Matthew's College Process Tracker

Matthew — start here 👋

Applying to twelve schools is a lot to hold in your head, and it's easy for a deadline or a form to slip through the cracks. This tool exists to take that weight off you. Everything you need to do — from Team College's checklist to each school's deadlines — lives in one place, in the order it should happen.

How to use it: read top to bottom once to see the whole picture, then just check things off as you finish them. The bar at the top fills as you go. You don't have to remember what's next — the tool does that for you.

It's shared. When you check something off, your mom and I see it update on our phones too — so we can support you without nagging or asking "did you do that yet?" every day. We're in this with you.

The hard decisions ahead — which school to commit to early, where you'll be happiest — get easier when the busywork is handled and you can see everything clearly. That's what this is for. You've got this. 💙

— Dad

📝 Matthew's notes — flag any changes here

Added a school? Changed your mind on ED? Hit a snag? Type it here — Mom and Dad see it sync to their phones. This is how you tell us what's changed without a separate text.

✅ SAT score is in — 1330 (1340 superscore) 🎉

Big jump from your 1230 practice — up about 100 points. That 1340 superscore genuinely strengthens your position, both for admissions and for score-gated scholarships. Here's what to do with it.

⚑ The date that anchors everything: October 31

Team College's instruction: complete and submit ALL applications by 10/31. This is a Wilmington Friends deadline, and it lands earlier than most colleges' own deadlines — on purpose, so nothing gets rushed at the end. Work backward from Halloween, not from each college's posted date.

That means essays, supplements, STARS, the UC Personal Insight Questions, transcripts, and recommendations all need to be done before 10/31 — not started.

The read on this

• School starts Sept 8 — your September touch-base with Rose happens in the first weeks. Have your college list ready for it.
• Fall Break is Oct 8–13 (dismissed end of day Oct 8, back Oct 13). This is your biggest uninterrupted work block before the deadline — protect it for essays and supplements, not just rest.
• Only ~2.5 school weeks sit between returning from break (Oct 13) and the 10/31 target. That's tight. Aim to walk into Fall Break with essays nearly done, and use the break to finish.
• Homecoming is Oct 23–24 — a fun senior-year weekend you'll want to enjoy. One more reason to be basically done before then.

Also from July's list — don't skip these

• Mark every application deadline on the family calendar — including the WFS 10/31 target.
• If you're done testing, send scores to your colleges now (a family activity).
• Supplemental essays: highly selective schools have many. Make a plan with set deadlines to get through them all.

⚠ AiVerse Council cross-check (Sep 28) — two entries below are unreliable

• Gates Scholarship — likely CLOSED for this cycle. Its Sept 15 deadline has already passed as of this update. Left in the list below for reference, but don't spend time on it — verify at thegatesscholarship.org before doing anything else with it.
• TMCF "Enterprise Access (HBCU)" — could not verify. No TMCF program matching this exact name/terms (open to entering freshmen, $15K, Jan 8, any major) could be confirmed. The closest match (TMCF/Wells Fargo Access Scholarship) is restricted to already-enrolled sophomores/juniors/seniors, STEM-only, and its deadline already passed. Treat this listing as unverified until someone finds the specific current TMCF program page at tmcf.org/scholarships.

⏰ Closing FIRST — September (do now)

• Gates Scholarship — full cost of attendance. Deadline Sept 15 — likely already passed, see caution note above. Pell-eligible, 3.3+ GPA, minority seniors. thegatesscholarship.org
• Coca-Cola Scholars — $20,000. Deadline Sept 30, 5pm ET. Phase 1 needs NO essays/transcript/recs — just apply. Merit/leadership. coca-colascholarsfoundation.org
• NJ TAG / state aid — separate need-based state aid, HESAA lists a mid-Sept deadline. Not a scholarship — treat as financial aid. hesaa.org
• Don't Text and Drive — $1,000 (Digital Responsibility, verified nonprofit). Deadline Sept 30. Entry is a 140-character message — 2 minutes. Only top-10 finalists write a 500–1,000 word essay. No GPA/transcript needed. Tiny effort, real (if long-shot) upside. digitalresponsibility.org

