Fall:
- The most important thing of all: get good grades!
- Start developing a résumé—a record of your accomplishments, activities, and work experiences. This will be an important part of your college application.
- If you haven’t participated in many activities outside of class, now is the time to sign up. Consider clubs at schools, team sports, leadership roles, or involvement in your religious or civic community group.
- Take the PSAT. Taking the test as a junior will qualify you for some scholarship consideration and identify you to colleges as a potential applicant. When you receive the results (usually in December), review them to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses. Discuss the results with your family and school counselor.
- Begin to prepare for the ACT or SAT. Free test preparation is available to all Northwood students via Family Connection; in addition, there are many free resources on the Internet. If you can’t find web sites, ask your counselor. You should plan to take at least one of these tests in the spring and again next fall during your senior year. If you have extended time or other accommodations for tests in school check with Mr. Spear about extended time for the ACT and SAT
January/February:
- The most important thing of all: get good grades!
- Register for a spring offering of the SAT (May) and ACT (June). Ask your counselor if you should take an SAT Subject Test in June.
- Consider summer opportunities on college campuses. These can be a great way to find out what college life is all about and make you a more attractive candidate for admission to colleges. Click “Enrichment Programs” under the “College” tab in Family Connection to learn more.
March/April:
- The most important thing of all: get good grades!
- Meet with Mrs. Edwards to develop your senior schedule. Make sure that you will be enrolled in the most challenging courses for which you are qualified.
- Begin taking a more serious look at colleges and universities. Make a file for each college in which you are interested and gather information about academics, financial aid, and campus life. Go to college fairs and open houses and learn as much as you can about colleges online.
- Begin planning college visits. Spring break is a good time to visit. Try to visit colleges near you. And include a large, medium size, and small campus.
- Develop a preliminary list of colleges that interest you. Write or email to request a viewbook and additional information. Add the colleges to your “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list.
- Have a summer plan. Look into summer jobs or apply for special summer academic or enrichment programs. Colleges love to see students using their knowledge and developing their skills and interests. Most important: stay busy this summer.
- Think about lining up a summer job, internship or co-op.
- International students: sign up and take the TOEFL.
May:
- The most important thing of all: get good grades!
- Take a look at some college applications and consider all of the different pieces of information you will need to compile.
- Make a list of teachers, counselors, employers, and other adults whom you might ask to write letters of recommendation for your college applications.
- Prospective college athletes:
- Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (Prospective Division I or Division II Athletes)
- Write to coaches.
- Create a sports resume.
- Meet with your coach to review college list; add and remove colleges.
Summer:
- Begin thinking about your applications. Generally, colleges will have their applications online by the beginning of August. Work on the essay before you return to school!
- International students: prepare the “certification of finances” form and get 20 certified bank statements.
- Create your CommonApp.org account after August 1
- Refine your college list: update your “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list on Family Connection
John Spear 