High School Timeline

College process timeline

Freshman year

  • Get to know your school counselor

  • Get involved in school activities: do what you enjoy!

  • Get involved in community activities and service

  • Earn the best grades you can

  • Take the most challenging (but appropriate) courses you can

  • Read, even when not assigned for school, on a regular basis

  • Depending on your courses, you might take an sat ii: subject test at the end of the year; talk with your counselor

  • If your family travels over spring break or during the summer, and if you pass near a college campus, stop and take the tour

  • In addition to enjoying your time off, plan to do something constructive with your summer vacation

Sophomore year

  • Stay in touch with your school counselor

  • If your school offers it, take the psat or plan in the fall

  • Remain involved in school and community activities: follow your passions!

  • Earn the best grades you can

  • Continue to take the most challenging courses you can

  • Continue to read for pleasure

  • Depending on the courses you take this year, it is even more likely that you would consider an sat ii: subject test at the end of the school year; talk with your counselor

  • In the spring, look at the list of senior college acceptances: who do you know and where is he/she going?

  • Continue to take advantage of college visits if your family is near a college-- just to get a feel for the different types of colleges there are

  • Use your free time in the summer productively, while also enjoying your time off

Junior year

  • This is the most important year academically: do your best, challenge yourself appropriately

  • Continue to remain involved in activities; try to move into positions of responsibility or leadership

  • Take the psat and/or plan in the fall

  • Following your school's guidelines for meeting with your counselor to start the college process; in many schools, the process begins in the late fall or after the holiday break

  • In the winter, think of how you will prepare for your first sat and/or act

  • When you select your courses for senior year, get advice and choose wisely

  • With your counselor, develop an initial list of colleges during the spring

  • Try to make some preliminary visits to colleges during spring break

  • Take advantage of college representative visits to your school and evening programs in your community

  • Research colleges, collect information

  • Use your summer vacation time productively; visit colleges during the summer

Senior year

  • Don't forget how important your grades continue to be: the first semester/ trimester is critical

  • Remain in close contact with your counselor

  • Remain involved in activities which you enjoy, assume leadership positions and more responsibility

  • Continue to add or subtract colleges from your list as you learn about schools, make visits, etc.

  • Be attentive to in-school deadlines and procedures established by your guidance or college counseling office

  • Meet with college representatives who visit your school in the fall; attend evening programs in your community which are hosted by colleges in which you are interested

  • When you are able, continue to visit colleges in which you are interested when you have time off from school during the fall

  • If you are applying early, be aware that application deadlines are just a few weeks after school begins

  • Make arrangements with teachers and others for recommendations; follow your school's procedures

  • By thanksgiving time, your list of colleges should be final: six to eight schools is a good number for most students looking at selective colleges; get advice from your counselor

  • Before the holiday break, be attentive to early deadlines and/ or preferred or recommended application deadlines for state universities, honors programs, rolling admission schools, and scholarship programs

  • Give yourself plenty of time to work on applications, especially essays

  • Know what financial aid forms you must submit, and submit them in a timely fashion

  • Take advantage of interviews when given the opportunity

  • After your applications are completed, continue to work hard: senior slump can have disastrous consequences

  • As you receive decisions, inform your counselor, teachers, and others who helped you; thank them

  • In april, consider participating in the open house/ accepted student programs hosted by colleges

  • Have your one deposit at the school you will attend by may 1

  • If you are on a waiting list, get advice from your counselor

  • Enjoy senior year sensibly and responsibly!