Timeline for College Planning
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Freshman Year - Setting the stage for success
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Aug / Jan:- Meet with your counselor to develop a four-year plan
Aug / June:- Practice good time management and study skills in high school
- Work hard in challenging courses
- Become involved in activities in and out of school
- Assess your interests and abilities
June / Aug:- Use summer months to broaden your experiences (work, travel, volunteer)
Sophomore Year - Getting Startedwww.careercruising.com
Sept / June:- Continue to practice time management and study skills in high school
October:- Take the PSAT for practice (limited tests are available)
November:- Attend a yearly college fair
December:- Analyze your PSAT results
- Develop strategies for improving your scores
- Set up a simple system for organizing college information
Feb / June:- Begin to explore college choices and possible majors
Junior Year - Exploring The Possibilities
Sept / June:- Continue to strengthen your skills as a student
- Speak to college representatives who visit the High School - Visit the Counseling Office Website for more information including dates and times
October:- Take the PSAT (listen to school announcements for dates)
November:- Attend a yearly college fair
- Continue to research and begin to visit colleges
- Make contact with college coaches if you play a sport
December:- Analyze for PSAT results
- Develop a plan for SAT preparation
January:- Register for Advanced Placement tests
- Attend College Application Process Night at Elizabethtown Area High School
- Begin to narrow the college possibilities and find out which tests colleges require
- Register for SAT and SAT II (www.collegeboard.com)
- Consider the ACT test as an alternative to the SATs at act.org
March / June:- Take SAT, ACT and/or SAT II, if necessary
- Continue to research and visit colleges (admissions and financial aid offices)
May:- Take Advanced Placement tests
July / Aug:- Narrow the list of colleges
- Begin work on college applications (essay, letters of recommendation, resume)
Senior Year - Pursuing Your Future
Sept / Oct:- Plan overnight visits to colleges and prepare for scheduled interviews
- Be aware of admission deadlines (Early decision is often Nov. 1)
- Take SAT and SAT II, if not taken previously
- Ask for letters of recommendation (Allow at least 2 weeks)
- Submit applications
- Request transcripts to be sent to college admissions office (Allow at least 2 weeks)
- Attend Financial Aid Night at Elizabethtown Area High School
- File FAFSA
November:- Take SAT and SAT II, if not taken previously
December:- Submit CSS profile to your university, if required
- Gather information for financial aid forms
- Research national and local scholarships
Jan / May:- Consult school Counseling Office Website for scholarship information
- Reply to acceptances and meet deadlines for deposits
- Finalize financial aid package
- Request final transcripts to be sent (Allow at least 2 weeks)