Attend presentations by college representatives when they visit the CHEC in the fall; college visitation schedules are posted on the counseling website and they will be posted on the 1st and 4th floor bulletins and counselors office.
Junior/Senior Convocation ceremony in November
WINTER / SPRING
Think about yourself,
your goals, what factors are important to you in the college you plan to attend
Discuss colleges with
your parents, friends, teachers, etc
Read college guides,
catalogs, and brochures.
Spend time in the
College/Career center browsing through all the college material
Visit colleges,
especially during your spring vacation to get a feel for college life. Take
note of what you like and don't like in colleges you visit.
Register for ACT,
SAT, or SAT Subject tests
FEBRUARY
Take the in school SATat CHEC
Take ACT to see if you want to see how
you score compared to SAT
Take SAT subject tests if needed
Figure out what standardized tests
you are going to take and how you are going to prepare for them
Continue to explore and research
colleges and see what test they require depending on major and College
Based on your research, plan to visit
colleges over spring break
Start making
summer plans
APRIL
Continue to explore and research colleges
If you haven't done so already, schedule a meeting with your counselor to discuss your spring break college trip, summer plans, and senior course schedule
If you plan to participate in college athletics, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center
JANUARY
Begin to explore and
research colleges using Naviances and college guidebooks and websites
Have a family
discussion about factors that may affect your college search, e.g., finances,
proximity to home. (Parents, if you are setting any specific parameters, now is
the time to share them with your son/daughter!)
Make an appointment
with your counselor
MARCH
March 14: SAT test date
Continue to explore and research colleges
Apply for summer programs/jobs/internships
Put yourself on mailing lists of any colleges of interest—most schools have that function online, or you can call, email, or send a letter
Decide what Subject Tests to take in May or June and register for them
Spring break is a good time to visit colleges both near and far
Meet with your counselor
MAY
May 2: SAT/SAT Subject Tests date
AP exams
Attend college informational meetings in the DC area (If you're on colleges' mailing lists, they'll invite you.)
Continue to explore and research colleges
Finalize summer plans
As you begin to wrap up your junior year, keep all of the papers that you wrote over the year. Some colleges ask for a graded paper as part of the college application, so don't throw any of your work out!
JUNE / SUMMER
June 6: SAT/SAT Subject Test date
June 11: ACT Test date
End the school year
with a tentative college list of 15–2 0 colleges/universities.
Relax and recharge
Brainstorm ideas for
your college essay; "topic of choice" is the most popular essay
prompt
Visit colleges, begin
comparing colleges, and identify what you like and don't like
Write or subscribe to
colleges/universities for information
By the end of the
summer, narrow down your choices to a list of about 10–15