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Welcome to December’s CATES College Checklist!

The CATES College Checklist, our admissions-focused newsletter, brings you the month’s important dates and deadlines along with testing and advising resources relevant to your student’s year in school.

Once final exams are over, the season of family and togetherness officially begins. Revel in these moments when distractions are few and opportunities for connection abound. Happy holidays from our CATES family to yours!

Last updated: December 2025

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Freshmen

For those lamenting the cold weather and early sundown, exploring summer programs with your freshmen will raise your spirits and allow them to begin investigating the wide array of career paths available. Career planning programs at their high schools should also assist in giving them direction and focus.

Freshman Checklist

Academics

  • December: Create a final exams study plan
    • Learn more

      In order to effectively plan for final exams, it is important to create a study schedule that begins weeks in advance. This will not only ensure that you have adequate time to prepare but also allow you to visit an instructor, tutor, or peer mentor for extra help if needed. The first task in test preparation is to know exactly what the test will cover, so 3-4 weeks in advance, stop in before or after school to ask your instructor. With that knowledge, begin sorting through lecture slides, notes, handouts, and past assignments, quizzes, and tests to be sure that you have study material on all topics. If you have maintained effective learning strategies throughout the semester, conceptually understanding subjects rather than simply memorizing information, your study schedule should include a review of each concept with time allotted for application exercises, such as turning chapter headings into how or why questions and providing answers.

    • Discover Academic Support from CATES

Admissions

Testing

Sophomores

Holiday travel offers a great opportunity to begin exploring college campuses with your sophomores. While formal tours and info sessions might not be available, you can take your time meandering around the halls and getting the feel of the school environment. This will allow your student to compare and contrast with future visits and make educated choices about their application list.

Sophomore Checklist

Academics

  • December: Create a final exams study plan
    • Learn more

      In order to effectively plan for final exams, it is important to create a study schedule that begins weeks in advance. This will not only ensure that you have adequate time to prepare but also allow you to visit an instructor, tutor, or peer mentor for extra help if needed. The first task in test preparation is to know exactly what the test will cover, so 3-4 weeks in advance, stop in before or after school to ask your instructor. With that knowledge, begin sorting through lecture slides, notes, handouts, and past assignments, quizzes, and tests to be sure that you have study material on all topics. If you have maintained effective learning strategies throughout the semester, conceptually understanding subjects rather than simply memorizing information, your study schedule should include a review of each concept with time allotted for application exercises, such as turning chapter headings into how or why questions and providing answers.

    • Discover Academic Support from CATES

Admissions

Testing

Juniors

The summer before senior year offers the perfect opportunity for your students to show colleges they are serious about their intended program of study by completing an internship in the field. Because these opportunities can be competitive, your juniors should be researching local businesses or firms that might support such a role and contacting them via email.

Junior Checklist

Academics

  • December: Create a final exams study plan
    • Learn more

      In order to effectively plan for final exams, it is important to create a study schedule that begins weeks in advance. This will not only ensure that you have adequate time to prepare but also allow you to visit an instructor, tutor, or peer mentor for extra help if needed. The first task in test preparation is to know exactly what the test will cover, so 3-4 weeks in advance, stop in before or after school to ask your instructor. With that knowledge, begin sorting through lecture slides, notes, handouts, and past assignments, quizzes, and tests to be sure that you have study material on all topics. If you have maintained effective learning strategies throughout the semester, conceptually understanding subjects rather than simply memorizing information, your study schedule should include a review of each concept with time allotted for application exercises, such as turning chapter headings into how or why questions and providing answers.

    • Discover Academic Support from CATES

Admissions

Testing

Seniors

The anticipation has been building for your seniors since early November, and soon, Early Decision and Early Action announcements will be sent. Be prepared to help manage emotions and, if the results are not favorable, optimistically redirect to Early Decision II and Regular Decision choices. If your students receive a deferral from their ED/EA schools to Regular Decision, Common Apps must be updated to reflect fall activities and enhance their candidacy. If their early applications were successful, congratulations on the incredibly hard work!

Senior Checklist

Academics

  • December: Create a final exams study plan
    • Learn more

      In order to effectively plan for final exams, it is important to create a study schedule that begins weeks in advance. This will not only ensure that you have adequate time to prepare but also allow you to visit an instructor, tutor, or peer mentor for extra help if needed. The first task in test preparation is to know exactly what the test will cover, so 3-4 weeks in advance, stop in before or after school to ask your instructor. With that knowledge, begin sorting through lecture slides, notes, handouts, and past assignments, quizzes, and tests to be sure that you have study material on all topics. If you have maintained effective learning strategies throughout the semester, conceptually understanding subjects rather than simply memorizing information, your study schedule should include a review of each concept with time allotted for application exercises, such as turning chapter headings into how or why questions and providing answers.

    • Discover Academic Support from CATES

Admissions

  • December: Interview with ED/EA schools
  • December: Continue to follow through on EDII/RD plans, and complete those supplemental essays
  • December: Confirm that teachers, counselors, and other recommenders have submitted their materials before the EDII/RD deadline
  • December: Withdraw applications from other schools if you were accepted Early Decision

Testing

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