SEMESTER 1
Now is the time to think about the College Search and by the end of the year, or perhaps second semester, a list should be crafted.
Class Schedule Review:
Check in with your counselor and review your schedule and think ahead to senior year and plan through senior year. Remember, if you are an athlete and planning to play sports in college, refer to those NCAA Guidelines. Keep in touch with your coach, counselor and find an expert to work through all the special hoops needed to jump through in order to follow these complicated rules and regulations.
Keep in mind, this is a challenging year academically as well as knowing that this is the official college search launch year.
- Keep taking the most challenging classes you can
- Take the PSAT in October
- Meet with College Reps who will visit your high school
- Go to college fairs and Gap Year Fairs in your area (USA Gap Year Fair)
- Maintain grades, and remember grades remain permanent on the student record
- Continue involvement in activities in and out of school that are enjoyable
- Attend any parent night regarding college the school has to offer
- You might end up taking a standardized test first semester, think about test prep
SEMESTER 2
- As with first semester, attend any college nights
- Meet with reps from colleges
- Go to any fairs- Gap Year or College Fairs
- Attend any college counseling workshops the school offers (even if you have hired an Independent College Consultant)
- Identify characteristics you want in a college
- Talk with your college counselor at school – remember, s/he will be writing one of your recommendations for university
- Search on the internet for colleges/universities, keeping in mind that the websites of these schools is a form of advertising
- Sign up for the appropriate standardized testing: ACT/SAT/Subject Tests: watch those deadlines. Remember, some selective colleges and universities require the SAT II (Subject Tests)
- Consider asking your teachers for letters of recommendation- as they often keep a limit of how many letters they will write
- Think about summer -again, keeping in mind doing what you want to do
- Check credits for graduation
- You can log into The Common Application and start filling out the bits and pieces, see what the prompts are for the essay, research schools
- Keep reading, keep writing in a journal
Keep outstanding assignments from each class in a portfolio. Reflect on your school year throughout- what went well, what needs improvement, make a plan. Keep grades and transcripts, update that resume