🕊️ Your Quaker + IB edge — an angle most applicants don't have

• Ask Rose about WFS internal scholarships FIRST. Most Friends schools have donor-funded awards for graduating seniors that are rarely advertised. This is the highest-odds, lowest-effort money — your counselor has the list. Do this at your September meeting.
• IB Diploma auto-merit: Many colleges give automatic merit for the full IB Diploma (not just IB courses) — Rutgers, U. Rochester (targets IB!), Towson, FSU. Check the "IB Diploma" box on every application; it can trigger hidden merit grids.
• Quaker-college aid (if any join your list): Earlham Quaker Scholarship ($5K–full), Guilford Friends awards. Note: usually needs Quaker affiliation, not just Friends-school attendance — read rules.
• Roothbert Fund — $5,000–$7,000 (Feb 1), for students motivated by spiritual values; NJ is a preferred region. Prefers post-freshman, so a sophomore-year target. roothbertfund.org

🎯 If NC A&T stays on your list — potentially the biggest money

• NC A&T Honors Distinguished Scholars — FULL RIDE (Cheatham-White / Dowdy / February One; 55 awarded). One Honors app enters you for all. Deadline Nov 15. Cheatham-White wants 4.0+ / 1280 SAT but is test-optional and heavily weights character, leadership, service — your strengths.
• NC A&T National Alumni Scholarship — full tuition+fees+room+board. 3.75+ GPA, two recs — and NC A&T explicitly names Jack & Jill and Boys & Girls Club as valid community recommenders. Tailor-made for you.
• Deese College of Business scholarships — separate business-school money; deadlines ~Nov 15 (endowed) / Dec 15 (merit). Apply to these and the university ones.
• SAT note: your 1340 now clears NC A&T's top-scholarship range (~1280) that a 1230 fell short of — this is where the score jump pays off. Cheatham-White and the full-ride tier are now in reach on the numbers. Character, leadership, and service still decide it.

Watch list (2027 cycle not yet posted — check back)

• Jack & Jill Foundation Scholarship — $2,500/yr, renewable — verified strong match (Sep 28). Confirmed directly at jackandjillfoundation.org: 3.0+ GPA, 60+ service hours, demonstrated unmet financial need, African American, HS senior. Your 100+ Boys & Girls Club hours and 10 years of Jack & Jill involvement clear the bar comfortably. The site does not restrict this to children of Jack and Jill members — that earlier caution has been removed. Watch for the 2027 application cycle to open; also ask your local chapter directly.
• NJ Martin Luther King Commission Scholarship — $5,000, real and NJ-official (nj.gov) — not yet open. Verified directly on nj.gov Sep 28: NJ high school seniors/residents, three short essays (100–300 words) on Dr. King's legacy and your own service. Last cycle's deadline (mid-March) has passed; the 2027-cycle version for your graduating class isn't posted yet — check nj.gov/state/mlk.shtml around February for the new application.
• Pearls of Wisdom Foundation (NJ, Black, business — reopens ~Feb 2027) · Friends Education Fund (Quaker + African American — reopens early 2027) · NJCPA ($1,500, if accounting) · Builders League of South Jersey (local, ~Apr 2027).
• Delaware: DE Higher Education Office (DHEO) and Community Foundation of NJ (Clanseer & Anna Johnson award) — smaller, better odds.

🤖 Scholarship research agent — a prompt to find more

Paste this into any AI chat monthly to find fresh scholarships:

"Act as a scholarship research assistant. Find current, real scholarships (with official links and this year's deadlines) for a high school senior applying for fall 2027 who is: African American; graduate of a Quaker/Friends school; a full IB Diploma student; SAT 1340 superscore; 100+ documented community service hours (Boys & Girls Club) plus 10 years with Jack & Jill and ongoing caregiving for a sister with Autism; interested in business; from Deptford / Gloucester County, New Jersey; with an advocacy story (caregiving for his sister, mentoring at the Boys & Girls Club, 4 years on Gavel Club's Executive Board as VP of Education then VP of Public Relations, 2 years with InRoads). For each: name, amount, eligibility, exact deadline, required materials, and official link. Prioritize deadlines in the next 60 days. Only list scholarships you can verify are real — no invented ones or fake deadlines. Flag any requiring an SSN or fee."

⚠ Security: legitimate scholarships NEVER charge a fee to apply, and never need your SSN up front. Only give financial info (via FAFSA) to verified foundations after you're a finalist. If one asks for payment or your SSN to apply, stop and check with your grownups.

NYU

• Uses the Common App — same one Rose needs advisor access to. Early Decision I is typically early November; Regular Decision in early January. NYU has ED I and ED II (binding) plus RD.
• Requires STARS — the Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System. Matthew types in his own courses and grades directly; NYU won't review the application without it. This is in addition to the official WFS transcript.
• ED is binding — only apply ED if NYU is a clear first choice and the finances work. Talk this through with your grownups first.
• Test-optional in recent cycles, but confirm the current policy. If Matthew tests, he sends scores himself via College Board.
• Strong supplemental essays matter — the essay workbook's "Why NYU" question feeds this.

