Senior Checklist
Complete applications. Finish the application forms for the schools you’re interested in. Proofread them and make extra copies before you send them. Take standardized tests. Register for and take the ACT, SAT, or SAT Subject Tests as necessary. Be sure you have requested that your test scores be sent to the colleges of your choice. Ask for letters of recommendation. Give recommendation forms to the teachers you have chosen at least two weeks before you need their letter. Discuss your goals and ambitions with your teachers so they’ll be more prepared to write about you. Continue to visit schools. Fall is a great time to look at colleges because classes are in session and you are better able to talk with students and professors and maybe sit in on a class or two. Continue your scholarship search. Apply for scholarships whose deadlines are approaching and keep searching for more scholarship and grant opportunities. Ask colleges about what scholarships you may qualify for. Submit financial aid forms. Fill out the FAFSA, and if necessary, the CSS PROFILE online. No matter what your family’s income level is, the FAFSA is your main priority for financial aid purposes because it will determine how much you’re expected to pay. Don’t send the forms until after January 1, because they can’t be processed before then. Make sure you are completing your graduation requirements and course requirements for the colleges you are applying to. Need four years of math or science? Or two years of a foreign language? Check on that. Sophomore Checklist Take the PSAT and the PLAN to help you gauge your strengths and weaknesses. Take challenging classes and see if you need to take any pre-requisites for 11th grade. Work on study skills! Look at how you are spending your time, after school, on the weekends and during the summer. Work, volunteer, play sports or take a college course at CPCC! Look up colleges online. This way you can see what requirements colleges are looking for and you can plan your final two years of High School. |
Junior Checklist
Junior year grades, test scores, and activities are extremely important. Do your best in class and prepare for all tests. Get involved in leadership activities outside of academics. Junior year grades will be the most recent grades a college will have when you apply to their school. Evaluate your education options. Now is the time to follow a more specific path. Decide whether you want to pursue full-time employment, further education or training (such as a vocational-technical school, career college, or two-year or four-year college), or a military career. Make a college list. Include colleges that meet your most important criteria (for example, size, location, cost, academic majors, or special programs). Take the ACT, and take it seriously. Make sure you’re meeting any special requirements. If you want to play Division I or II sports in college start the certification process and check with your counselor to make sure you’re taking a core curriculum that meets NCAA requirements. Start a scholarship search. There are lots of scholarships out there; you just need to spend a little bit of time and effort to find them. Visit colleges. Take a tour and speak with the admissions and financial aid staff. You may also be able to talk to students if some classes are in session. This is a great way to narrow down which schools you would like to consider. Freshman Checklist Think about what colleges you are interested in and look at their admissions statistics. Take your studies seriously. Grades are important in 9th grade as they contribute to your overall GPA. Colleges look at all your grades from 9th-12th. College prep classes too easy? Think about taking honors classes your sophomore year. Work at writing well. Writing will be essential to every class in High School and College Be respectful to your teachers YOUR GRADES MATTER!! |