College Planning Timeline

Freshman Year:

• Prep for the EXPLORE test in September
• Understand GPA and start looking at college admissions requirements
• Set up College Board account and take the "My Roads"career and personality inventories.  How does your academic plan compare to your profile?
• Take a wide range of classes and get into as many honors courses you can.
• Get good grades!
• Get involved in as many school activities as possible and do community service
• Start saving for college if you haven't already!

Sophomore Year:

• Take the PLAN test in September and talk with counselor about results in November
• Take the PSAT in October and talk with counselor about results in January
• Start prepping for the SAT and ACT online or with free prep books from counselor
• Start visiting colleges that you become interested in
• Stay involved, improve grades (colleges like to see improvement over the years), keep doing community service and get into honors classes when possible
• Research scholarship requirements and plan your future academic and extracurrilar activities accordingly.

Junior Year:

• Take the PSAT again in October and review results in January
• Take ACT and SAT prep courses when possible and start prepping on your own at the beginning of the year
• Take the SAT in March and again in May or June if needed (prep in between)
• Take the ACT in February and again in April or June if needed (prep in between)
• College plan class with counselor - activities resumes, college searches, tips on college visits, fill out college facts sheet
• Visit as many colleges as possible
• Go to college fairs that are advertised at school
• Continue scholarship search and keep a record.

Senior Year:

• Apply to 5-6 colleges making sure that there are stretch schools, backup schools, and affordable schools in case you don’t get scholarships
• Once you have applied online, see the counselor to check off all the other admission requirements on the college spreadsheet (essay, transcript, test scores, fee, letters of recommendation, school profile)
• Apply for all the scholarships you are eligible for - they will be advertised by the counselor, on-line at the universities you're applying to, and on scholarship search sites.  Contact financial aid offices to inquire about scholarships and financial aid specific to their institution.