College Planning

Freshman Planning:

Create a 4-year high school plan with your mentor or counselor. Make sure you know which courses are required for graduation and college acceptance.
Work hard towards achieving your personal academic goals. Remember, the grades you earn as a Freshman are part of your official transcript.
Visit colleges campuses when travelling during school breaks.
Participate in extracurricular activities. Academics are not everything. Explore interests in a school club, a sport, or community volunteer activity. Colleges would like to see real involvement in one activity instead of an inconsistent connection to several.
Explore summer opportunities. Work, intern, volunteer, or shadow a professional. This will help you identify what interests you.

Sophomore Planning:

Continue to work hard towards achieving your personal academic goals. Some colleges, including UC's base their admission decisions on the course selection and academic performance during only 10th and 11th grades.
Consider taking the PSAT Test in the Fall. Visit the SAT/ACT Test Information page for more details.
Attend College and career fairs. Lookout for field trips and announcements from the college counselor throughout the school year.
Tour College Campuses. If possible, take advantage of vacation or other family travel time to visit colleges and see what they’re like. Even if you have no interest in attending the college you are visiting, it will help you learn what to look for in a college!
Continue to explore summer opportunities. Work, intern, volunteer, or shadow a professional. This will help you identify what interests you.

Junior Planning:

Continue to work hard towards achieving your personal academic goals. Some colleges, including UC's base their admission decisions on the course selection and academic performance during only 10th and 11th grades.
Learn about colleges. Look at their websites and find colleges at bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search.
Sign up to take the SAT® in the spring. You can register online or through your school. SAT fee waivers are available to eligible students. Visit the SAT/ACT Test information page for more details.
Ask a counselor or teacher about taking the SAT Subject Tests™ in the spring. You should take them while course material is still fresh in your mind. Visit the SAT/ACT Test information page for more details.
Explore AP® . The Advanced Placement® Program helps hundreds of thousands of high school students achieve their college dreams each year. Get the facts at apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap. If you’re in AP classes, register for the AP Exams given in May. Visit the SAT/ACT Test information page for more details.
Develop a list of 15 or 20 colleges that are of interest to you. You can find many colleges at which you’ll be happy and get a great education. The college search is about exploring who you are and what you want and then finding colleges that will meet your goals.
Start to gather documents for financial aid: Be sure to keep a copy of your tax returns handy. You’ll use these to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which opens on Oct. 1.

Senior Planning:

Strengthen Your College List: Meet with a counselor about your college choices and, if you’ve not yet done so, download college applications and financial aid forms.
Improve Your Score: Many seniors retake the SAT in the fall to improve their score.
Be sure to have your SAT scores sent to the colleges to which you are applying.
Complete the FAFSA: To apply for most financial aid, you’ll need to complete the FAFSA. Oct. 1 is the first day you can file the FAFSA. Deadline is March 2nd. Keep an eye out for updates from the counselor about workshops on campus.
Complete the CSS Profile: CSS Profile™ is an online application used by certain colleges and scholarship programs to determine eligibility for their aid dollars.
Prepare early decision/early action or rolling admission applications as soon as possible. Nov. 1–15: Colleges may require test scores and applications between these dates for early decision admission.
Ask a counselor or teacher for recommendations if you need them.
Write first drafts and ask teachers and others to read them if you’re submitting essays. If you’re applying for early decision, finish the essays for that application now.
Apply to College!Submit your applications to the schools that you want to attend.
Keep active in school. If you are waitlisted, the college will want to know what you have accomplished between the time you applied and the time you learned of its decision.
Inform every college of your acceptance or rejection of the offer of admission and/or financial aid by May 1.
Take any AP® Exams. Show what you’ve learned in your AP classes. A successful score could even earn you credit, advanced placement, or both in college.
Waitlisted by a college? If you intend to enroll if you are accepted, tell the admission director your intent and ask how to strengthen your application. Need financial aid? Ask whether funds will be available if you’re accepted.
Review your financial aid awards: Not all financial aid awards are the same, so it’s important to choose the aid package that’s best for you and your family. Be sure to note what you have to do to continue receiving financial aid from year to year, and how your aid might change in future years.