UCLA

• UCLA does not use the Common App — it uses the UC application (one app covers all UC campuses). Set up a separate UC account. The app opens August 1.
• Confirmed filing period: October 1 – November 30 (submission opens Oct 1). No Early Action or Early Decision — everyone applies in this same window. UCLA is fall-term only and on the quarter system.
• UC is test-blind — SAT/ACT scores are not considered at all. Don't send them.
• Instead of one essay, UC requires 4 Personal Insight Questions (350 words each) from 8 prompts. The caregiving, heritage, and community material from the workbook maps onto several PIQs.
• Admission decisions come in late March. If admitted, final official transcripts are due to UC by July 1 and official IB/AP results by July 15 — relevant given Matthew's IB program.

⚠ Read this first — the "EA" mix-up

You'd labeled UCLA – EA and NYU – EA, but neither school offers Early Action:

• UCLA (and all UCs) have no early round at all — one deadline, Nov 30. "EA" isn't an option there.
• NYU offers Early Decision (binding), not Early Action. Big difference — see the ED note below.
• South Carolina – EA is real and correct. ✓

⚠ The binding-ED decision — you can only pick ONE

Three schools on your list are Early Decision (binding): NYU, Boston College, and Fordham. If you apply ED and get in, you must attend and withdraw all other applications. You can only apply ED to one school. This is a family + money decision — talk it through with your grownups and Rose before committing. If finances matter, ED limits your ability to compare aid offers.

New as of Sep 16: Team College confirmed that any ED application now also requires an ED agreement completed in SCOIR — Matthew completes it first, then a parent/guardian. Budget time for this extra step once the ED school is chosen; the application can't go in until both signatures are done.

As of Sep 26: the family is currently leaning toward NYU, ED II — but this is not yet finalized. Keep talking it through with Rose and each other before committing; the SCOIR ED agreement above only gets signed once this is locked in.

◎ Match — the healthy middle of your list

• Rutgers (New Brunswick, NJ) — Visited. In-state = far lower tuition, family familiarity, and a real business draw: Rutgers Business School is nationally ranked (strong in finance, supply chain, and analytics, with NYC/Philly recruiting pipelines). With your 1340 + IB, you're competitive for direct business-school admission and merit. Requires STARS. Apply early (rolling-style). A strong, affordable anchor.
• The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) (Ewing, NJ) — in-state "public ivy" feel, mid-size, top-rated NJ public. Strong match + very affordable. Business is well-regarded. Offers EA + ED. A great "feeling confident" anchor.
• Fordham (NY) — offers ED (binding) and EA. Catholic, NYC. Gabelli School of Business is a real draw. You attended their Summer Leaders Academy (July 2026) — that's demonstrated interest; mention it in your "Why Fordham" essay. Match/reach.
• University of South Carolina — EA (non-binding), ~Oct 15. ✓ Your EA label was right. Darla Moore School of Business is top-ranked (esp. international business). Visited campus April 27, 2026 — toured the Horseshoe and attended a Moore School info session; full notes below. Match.
• Clemson (SC) — EA, early deadline ~Oct 15; requires STARS. Match. Note the early doc deadline.
• Villanova (PA) — attended Business Fall Preview Day, Sep 13. Offers ED I/ED II + EA. Villanova School of Business is nationally ranked. Full student-panel notes below — strong "Why Villanova" material came out of this visit. Reach/match.
• Ohio State (Columbus) — huge Big Ten flagship, big spirit. Fisher College of Business is top-ranked. EA deadline ~Nov 1 (also priority for the Morrill Scholarship — see Scholarships section). Match; strong business fit.
• Indiana University – Bloomington — Kelley School of Business is elite (one of the best undergrad business programs in the country). Direct admit to Kelley is competitive — apply early and note if a separate business application/essay is required. EA ~Nov 1. Match/reach for business.
• Penn State (University Park) — huge Big Ten flagship with the Smeal College of Business, a well-regarded, nationally ranked program (strong supply chain, finance, and accounting placement). Rolling-style admissions with a priority filing window in the fall — confirm the current deadline. Match; another strong business-school option alongside Ohio State and Indiana. Requires STARS (flagged by Team College Sep 28).

✊🏾 HBCUs — business-strong, and family ties

• Howard University (Washington, DC) — the flagship HBCU. Its School of Business was the first AACSB-accredited business program in DC and carries a powerful alumni/corporate network. Strong finance, marketing, and management. EA deadline ~Nov 1. Reach/match — a genuinely prestigious business pipeline.
• North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC) — the largest HBCU, with the AACSB-accredited Deese College of Business (its accounting program was the first HBCU one recognized by AACSB). Family familiarity — Dominique is there. Requires STARS. Match; big school spirit, strong business/engineering.

