Secondary Educational Services

You just got to high school and you’re already supposed to start preparing for college?

Not really, but there are some things you can do to help prepare for college in the next few years.

1. Develop strong academic and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses and reading. Discuss academic and career plans with your Guidance Counselor and come up with a tentative four-year plan.
2. Gain an understanding of high school graduation requirements, college entrance requirements, and collegiate athletic requirements, if applicable, and make sure you are taking, and you will continue to take, the proper courses.
3. Get involved in extra-curricular activities, volunteer opportunities, and internships or jobs. When you apply to college, you will be asked about these activities. The quality of your involvement is more important than the number of activities you choose. Find things that interest you and that you are passionate about.
4. Look for interesting things to do over the summer that will enrich your life. Many colleges want to know how you spent your summers.
5. Start to document your activities, involvement, awards, and honors. Put everything in a separate file.
6. Work hard and get good grades. Your GPA is just one piece of the puzzle, but it is an important one. 
7. Enjoy high school. It should be a wonderful four years!

The sophomore year is important in the world of college admissions. It is the start of standardized testing and a good time to begin to think about where you might like to go to college and what you need to accomplish to make that a reality. 

Here are some general guidelines:

1. Continue to take challenging courses. Review high school graduation requirements, college entrance requirements, and collegiate athletic requirements, if applicable, and make sure you are taking the proper courses.

2. Take advantage of career interest inventories to determine possible career choices.

3. Learn about the PSAT and PLAN. Take the PLAN, and consider taking the PSAT. Watch for sign-up announcements. High achieving students in particular should familiarize themselves with the PSAT and consider doing some PSAT test prep over the summer before junior year, because PSAT scores are used to select National Merit Scholars and National Achievement Scholars.
4. If you are enrolled in advanced courses, consider taking an SAT Subject Test in those courses. Talk with your teachers about whether and when to take these tests.
5. Work hard and get good grades. Your GPA is just one piece of the puzzle, but it is an important one.
6. Continue to be involved in extracurricular activities and search out leadership roles. Continue volunteering.
7. Continue documenting your activities, honors, and awards.
8. Start to research colleges and universities and explore possible majors and careers.
9. Start a calendar of important dates and deadlines.
10. Visit colleges when they are in session and start to compare what you like and dislike about them.
11. Start to look at financial aid information.
12. Make your summer count. Find opportunities to study, volunteer, or explore an area of interest.

Junior year is packed with standardized tests, difficult courses, and the need to begin your college search in earnest. Here is a calendar with important information.

All Year

1. Register for and take standardized tests as necessary.
2. Continue to take challenging courses. Review high school graduation requirements, college entrance requirements, and collegiate athletic requirements, if applicable, and make sure you are taking the proper courses.
3. Get good grades.
4. Continue documenting your activities, honors, and awards.
5. Continue to be involved in extracurricular activities and search out leadership roles.
6. Continue volunteering.

September

1. Register for the October PSAT. When you receive your score report, go to the College Board website and sign into My College QuickStart for additional information about your results.
2. Take a practice PSAT tests at College Board and Peterson’s College Prep Tests.
3. Attend college representative visits.
4. Focus on your college search by looking through any or all of the search engines under College Search.
5. If you are interested in California state colleges and universities, here are some useful websites (See also Admission Requirements for California Public Colleges and Universities). If you are interested in attending a University of California school.
6. If you are interested in attending a California State University or a California Community College.
7. Compare the results you have found and start to make a list of colleges you are interested in learning more about.
8. Make an appointment to meet with your guidance counselor to finalize your schedule for the next two years. Keep in mind that colleges will look at how rigorous your classes are.
9. If you are interested in playing Division I or Division II sports in college, review the NCAA eligibility requirements

October

1. Take the PSAT to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Competition and the National Achievement Scholarship Program. It is also good practice for the SAT.
2. Continue to attend college representative visits both on campus and at regional sites.
3. Look in the CCC for more information.
4. Involve yourself in clubs and activities that interest you and continue to assume leadership positions.

November

1. Continue your research on colleges as discussed above.
2. Attend college representative visits as discussed above.

December

1. Talk with your high school alumni who may be home for the holidays and ask them about their college experiences.
2. If you are applying for financial aid, get your PIN. Begin researching both government and private financial aid. For a list of helpful websites go to Financial Aid Overview.
3. Use the results from the PLAN and PSAT to develop a strategy to improve your scores, if necessary.

January

1. Consider taking the SAT.
2. Use your research for your college search, your standardized test scores, and your GPA to come up with a tentative list of schools.
3. If you do not yet have a social security number, apply for one now. You'll need it during the college application process.

February

1. Research interesting and valuable summer opportunities. Colleges will be interested in how you spent your summer.
2. Plan a challenging senior class schedule with a minimum of four academic classes.

March

1. Narrow down your list of schools to about 20. Schedule college visits to colleges close to home and, if possible, to colleges farther away during spring break.
2. Sign up to take AP tests and SAT/ACT tests.

April

1. Consider taking the ACT.
2. Finalize your summer activity.
3. Write a letter of intent if you are applying to any of the service academies.
4. Search for scholarships.
5. Register for the May/June SAT, SAT Subject Tests, and ACT, if you have not done so. Do some test prep.

