While the entire process of applying to college can seem complicated and overwhelming at times, it is actually quite logical. This checklist can serve as a handy guide for identifying the key milestones in the process.  There are suggestions for your child at each point along the timeline.  You can be the encourager and assistant in keeping them moving forward with the process.

Ninth Grade:

Fall:

• Get to know your guidance counselor.
• Select some specific extracurricular activities, both school and non-school-sponsored – clubs, teams, volunteer groups.
• Confirm that you are enrolled in the college-prep curriculum and that you are taking key core requirements such as English, math, science, and a foreign language.
• Visit your high school’s Career Center and become familiar with the resources available to you.

Winter

• Maintain a good GPA and class rank.
• Take advantage of Career Day opportunities to assess your skills and interests.
• Speak with your parents about planning for college expenses.

Spring/Summer

• Plan your course program for Sophomore year with your guidance counselor.
• Began a file on your academic and extracurricular awards, community service achievements.
• Visit a friend or relative who lives on or near a college campus.
• Make your summer activities count, such as volunteering, job experience or enrichment programs.

Tenth Grade

Fall

• Continue participation in extracurricular activities.
• Take a practice PSAT test.
• Investigate the PLAN assessment program offered by American College Testing (ACT).
• Familiarize yourself with general college requirements and the basic application process.
• Research careers that may be of interest to you and colleges that offer program to match your interest.

Winter

• Assess your PSAT scores with your guidance counselor.
• Develop your reading skills.
• Improve your study habits.
• Practice your writing skills.
• Work toward leadership roles in your extracurricular activities.
• Discuss Advanced Placement Course offerings at your high school.

Spring/Summer

• Meet with guidance counselor to plan course program for Junior year.
• Maintain your GPA.
• Investigate college search tools online.
• Organize a file for college information you collect.
• Write to colleges and require information about academic requirements and specific programs in your field of interest.
• Determine when you will take SAT Subject Tests.
• Find a summer job.
• Take a career interest inventory test, if available.

Eleventh Grade

Fall

• Take the PSAT.
• Attend College programs offered by your high school or local colleges.
• Attend career presentations sponsored by local organizations.
• Determine your options for post secondary education – a two-year or four-year college, a technical school, or a military career.
• Maintain your GPA and check on your class rank.
• Begin your list of potential colleges to which you will apply.
• Continue gathering college information from a variety of schools.
• Plan your schedule for taking the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests and AP exams.
• Make certain that you are meeting any special requirements for your college goals, such as Division I or Division II athletics.

Winter

• Begin narrowing down your college choices.
• Register and prepare for the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests and AP exams.
• Investigate financial aid opportunities.
• Investigate local scholarship offerings.
• Investigate apprenticeship programs at local businesses.
• Contact colleges of interest for information on their scholarship process.
• Discuss with your parents the process for visiting colleges of interest.
• Determine who you will ask for recommendations to accompany your applications.
• Investigate summer internship programs.

Spring/Summer

• Meet with guidance counselor to select Senior year courses.
• Set up appointments at your top college choices.
• Visit colleges.
• Register for May or June SAT I and SAT II.
• Attend college fairs.
• Start scholarship search in earnest.
• Contact your recommendation writers.
• Apply for summer internships.
• Get advice from friends or relatives in college.
• With your parents, develop a plan for applying for financial aid.
• Review college information and begin to work on potential essays for applications.
• Determine whether you will apply for early decision at a specific college.
• Take a summer course, such as an SAT preparation course.
• Practice interviewing skills with relatives or business acquaintances.
• Develop a resume.

Twelfth Grade

Fall

• Finalize your college list.
• Schedule a meeting with your parents and your guidance counselor to discuss the application process.
• Request applications from colleges of interest.
• Register for and take ACT, SAT I and/or SAT II.
• Continue to visit schools – try to sit in on a class.
• Maintain GPA and leadership roles in extracurricular activities.
• Maintain a calendar with due dates, deadlines for applications, financial aid forms, and scholarship entry dates.
• Familiarize yourself with your school’s transcript request procedure.
• Complete your resume.
• Request final letters of recommendation.
• Complete college applications by December 1, if possible.
• If you are a good interviewer and the travel is feasible, request a personal interview at the colleges to which you are applying.
• Make final decision as to whether you will pursue an early decision application.
• Continue scholarship search.

Winter

• Follow up on applications by checking with schools to make certain they have received all information, including test scores, transcripts and recommendations.
• Submit financial aid forms after January 1.
• Forward mid-year GPA report to each school to which you have applied.

Spring

• Attend job fairs/
• Maintain GPA.
• Update your guidance counselor as you receive responses from colleges.
• Investigate your options if you have been waitlisted.
• Prepare for and take any last standardized test, such as AP or CLEP tests to earn college credits.
• Make your final decision and notify all schools of your intent by May 1, including the colleges you are planning not to attend; remember that at some point you may wish to transfer to one of those colleges.
• Complete enrollment paperwork for the college you will attend, making certain to complete all required paperwork for course scheduling, orientation sessions, housing arrangements by appropriate deadlines.
• Request a final transcript to be sent to the college to which you will be going.
• Follow up on financial aid information, making sure that you have received a FAFSA acknowledgement.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

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