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VIEW: Home \| College Acceptances and Scholarships for 2007 - 2008 \| Senior College Planning Checklist \| Junior College Planning Checklist \| Sophomore College Planning Checklist \| Freshman College Planning Checklist \| NewsFlash \| ACT / SAT Tests; PSAT, ASVAB, PLAN and EXPLORE Tests \| Scholarships \| Financial Aid and College Costs \| Glossary of College and Financial Aid Terms \| College Visits \| Checklist and Questions for College Visits \| College \| Tips for Writing Essays for College and Scholarship Applications \| Resume' Samples \| Web Links \| Important Dates \| Work Ethic Certificates / Diploma \| FastWeb Newsletters \| CCS School Profile, Graduation Reqirements, Grading Scales, etc. \| Off Campus Programs \| Career \| Guidance

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small medium large 11th Grade - Junior Year It is extremely important to maintain good grades in your junior year. You should also challenge yourself academically because colleges pay attention to the difficulty and diversity of your coursework. The more rigorous your high school curriculum is, the better prepared and more qualified you are for college. Continue to research careers that interest you and find colleges that suit your future goals. General Things You Should Do This Year: []Continue to pray for God's direction and wisdom as you seek His will regarding your plans for after high school. []Meet with your school counselor. []Review your academic record and strengthen any weaknesses or problem areas. []Ensure that you are on track for high school graduation and college entrance requirements. Remember that different colleges have different requirements, so you will need to check with specific schools as you become interested in them. []Enroll in honors, AP, and advanced courses, if possible. []Take ACT/SAT preparation courses, or study for the SAT and/or ACT. []Update your high school resume: grades, test scores, honors, awards, etc. []Attend college fairs and college planning sessions with your parent or guardian. []Attend financial aid information sessions at your high school or local college. []Research specific schools: Check admissions requirements against your credentials and begin to determine realistic choices. []Visit college campuses and meet with admissions officers. Remember to call ahead for an appointment. []Watch for open house events at colleges you would like to visit. []Continue saving for college and researching financial aid opportunities. During the Fall Semester of your Junior Year []Find out schedules and get registration forms for standardized tests, such as the PSAT, SAT I, SAT II: Subject Tests, and ACT. []Take the PSAT in October (it's required for several national scholarships and is especially important for National Merit Scholarships). []Student athletes should talk with their coaches about procedures to indicate interest in college-level athletics. []Use your ASVAB results to help you continue to pray about and plan for your future. During the Spring Semester of your Junior Year []Register for the ACT and/or SAT. Find out if any SAT II: Subject Tests are required by colleges you are considering. []If you have a clear "first choice" college, decide if you are going to apply for early decision or early action. Be aware that if you are accepted for early decision, you are likely committing yourself to attend that school. []Select courses for your senior year that strengthen your academic record and ensure that you meet College Entrance Requirements. []Identify and ask teachers to write a letter of recommendation for your college applications and scholarships. []Take the Advanced Placement exam for any AP course you have completed. If you score well, you may receive college credits. []Check your transcript at the end of the year to make sure it is correct. []Use spring break or summer vacation to tour college campuses. Have questions prepared in advance and take notes on your visits. []Explore careers by taking a summer job or internship in your field of interest. []If you are planning to explore a military academy, begin the process by contacting your congressperson. Parent Checklist for the Junior Year This year the college search process begins in earnest. Just as you've been doing all along, help your child stay on top of things and continue to provide support and encouragement — and constructive criticism, if needed. Most importantly, continue to pray for God's direction and wisdom concerning your child and their plans for after high school. September >Make sure your child registers for the October PSAT. This is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship program and great practice for the SAT. >Check into college fairs and college representative visits to the school. Encourage your child to attend and to start becoming very familiar with college resources. >Make sure your student is registered on at least one of the free scholarship search web-sites. (i.e. www.fastweb.com) >An important note: If you haven't done so yet, get a Social Security number for your child. October/November >If your child is taking the PSAT, make sure the date is in big bold letters on the family calendar. Remind your child to read the Student Bulletin and to do the practice questions. >Register for the ACT/SAT. It is good to begin taking these in the Junior Year. >Schedule college visits. Explore different types of schools. Discuss which characteristics of schools are attractive and which aren't. December >Discuss your child's PSAT scores with them, and, if necessary, discuss strategies for improving weak areas. Look into prep options for the SAT, ACT, and AP. >Start brainstorming with your child about possible target colleges, with test results in mind. Ask other college students you know questions and encourage your child to do so as well. >Take an introductory look at financial aid forms just to see what you'll be doing this time next year. January >Communicate with your student: How's school going this year? Continue to evaluate your child's academic progress. Does everything seem to be going alright? What does your child need if he or she is struggling? >Start making initial summer plans for working, studying, volunteering, etc. Try to make sure your child is involved in something that looks good on a college application. February >Keep searching for scholarships. March >Consider and plan spring vacation college visits. Hopefully, your child's spring break WON'T coincide with college breaks, so you can see and talk to some students, sit in on classes, etc. >Have your son or daughter start a "College Binder" by making an early list of target colleges in a notebook. Visits to college Web sites should increase and he or she should begin calling, writing, or e-mailing target colleges to request publications. Set aside an area where all the marketing materials can be organized and be easily referenced. >If you haven't done so yet, register for upcoming SAT or ACT tests. Check the registration lines! >If AP tests are coming up, make sure your child prepares for the tests. >Discuss the lineup for senior-year classes. Urge your child to include at least one math or science course, as well as the most challenging courses possible. Both of you should recognize that colleges weigh senior classes and grades as heavily as the junior record. April >Does your child still need to take the SAT or ACT? Check for registration lines and upcoming test dates. >If it hasn't already been done, have your child update his or her high school resume. May >Does your child still need to get the SAT and/or ACT out of the way? (And yes, this is yet another reminder!) Make sure no lines or test dates are being overlooked. >Assess the need for and affordability of special services, such as standardized test prep courses. June >Make sure your child is registered for anything that still needs to be done. As always, if your child has a test coming up, mark the test and registration dates on the family calendar. >Take advantage of the summer slow-down by visiting scholarship search and financial aid Web sites with your child, or by checking out comparable library resources. Summer >By now, your child should be accustomed to setting summers aside for employment or some other constructive activities. These are the types of activities that sit well with admission officials. This is also a good time to take some summer visits and plan fall college visits. >He or she should continue requesting college publications. They should also begin planning, if not executing, any supplemental submissions that will be needed, such as audition tapes or art slides or portfolios. Review and update the list of target schools that you and your child have been developing, adding the pros and cons of each school. Some information taken from Petersons.com
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