College Planning Guide
This guide is valuable resource, use it as a starting place in your journey into higher education!
(Please visit your school counselor to set up your college plan)
FRESHMAN
1. Meet with your guidance counselor to plan college prep courses for high school
2. Learn about college acceptance
3. Set academic goals
4. Become involved in extracurricular activities: and seek leadership roles whenever you can
5. Discuss how to pay for college with your parents...it is NOT to early to start thinking about this!
6. Start gathering information on career fields that interest you.
SET UP BINDER OR FILE WHERE YOU CAN KEEP ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR THE STUDENT PROFILE AND RESUME YOU WILL NEED WHEN YOU APPLY TO COLLEGES. INCLUDE COURSES AND GRADES, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, SCHOOL HONORS AND AWARDS, COMMUNITY HONORS, WORK AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE. OUTLINE OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE.
SOPHOMORE
1. Register for PSAT/NMSQT and/or PLAN
2. Make a list of features you want in college
3. Start searching the internet for school that interest you
4. Examine college information resources in guidance and media centers
5. Start making a list of school to examin more carefully
6. Contact admission officers and ask for brouchers and information
7. Take PLAN (Oct-Dec) to prepare for ACT
8. Take PSAT/NMSQT (October) to prepare for SAT
MAY AND JUNE MEET WITH GUIDANCE COUNSELOR; ORE-REGISTER FOR COLLEGE PREP COURSES
JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST: STUDY FOR PSAT/NMSQT, CONSIDER A SUMMER JOB OR VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE IN YOUR FIELD OF INTEREST.
JUNIORS
September: Register to take PSAT/NMSQT and/or PLAN
October: Take the PSAT/NMSQT to be considered for the National Merit Scholarship
November: Refine your list of school, eliminate the ones that do not meet your criteria, requests catalogs for remaining school on your list.
Compare and contrast admission policies, academic programs and placement opportunities for each school.
December: Discuss PSAT/NMQST scores with your counselor. Start thinking about you strengths and preferences in terms of what you may want to do in life.
January-February: Continue narrowing the number of schools in your file. Talk to your counselor and gather information on the application process.
March: start preparing for Advanced Placement(AP) exams. Register to tale the SAT and/or ACT. (taking them early will alli=ow you time to re-tale them if you are not satisfied with your score) Eplore early desicion options with your counselor.
April: take the SAT and/or ACT
June: Discuss your list of favorite colleges or universities with your parents and make arrangements for campus tours.
SENIOR
August: Determine how you plan to meet the cost of selected schools, i.e. through parents loans, scholarships (internal and external to chosen school)
September: Meet with college representatives visiting your school. Send thank you notes to each college and other people you would like to write letters of recommendation for you.
October: Take sar/act and request scores be sent to the top schools on your list. Request official transcripts be sent to schools you are planning to attend, where you will apply in December. Always be prompt in responding to any inquiry from admissions officers.
December: Submit admission applications.
January: Fill out Federal Financial Assistance Forms (FFASA) (web link provided on our "Favorite Links" menu item)
Apply for outside scholarships
February: Verify that schools have received all application materials.
March: Register and start studying for Advance Placement exams
April: Expect letters of acceptance or non-acceptance. Review all acceptance packages carefully. Select the school you plan to attend.
NOTE: This is only a guide. Many scholarship applications have deadlines in early fall. Be prepared and good luck in your college adventure!
FRESHMAN
1. Meet with your guidance counselor to plan college prep courses for high school
2. Learn about college acceptance
3. Set academic goals
4. Become involved in extracurricular activities: and seek leadership roles whenever you can
5. Discuss how to pay for college with your parents...it is NOT to early to start thinking about this!
6. Start gathering information on career fields that interest you.
SET UP BINDER OR FILE WHERE YOU CAN KEEP ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS FOR THE STUDENT PROFILE AND RESUME YOU WILL NEED WHEN YOU APPLY TO COLLEGES. INCLUDE COURSES AND GRADES, SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, SCHOOL HONORS AND AWARDS, COMMUNITY HONORS, WORK AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE. OUTLINE OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN YOUR LIFE.
SOPHOMORE
1. Register for PSAT/NMSQT and/or PLAN
2. Make a list of features you want in college
3. Start searching the internet for school that interest you
4. Examine college information resources in guidance and media centers
5. Start making a list of school to examin more carefully
6. Contact admission officers and ask for brouchers and information
7. Take PLAN (Oct-Dec) to prepare for ACT
8. Take PSAT/NMSQT (October) to prepare for SAT
MAY AND JUNE MEET WITH GUIDANCE COUNSELOR; ORE-REGISTER FOR COLLEGE PREP COURSES
JUNE, JULY, AND AUGUST: STUDY FOR PSAT/NMSQT, CONSIDER A SUMMER JOB OR VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE IN YOUR FIELD OF INTEREST.
JUNIORS
September: Register to take PSAT/NMSQT and/or PLAN
October: Take the PSAT/NMSQT to be considered for the National Merit Scholarship
November: Refine your list of school, eliminate the ones that do not meet your criteria, requests catalogs for remaining school on your list.
Compare and contrast admission policies, academic programs and placement opportunities for each school.
December: Discuss PSAT/NMQST scores with your counselor. Start thinking about you strengths and preferences in terms of what you may want to do in life.
January-February: Continue narrowing the number of schools in your file. Talk to your counselor and gather information on the application process.
March: start preparing for Advanced Placement(AP) exams. Register to tale the SAT and/or ACT. (taking them early will alli=ow you time to re-tale them if you are not satisfied with your score) Eplore early desicion options with your counselor.
April: take the SAT and/or ACT
June: Discuss your list of favorite colleges or universities with your parents and make arrangements for campus tours.
SENIOR
August: Determine how you plan to meet the cost of selected schools, i.e. through parents loans, scholarships (internal and external to chosen school)
September: Meet with college representatives visiting your school. Send thank you notes to each college and other people you would like to write letters of recommendation for you.
October: Take sar/act and request scores be sent to the top schools on your list. Request official transcripts be sent to schools you are planning to attend, where you will apply in December. Always be prompt in responding to any inquiry from admissions officers.
December: Submit admission applications.
January: Fill out Federal Financial Assistance Forms (FFASA) (web link provided on our "Favorite Links" menu item)
Apply for outside scholarships
February: Verify that schools have received all application materials.
March: Register and start studying for Advance Placement exams
April: Expect letters of acceptance or non-acceptance. Review all acceptance packages carefully. Select the school you plan to attend.
NOTE: This is only a guide. Many scholarship applications have deadlines in early fall. Be prepared and good luck in your college adventure!