High School Timeline

9th Grade Year

• Make a four-year plan of courses you will take, including classes that will help prepare you for college

• Take an aptitude test or career interest inventory

• Research careers that interest you

• Remember your GPA counts now, so work hard!

• Commit yourself to extracurricular activities

• Volunteer in the community

• Create a portfolio that documents your successes, such as honor roll, civic clubs, and sports recognitions.

• As summer approaches, evaluate your goals.  Make needed changes to stay on track

• Take advantage of summer academic programs in your area or jobs that interest you

10th Grade Year

• Review your goals - make sure you are on the right path to achieve them - and then take constructive steps to reach them

• Research careers that interest you

• Attendance, grades, and leadership count.  So keep up the good work!

• Create a portfolio of achievements if you do not have one already.  Or, add new accomplishments to your existing portfolio

• Continue to volunteer in the community

• Stay committed to extracurricular activities.  If you aren't involved, find an activity or job that will use your talents best

• Attend summer academic programs that will help your transition to college

11th Grade Year

• Explore colleges (through campus visits, college and career fairs, and internet) (visit your top five)

• Take the ACT and/or SAT (a good time is the Dec and April test -- that way you have been in class almost the entire semester)

• Research careers that interest you

• Attendance, grades, and leadership still count

• Continue to volunteer in the community

• Stay committed to extracurricular activities

• Keep up your portfolio of achievements

• Search out job possibilities that fit your interests (through job shadowing, research and etc.)

• Continue to take advantage of summer academic programs and jobs

12th Grade

• Take the ACT again and continue to take it!

• Colleges consider your coursework and grades throughout your senior year -- so keep your grades up!

• Perfect your resume of activities

• Continue to volunteer in the community

• Stay committed to extracurricular activities

• Research careers that interest you

• List your top five schools with requirements and deadlines for applications, fees, test scores, teacher recommendations, transcripts, and essays.  Be sure to include the names of important contacts with this list

• Get a brochure, application form, and information on financial aid and scholarships from every school in which you're interested.

• Prepare applications, write essays, and ask teachers to write recommendations at least one month before deadlines.

• Visit your top three schools on their preview days to get an inside look

• Apply for financial aid (Jan. 1st and after -- FAFSA)

• Apply for scholarships

• Most colleges will honor the "universal candidate reply date," allowing you to choose without penalty from all offers of scholarship and aid until May 1st.

• Watch your mail for acceptance letters and return any requested forms promptly

• Buckle down and make that final decision - what college will it be?

• Plan to attend orientation