Juniors

College Planning

• Meet with your counselor about your coursework and college plans.
• Become or stay involved in extracurricular activities.
• Check college websites for admission requirements.
• Create a professional email address to use when applying for scholarships, registering for college entrance exams and completing college applications.
• Meet with college admissions recruiters when they visit your high school. The Career & College Center keeps a list of upcoming events.
• Attend college information nights in your community. The Career & College Center keeps a list of upcoming events.

College Search

• Tour local campuses and visit non-local colleges during winter and spring breaks; consider campus size, location and academic programs.
• Try online college fairs and virtual campus tours.
• Use college search sites to explore your college options.
• Prepare your college list.

Career Exploration

• Attend a local career fair.
• Research career options and their education requirements, median pay and projected growth rates.
• Make a list of careers that may interest you and research the education level required for each profession.
• Talk with professionals in careers you are curious about and ask about their work.
• Enhance skills that would be useful in a career of interest through your extracurricular activities.

College Entrance Exams

• Register and take your first college entrance exam during spring semester so you can take it again fall of senior year, if you want
• Several colleges are test optional—check www.fairtest.org for the most comprehensive list
• SAT, with optional essay (www.collegeboard.org); free SAT test prep help (www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat)
• ACT, with optional writing section (www.act.org)

Academics

• Prepare for Advanced Placement (AP) exams
• Plan your senior year schedule with your counselor
• Review your college preparation coursework and GPA with a college advisor
• Create a list of teachers, coaches and other mentors who will be able to write personalized letters of recommendation

Summer Preparation

• Apply for summer jobs or internships
• Seek volunteer opportunities in your field of interest
• Register for community college courses and earn college credit while in high school, also referred to as dual/concurrent enrollment
• If you took the SAT or ACT, review your test scores to determine if retesting is necessary
• Plan a test preparation schedule if you plan to retake college entrance exams

College Application Preparation

• Check websites of colleges on your list; review admissions application process and timeline.
• Draft your application essays and/or personal statement; work with a college advisor for feedback.
• Prepare a scholarship resume and/or a “brag sheet” that includes all your non-academic activities and honors.
• Communicate with college admission representatives for questions you may have.

College Finances

• Learn about the types of financial aid.
• Visit College Board's BigFuture EFC Calculator to see how financial aid can help pay for your education.
• Search and apply for scholarships.
• Learn how money works; take a financial literacy course.
• Use the College Scorecard to compare costs, degree programs and outcomes for the colleges you are interested in.
• Save money for college.