Both are on the Eastern seaboard, both business-strong, and both give Matthew a very different — and affirming — campus experience to weigh against the PWIs on his list. Worth real consideration, not just backups.

◐ Still following (from earlier) — decide in or out

• Boston University · Bucknell · Syracuse · Bard · San Diego State — on your radar but not on the final note. Confirm with Rose whether they stay or go.

🐔 University of South Carolina — Columbia, SC · visited April 27, 2026

• Itinerary: stayed downtown at Home2 Suites by Hilton Columbia Downtown (walking distance to campus). 9:00 AM check-in at the Visitor Center and a walk of the historic Horseshoe and main campus. 10:00 AM info session at the Darla Moore School of Business covering curriculum tracks, internship placement, and career development. Lunch at The Gourmet Shop in Five Points for a feel of the off-campus/student neighborhood. Return drive routed through Florence, SC (Buc-ee's stop) back to NJ.
• Moore School highlights: nationally top-ranked international business program; close-knit cohort model; a dedicated trading room; specialized business-specific career services; strong study-abroad integration and corporate recruiting reach across the Southeast.
• Campus feel: historic collegiate atmosphere (The Horseshoe) inside a large, modern flagship campus — active student life, SEC athletics, traditional quad energy.
• Follow-ups flagged from this visit: confirm EA vs. RD portal deadlines (EA ~Oct 15 already tracked above), review out-of-state merit scholarship tiers and GPA/test cutoffs, connect with the NJ/Mid-Atlantic regional admissions rep, and compare Moore's curriculum requirements against other visited business programs (Villanova, below).

🐦 Villanova School of Business — Business Fall Preview Day · Sep 13, 2026, Finneran Pavilion / Mulroy Arena

• Panel: Larry (faculty moderator); Brenda from The O'Donnell Center (career development); student panelists Maddie (Marketing, Co-President of the Business of Entertainment Society, summer intern at ESPN Cleveland/Good Karma Brands) and a senior Finance major/Business Law minor (President, Dean's Advisory Council; internships at Johnson & Johnson and TD Bank Commercial Banking).
• Academic model: exploratory first year — foundational coursework across Accounting, Finance, Economics, Marketing, and MIS before declaring a major. Majors/minors span Accounting, AI & Machine Learning, Business Analytics & AI, Business Law & Corporate Governance, Consulting, Economics, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Finance, International Business, Management, MIS, Marketing, and Real Estate.
• Signature courses: Competitive Effectiveness — sophomore Marketing+Management dual course run as a live consulting competition for real corporate clients (Comcast/Xfinity, Lactaid brand strategy). Corporate Responsibility & Regulation — required business-law course built around impromptu speaking and mock boardroom arguments, taught by practitioners.
• Faculty spotlighted: Prof. Tim McColgan (Sales & Biz Dev — no laptops, no textbook, conversational-workshop format) and Dr. Sarah Burke (Macroeconomics — noted for approachable teaching and heavy freshman office hours).
• Career pipeline (The O'Donnell Center): "Backpack to Briefcase" — a mandatory 4-course sequence, Freshman–Junior, covering resumes, LinkedIn, elevator pitches, and professional dining; sophomore speed-networking events; a 1-on-1 alumni mentor program; "Bartley Takeovers" bringing employers (Goldman Sachs, J&J, Big 4) directly into Bartley Hall.
• Class of 2025 outcomes: 97% completed ≥1 internship, 96% placed within 6 months, $86K average starting salary, 94% "prepared for career & life." Top destinations: Big 4 accounting, Wall Street banks (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, BofA, UBS, Citi), and major consumer/media/healthcare corporations.
• Culture: Augustinian values (Veritas, Unitas, Caritas) — panelists emphasized a supportive, non-cutthroat community and strong alumni network protecting the Villanova "brand."
• "Why Villanova" angles drawn from this visit: exploratory academic structure fit, applied/mentorship-style teaching fit, and values fit tied to Matthew's own profile and Gavel Club background.

Still to come — ask Rose for dates

• Senior Week, Prom & Graduation — Team College hasn't circulated these dates yet. Worth asking Rose at your next check-in so they land on the family calendar early, rather than showing up as a surprise in the spring.
• Decision Day (traditionally May 1 nationally) — the deadline to commit to one college and put down your deposit, once admission decisions are in. WFS-specific senior activities tied to this haven't been announced yet.