Senior Year FAQ

The questions we hear most, with quick answers. Some are AFHS-specific, some are about the wider college application timeline. Each answer points you to the page or the official source with the full details.

Do not see your question? Email [email protected] and the senior committee will answer it, then it will probably get added here.

Events & Traditions

What senior events happen at the start of the year?

• Fri, Aug 21 - Senior Social, 11am-1pm, cafeteria
• Sun, Aug 23 - Parking Spot Chalk Decorating, 5-7pm
• Mon, Aug 24 - Senior Parade + Sunrise, first day of school
• Full list: Senior Calendar

• First day of school tradition
• Seniors gather at Apex Nature Park and parade to campus
• Sunrise breakfast follows at the stadium
• Details and volunteer needs: Parade + Sunrise

• Only if a parent steps up to organize and fundraise for it. It is not a school or PTSA event
• The PTSA funded it through the Class of 2026 and is not funding it going forward
• Interested in leading it? Email [email protected] or see the Baccalaureate page

• Spring 2027, after Senior Awards
• Exact date set by the school closer to the end of the year
• Watch the calendar

• No, the Senior Social is for seniors, not families
• Parents help by volunteering and donating
• Details: Senior Social

• Thursday, June 10, 2027 at 8:00am, at the Raleigh Convention Center
• Principal Pittman shared the date as a "Save the Date." More details are coming from the school
• More: Graduation

• No one knows yet. Nothing about tickets has been announced for the Class of 2027
• Tickets have been limited in past years and the class is about 700 seniors, so expect a limit - but please do not book travel around a number you have heard secondhand
• Need more? Some families share extras on the Class of 2027 Facebook group
• More: Graduation

Signs, Shirts & Pictures

How do I order a senior yard sign?

• Order through the PTSA Givebacks store
• $35 - the $30 early-order window closed August 7
• Enter your student's name at checkout so signs get matched at pickup
• Details: Senior Signs

• Senior Social (Aug 21) or Parking Spot Chalk Decorating (Aug 23)
• Signs are sorted by last name
• Details: Senior Signs

• A StuCo project. Design and voting happen on @afhs.seniorstuco27
• Handed out at the Senior Social (Aug 21), and at Parking Spot Chalk Decorating (Aug 23) if missed. After that, with Ms. Wooten and StuCo
• Questions go to Ms. Wooten, [email protected]
• Details: Senior Shirts

• For the yearbook, yes. Only Cady "tux and drape" photos go in the yearbook
• Book at cady.com/schedule
• Details: Senior Pictures

• Yes. A yearbook-only photo can be taken at no fee, after the paid sessions
• The school will announce the date. You do not need to do anything now
• Details: Senior Pictures

• AFHS yearbooks are sold through Jostens
• Ordering is not open yet. Check back, and order early once it is
• Details: Senior Pictures

• Entry ran July 6-31 through the AFHS student parking page and is now closed
• It is a lottery, not first-come-first-served
• Results went out August 3 by email. Check both the address used to enter the lottery and your senior's WCPSS school email, spam and promotions folders included
• Recipients must complete the vehicle registration form and payment, then bring a six-item packet to pass pickup on Aug 10-11 - notarized application, photocopies, and printed receipts for both fees. The school cannot make copies, and without the form there is no pass
• If your student did not get a space, Round 2 may open August 10-13 for remaining spots
• Details: Parking Lottery

Getting Involved

How do I volunteer?

• Sign up at the SignUp Genius
• See roles for each event on the Volunteer page
• Most jobs are an hour or two

• Claim an item on the donations SignUp Genius
• Cash through Givebacks
• Supplies shipped from the Amazon Wish List
• Food and gift cards by emailing [email protected]
• Details: Donations

• Yes. Email [email protected] or check the SignUp Genius for something small
• The senior committee will reach out when something fits. No commitment

• A few Class of 2027 parents, on our own
• Not an official school or PTSA webpage, just a place we built to pull senior year info together
• Senior events, volunteering, and donations are run by the PTSA senior committee - reach them at [email protected]
• For anything official, always confirm on the AFHS school website
• Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix it: Contact

College Applications

When should we start applications?

• Now. Common App opened August 1 and is accepting applications for the Class of 2027
• Before school starts: finalize the college list, draft the personal statement, line up rec letters
• Full timeline: College Prep

• Yes. It is now called Activities and Experiences
• The Position/Leadership box is not gone - students answer a Yes/No question first, and the field appears after answering Yes
• "No" is a complete answer. Nobody has to invent a title for an activity that matters
• If your senior made an account before August 1, check every rolled-over activity rather than assuming the new questions answered themselves
• Details: College Prep

• NC Residency Determination. Decides in-state tuition and NC state aid eligibility
• Colleges may ask for the RCN it gives you
• Every NC student needs it, even lifelong residents
• Complete early at ncresidency.org

• Depends how they apply (CFNC, Common App, or ScribOrder)
• Wait until fall rank is complete, around mid-September
• Full breakdown: College Prep

• No. Students send them directly through College Board (SAT) or ACT

• UNC system and NC private school deadlines are in a table on College Prep
• Always confirm on each school's own site, dates shift year to year

Money & Financial Aid

When does FAFSA open and should we file?

• Opens October 1
• Most families should consider filing, even if they do not expect federal need-based aid
• Some colleges and scholarship programs use it when awarding other aid, so check each school's requirements
• File at studentaid.gov

• A separate aid form some private schools require
• Includes Duke, Davidson, Wake Forest, and UNC Chapel Hill (for institutional aid)
• File at cssprofile.collegeboard.org

• Yes. The Next NC Scholarship covers tuition and fees for many NC families at NC public colleges
• Automatic once you file FAFSA
• More NC aid: College Prep

• Start with your counselor and Student Services for local ones
• National: Fastweb, Scholarships.com
• Full link list: Resources

• A school fee covering a Senior t-shirt, diploma cover, end-of-year celebration, and other senior year costs (listed as "Class of 2027 Senior Fees")
• Pay online through School Cash Online. Parking assignments require it to be paid
• Struggling to pay? There is help. Talk to Mr. Pittman or your counselor
• Details: School Information & Forms

• Almost certainly yes - this is a known issue affecting many families, not just you
• School Cash Online and Infinite Campus are not automatically synced, so paid fees can show as unpaid in Infinite Campus for weeks until the school updates records
• The school has confirmed that payments made through School Cash Online are recorded on their end, and that your email confirmation (or other receipt) is all the proof you need
• Keep your email receipt from School Cash Online and give Infinite Campus time to catch up - no need to pay again or call the school

• Prom is April 16, 2027, and is typically organized by Student Council
• Ticket prices, the venue, and deadlines are announced by the school and StuCo. We will note major dates on the Senior Calendar

Questions? Email [email protected] | collegehound.com/community/afhs/seniors

Last updated: August 8, 2026