.
Go Higher is the Massachusetts Department of Education’s home for exploring community colleges, state universities and UMass campuses.
Types of Applications
Before filling out any applications, it’s wise to explore what application each of your target schools uses.
The Common Application (or Common App) was designed to make the college admissions process easier. Students can complete a single application and submit it to any of the member schools, eliminating the need to complete different applications for each college they may want to attend. The entire application can be completed online, making it a convenient option for students who wish to apply to multiple Common App member schools.
*Some schools do require additional information along with the Common Application. This means, while the bulk of your student’s application process is handled with this approach, there may be school-specific requirements, like additional essays, that also have to be met.
Please note, it is imperative that you complete the FERPA notice in Common App and match your Common App and Naviance accounts. Failure to complete this accurately will prevent submission of your application materials.
Individual College Applications
Some schools still use their own application. Applying directly to each institution can be done through the school’s individual website.
Deadlines explained
- Regular Decision — Students apply by a specific deadline (usually in January-February) and colleges notify all students after reviewing the pool of applicants (usually in March-April)
- Early Decision (ED) — Students apply in the fall (usually November) and commit to a binding agreement. The agreement states that if accepted, the student will attend and withdraw all other applications. The student, parent and school counselor must sign an agreement to ensure understanding and commitment to ED university. Decisions are usually made quickly.
- Early Action (EA) — Students apply in the early fall (usually October-November) and colleges notify students before the new year. Unlike ED, students are able to apply to other colleges and do not need to commit to attend until May 1st.
- Restricted Early Action/Early Action Single Choice — Students apply in the fall (usually November) and the application is not binding. However, the college or university places restrictions on the students’ other applications, not allowing students to apply ED to another school and sometimes to early action programs other than their state university. It is important to check the colleges’ websites for specific limitations.
- Rolling Admission — Generally used by large public universities, students apply anytime in the application period, which can extend well into the spring. Each applicant is evaluated on an individual basis. Because the class fills over time, it benefits students to apply early in the year.
- Open Admission — Typically used by community colleges, nearly all high school applicants are accepted. Students may enroll in any term during the year.
College Decisions
When you’re accepted
- If you were accepted under an Early Decision program, you must withdraw all of your other applications in writing.
- For all other application types, you have until May 1 (a universal date) to accept your admission. Usually this requires a deposit.
What it means to be “deferred”
- If you have applied under the Early Action or the Early Decision plan and were deferred, this means that you have been pushed back into the regular decision pool and will be reviewed again at that time.
- If you applied for Rolling admission, the college/university would like to have more information in order to make a decision. In almost every case, a college or university would like to see more grades from your senior year.
What it means to be “waitlisted”
- Being on a waitlist means that the college/university has finished reviewing your file and made a decision to not fully accept nor reject your application
- You may be admitted later if other accepted students decide not to enroll, allowing the college to fill open spots with qualified applicants like yourself
What it means to be “denied”
- If you have applied under the Early Action or the Early Decision plan and were denied, the college/university has made a final decision. You cannot reapply under Regular decision. Try not to take it personally or feel rejected; instead feel proud of your effort and know that colleges also look to fit their priorities. There are 4,000 colleges and universities in the country and MANY will be great for you.
- You could potentially reapply to these universities as a transfer student later.
Helpful Links:
Link Common Application to Naviance
Requesting Official Transcripts (Current Students)