Planning for College
Freshman Year
- Find out how to make the most of high school.
- Take challenging high school courses.
- Think about why you should go to college.
- Investigate college entrance requirements.
- Join extracurricular activities.
- Explore careers on the Internet.
Sophomore Year
- Continue to take challenging high school courses.
- Continue to explore careers on the Internet.
- Think about what careers interest you.
- Think about why you should go to college and how it relates to careers that interest you.
- Continue with or join extracurricular activities.
- Take the PSAT in the fall and use the results as a learning tool to help prepare for the SAT.
- Participate in service-learning activities that demonstrate a concern for other people.
Junior Year
- Continue to take challenging courses.
- Maintain your grades.
- Take the PSAT in the fall and use the results as a learning tool.
- Take practice tests for the SAT or ACT.
- Register for and take the SAT or ACT during the second semester.
- Talk with parents about colleges that interest you and plan visits to those colleges.
- Prepare a list of questions to ask on campus visits.
- Volunteer for activities that relate to your career interests.
- Get a part-time job in a field related to your career interests.
- Participate in service-learning activities that demonstrate a concern for other people.
Senior Year
- Take the SAT, ACT or SAT II if necessary.
- Check on college application and financial aid deadlines.
- Begin working on college applications.
- Make an up-to-date and detailed list of your extracurricular activities and awards both in and out of school.
- Check with teachers for recommendations as needed.
- Visit colleges to which you plan to apply.
- Look for scholarship opportunities.
- Apply for financial aid.
- Notify colleges which you do not plan to attend of your decision.
- Send the deposit for the college you do plan to attend.
- Participate in service-learning activities that demonstrate a concern for other people.