College Planning Timeline

Becoming a successful college applicant is a process you have to start before your senior year of high school. Hopefully this guide will give you an idea of the type of planning you should start doing as early as 9th grade.

9th Grade

• Meet with your guidance or college counselor and tell him or her that you want to attend college.
• Together develop a plan that will put you on the college track. Anticipate that you will have to go beyond the minimum requirements to graduate high school.
• Take advantage of Advanced or Honors courses offered by your school.
• Establish a strong GPA.
• Get involved in activities in your school and/or local community.

10th Grade

• Continue taking challenging courses.
• Maintain a strong GPA or improve on the one you established in 9th Grade!
• Continue your participation in your activities.
• Use your summer to gain valuable experience. Attend a pre-college program, participate in a school travel program or find a part-time job. What you choose to do is less important than choosing to do something to broaden your horizons.

11th Grade

• Maintain GPA or improve on the one you established in 10th Grade!
• Take college preparatory classes (Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Enrollment etc.).
• Take the PSAT in the fall to qualify for National Merit Scholarships and identify strengths and weaknesses before taking the SAT.
• Begin studying for the SAT/ACT, do practice tests online and take an SAT/ACT prep course.
• Begin college search process:
  • Think about what type of college you would want to attend.
    • Size: small (<5,000 students), medium (5,000-15,000 students), large (15,000-30,000), and extra large (>30,000).
    • Setting: climate, geographic region, proximity to home, etc.
    • Type of school: liberal arts, technical, private, public, HBCU (historically black college or university)
    • Programs of study offered: Business, Pre-Med, Pre-Law, Engineering, Education, etc.
    • Extracurricular activities: internships, study abroad, clubs and organizations
    • Fit: Do you feel comfortable on the campus? Can you see yourself spending four years there? These questions can only really be answered by visiting a college campus!
  • Research schools online, at the library, at your school's college counseling office and local college fairs.
  • Narrow your choices down to 5-10 colleges.
• Visit as many college campuses on your list as you can! Try to schedule a visit at a time when school is in session and students are around. Ask the same questions at each college you visit. Take notes and pictures. Visit options include:
  • Information session and campus tour
  • Interview
  • Open House or Preview Weekend
  • Visit a friend to spend the night on campus
• Take the SAT/ACT in the spring.
• Step up to leadership positions in your extracurricular activities.
• Use this summer to build upon the experience you acquired last summer.
• Research and begin to apply for scholarships. Look locally first; although local scholarships may not award as much money as national scholarships they are much less competitive. Every little bit helps. Check out the following resources:
  • Guidance counselor
  • Religious or civic organizations
  • Your parents' employer
  • Newspaper
  • Internet

12th Grade

• Maintain strong GPA. Colleges will see your midyear and final grades.
• Continue taking challenging courses i.e. math, science, foreign language, etc, at the college prep level. Your senior year should be your most challenging.
• Take the SAT/ACT again in the fall to improve your scores.
• Continue college visits.
• Narrow your choices to 5-7 schools.
• Compile applications for each school; check deadlines and application costs.
• Obtain 2-3 letters of recommendation from your guidance counselor, teacher(s), coach, etc. As a courtesy make your requests a month in advance.
• Write your application essays with care and have them critiqued by others; they are your on-paper interview.
• Submit your applications by December so that your holiday break can be stress free.
• Continue applying for scholarships.
• Have your parents submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in January.
• Relax and enjoy your senior year!