May

1. Take the SAT and SAT Subject Tests.
2. Take AP exams in all your AP classes.
3. Begin working on your brag sheet, including academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, awards, leadership positions, etc.
4. Begin looking for scholarships.

June

1. Take SAT/SAT Subject Tests, as appropriate.
2. Take the ACT, as appropriate.
3. If you are taking college tours during the summer, go to each college's website and see when tours and information sessions are available. Colleges usually have reduced summer hours.

Summer

1. Keep researching schools.
2. Visit colleges.
3. Complete a draft of the Common Application.
4. Start working on your college essay(s).
5. Read, read, read.
6. Start to develop your performing or visual arts portfolio, as appropriate. Check each college's requirements on their website.
7. Attend one of the summer programs you researched back in February.
8. Research additional scholarships and begin working on scholarship applications and essays.
9. Spend time prepping for the SAT and ACT before you get busy again in the fall.

The fall will be your busiest time for college applications. It is important to begin working on your applications as early as possible. The summer before your senior year is a good time to start.

As you complete your applications, make sure all of your information is accurate, complete, and submitted by the application deadlines. Keep copies of all applications for your files.

Also, take this time to meet with college representatives and attend college fairs. Continue visiting schools whenever possible. It is also a good time to search for scholarships. And don’t forget to secure your teacher recommendations. Register to take the SAT and/or ACT if you plan on taking it again. The dates are listed at www.collegeboard.com (SAT) or www.act.org (ACT). Finally, do your best in school. Senior year does count!

September

1. All month. Continue to contact colleges and visit college websites as you refine your college list. Complete your list of schools and keep it to a reasonable number.
2. Ask teachers for letters of recommendation.
3. If you haven't already started, begin writing your college essays.
4. Make a master calendar for yourself and include: test dates and deadlines; college application due dates; required financial aid applications and deadlines; recommendations, transcripts, and other necessary materials for each application; list of required essays; list of application supplements for Common Application schools, artistic supplement requirements and deadlines, if appropriate; and deadlines for application requests, such as your transcript.
5. Register for the Sat and ACT as required.
6. You may begin applying to schools with rolling admissions.
7. Go to your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogs, and other social networking sites. Remove anything you would not be proud to have college admissions officers look at - some will. Change settings as necessary, so that your friends cannot post inappropriate items on any part of your site that is visible to admissions officers.

October

1. Complete your CSS/Financial Aid/PROFILE online. Forms are available at College Board Online. Students applying for financial aid at private colleges should register online.
2. October 15 - November 15. Early Decision, Early Action, and Rolling Admission deadlines. Check with the individual colleges for more information.
3. Continue editing your application essays.
4. File early decision, early action, and/or rolling admission applications, if any.
5. Follow up on your letters of recommendation.
6. Continue to be involved in extracurricular activities and assume leadership positions.
7. Register for the SAT and ACT as required.

November

1. UC and CSU application filing period.
2. Prepare applications for private colleges and universities.
3. If you are applying for financial aid, apply for your PIN at www.pin.ed.gov.
4. Register for the SAT and ACT as required.
5. Most Early Decision and Early Action deadlines.
6. UC and CSU application deadline.

December

1. FAFSA practice worksheets are available online at studentaid.gov/resources#fafsa.
2. 3 SAT (usually the last one colleges will accept)
3. 10 ACT (usually the last one colleges will accept)
4. Request that score reports are sent to every school you are applying to.
5. 15-20 Early Decision and Early Action decisions announced around this time. If accepted, follow instructions.
6. Late December. Application deadline for many private colleges and universities.

January

1. Attend financial aid night presentation.
2. Fill out the FAFSA after January 1. Remind parents to complete income tax forms ASAP (advisable for FAFSA application). Fill out any additional financial aid forms required by your colleges. (See Financial Aid Overview).
3. Request your Guidance Counselor submit mid-year reports from colleges that require them.

February

1. Complete financial aid forms and continue looking for scholarships.
2. Attend scholarship notebook meeting and begin working on your notebook. Watch for the deadline. Identify and apply for additional scholarships.
3. Students planning on attending a CSU should sign up for the English and math placement tests unless they are exempt. Tests are at CSU campuses and continue throughout the spring.
4. Students planning on attending a California Community College should sign up for placement tests on individual school websites.

March

1. Watch deposit deadlines for housing.
2. Online registration for California Community Colleges.
3. Deadline for filing FAFSA and CSS/PROFILE. Be sure to view your Student Aid Report when it arrives and make any necessary changes.
4. 15 - 30 UC admission notifications.
5. Compare financial aid packages among schools.
6. Visit schools where you have been accepted and make your final decision.
7. Contact your college's financial aid office for any forms you may need to complete.
8. 1 - 15 Most application decision notifications. Congratulations! If you are waitlisted, consult with your Guidance Counselor.

May

1. Take AP exams. They may lead to college credits.
2. Clear any library or textbook fines.
3. 1 National candidate reply date. Deadline to make your final decision and notify all schools where you have been accepted about your decision. You can only commit to one college or university. Please let schools that you will not be attending know that. Make your deposit as needed.

June

1. Send your final transcript to colleges.
2. Graduation
3. Start preparing for the year ahead! Be sure to fill out and return all tuition, housing, and other forms on time.