PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS

A Student Timeline

Winter

Stay involved with extracurricular activities. Colleges look for consisten- cy and depth in the non-academic activities you pursue. Taking on lead- ership roles and making a commit- ment to the same groups at this time can be more important than trying out tons of new activities each year. Organize your college informa- tion. Set up a filing system with indi- vidual folders for each college’s cor- respondence and printed materials. This will make it easier to locate the specific information you’re looking for.

Begin narrowing down your college choices. Make sure you have all the information you need about the colleges you’re interested in (entrance requirements, tuition, room and board costs, course offerings, student activities, financial aid, etc.). Then begin comparing the schools by the factors that are most important to you and rank your choices.

ACT, or SAT Subject Tests. Register to take the tests you need; most juniors take them in the winter or spring. You can take them again in the fall of your senior year if you’re unhappy with your scores. Talk to your family. Have a discussion about the colleges you’re interested in. Your family can learn about what you want to pursue and you can hear any concerns or suggestions they might have.

Prepare for standardized tests. Find out if the colleges you are interested in require the SAT,

Learn more about financial aid. Examine your family’s financial resources and gather informa- tion about financial aid from the schools you’re interested in. High-school sponsored financial aid nights and college financial aid counselors are also good sources of information.

Spring

Prepare a challenging schedule for senior year. Meet with your counselor to determine what classes you’ll take next year and to make sure you’re on track for graduation. When you pick your classes, don’t load up on easy electives. Colleges do consider your senior year courses and grades, so stick with a schedule that challenges you.

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. Check with your guidance office for scholarships from local organizations to find a wider range of options. The sooner you start looking for scholarships, the easier it will be to select some to apply to during your senior year. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12