Freshmen
- Become aware of entrance requirements for colleges. These may include choice of courses, grades, activities, leadership and testing.
- Know that all grades matter, even 9th grade. Colleges will receive a complete transcript when the student’s record is sent.
- Become aware of careers that interest you and the college majors that will lead to those careers and the colleges that offer those majors.
- Become familiar with resources in the Career Center and make use of them during the four year high school experience.
- Consider doing volunteer work in the summer and/or outside of school.
- Read as much as possible. Many colleges applications and/or scholarships will ask you to list or make reference to books you have read outside of school assignments.
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Sophomores
February-June in the Career Center:
- Become familiar with the resources in the Career Center.
- Take the Career Interest Inventory (occupation search—self assessment on COIN).
- Read about various careers in the vocational biographies and on COIN.
- Determine possible college majors for careers you are considering.
- Begin to research colleges on our computers and look over college viewbooks.
To Do List:
- February
- Do activities outside of school such as volunteer work that have leadership responsibilities.
- First semester grades will be mailed in February. The semester grades are the only grades recorded on your permanent record.
- Begin making plans for your Junior year. You need to select 11th grade courses carefully, so you will complete the high school graduation requirement and meet the requirements for admission to college.
- Progress reports will be mailed late February.
- Check on summer opportunities—enrichment and other programs—in the Career Center. These are often on college campuses.
- March
- Make course selection for 11th grade. Read the course material, discuss educational goals with your parents, and check graduation requirements. The choices you make in your course selections for next year are the basis for long term goals.
- Whenever you travel, drop in and see colleges in that area. Spring break is a good time for this.
- April
- Note class drop deadline is the end of the third quarter.
- Third quarter grades will be mailed in mid-April. Use this grade report to help you in decisions about next year’s program.- Find out about summer school to retake courses that need to be made up.
- Consider attending the College Connection Fair at St. Mary’s College from 1-5 p.m. where you may talk with representatives from over 170 colleges.
- May
- Complete any application required for Summer School. Finalize your summer plans.
- Progress reports will be mailed in May.
- Check in the Career Center for summer jobs. Find out about any other youth employment agencies.
- June
- Prepare to take semester finals. These last weeks will be spent in preparation for your final examinations.
- Second semester grades will be mailed in June.
- Consider making a summer visit to colleges in order to talk with admissions persons and tour the campus with student guides.
- Talk with your Senior friends about what they plan to do next September and ask them how they made their choice concerning college and career.
- Summer
- This is a good time to do volunteer work.
- READ - READ - READ. Many college applications and/or scholarships ask you to list or make reference to books you have read outside of required school reading.
- Begin your resume. Resume forms are available in the Career Center.
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Juniors
- September
- If you have not already done so, apply for a social security card. You will need it as an identification card.
- Sign up in the Career/Counseling Center to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) in October. Watch for announcements.
- Take an interest survey that is offered at school or go online.
- Junior grades are very important.
- October
- Take PSAT/NMSQT test. This is a highly recommended testing experience. Your performance can help you assess yourself as you proceed toward school selections.
- Attend college representative meetings and College Night at your local school. Build a habit of being informed. Check with your counselor, the career center or guidance office for dates that college representatives will be on your campus. Start a list of schools.
- Involve yourself in clubs/activities.
- Search the World Wide Web.
- January-April
- Apply for Career Oriented Program, Advanced High School Students Program at community colleges, concurrent enrollment, or Accelerated High School Students Program at Cal State University or University of California. The deadline is April 1. See your counselor for more information.
- Discuss PSAT scores with your counselor; make a plan to prepare for the SAT or ACT.
- Register for the SAT 1 (reasoning tests). It is good experience to take at least one of them in May or June, so that you will have time to repeat the exams if you are dissatisfied with your scores. Obtain applications and familiarize yourself with the test format.
- May
- ATHLETICS: if you hope to participate in college athletics, you must be certified by the NCAA Clearinghouse. See your counselor immediately to file the forms and pay fee. Check out the NCAA website at http://www.ncaa.org/cbsa/.
- Apply for summer programs at community, public and private colleges.
- Write to your Congressional Representatives for applications to military academies.
- Take AP exams if applicable.
- Spring and Summer
- Send for college applications if you plan to be a mid-year graduate.
- Visit college campuses during spring break and summer vacation.
- Take a course at community college or do some community service work.
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Seniors
- September
- If you have not taken the SAT I (Reasoning Tests) or ACT tests, you must register in September/early October in order to take them in October/November. Register to take the SAT II (Subject Tests) in November or December.
- Register for ACT, if applicable.
- Attend college representative meetings held at your school. Keep informed by listening for announcements and reading bulletin boards.
- Begin survey of scholarship opportunities: see your counselor; visit the Career Center; go online; read bulletin boards. Have your parents check with the personnel office where they work to see if scholarship programs are available.
- Take career/vocational interest surveys. They help in choosing a college major and making a career choice.
- Begin to write an essay about yourself for UC and/or private colleges, and identify who can write recommendation letters.
- October
- October 1 - November 30 is the application filing period for all CSU campuses.
- Request applications from other four year colleges and universities by writing directly to the campus.
- Applications for the University of California, the California State Universities, and California Community Colleges are available in the counseling office and/or Career Center.
- Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) information is available. See your counselor about application procedures. Filing dates vary.
- Register for the SAT I or SAT II tests for the University of California and the California State Universities if you have not done so already.
- Attend open houses offered by universities and colleges.
- November
- November 1-30 is the application filing period for all UC campuses.
- Attend college representative meetings held on campus. Keep informed by listening for announcements and reading the bulletin boards.
- Mid-year graduates can obtain community college applications and take placement exams.
- Request recommendation letters by November 15. If you are applying to more than one college, make all of your requests at one time to make it easier for the person writing the letters. Use the appropriate forms.
- December
- December is the last recommended month to take the ACT or SAT I and SAT II for the University of California.
- Obtain a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form also enables you to apply for State aid (Cal Grants A, B, and C.) Many private colleges will require that you complete the College Scholarship Service PROFILE along with the FAFSA.
- See your counselor/Career Center to discuss your eligibility for local school scholarships. Some scholarship applications are due early in the school year. Help is available in the Counseling Office or the Career Center.
- Consult with the college or your counselor regarding special requirements for admission procedures for certain courses of study at community colleges.
- Fill out a transcript request as directed by your college or university.
- January
- FAFSA and PROFILE can be filed after January 1. Deadline is early March for California Aid.
- Most financial aid applications are due this month or February 1. Help is available in the Counseling Office or Career Center.
- Mid-year graduates request final transcript for college.
- Be sure your local school scholarship applications are turned in on time (dates vary).
- If you plan to take the Advanced Placement exams, notify your counselor and the teacher involved.
- Request seventh semester transcripts, if required by colleges, from the registrar or the counseling secretary.
- February
- Deadline for filing FAFSA usually is early March. This one application allows you to apply for CAL Grants, Pell Grants, and University Grants.
- Deadline for filing PROFILE varies.
- Be sure to follow specific campus guidelines regarding housing applications.
- March
- Community college application process begins. Contact your counselor or career technician for details.
- Take community college placement exams.
- Be sure to attend informational meetings and visit campuses in order to make your selection.
- April
- Return student intent to register forms to the campus of your choice BEFORE the May 1st deadline.
- Notify the colleges you are NOT attending.
- June
- If you have not previously done so, request your final transcript be sent to the college you will attend in the fall. This is necessary to certify graduation.
- Return applications for on-campus orientation programs to the campus you will be attending.
- Graduates, CONGRATULATIONS!
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