Year-by-year high school guide to develop and prepare competitive college and scholarship applications

NINTH GRADE

Select courses required for a selective college, including foreign language, math, English, and science. Consider a challenging curriculum.
Earn high grades.
Get involved in two to three clubs, sports, or extra-curricular activities. Become deeply involved over your high school career, eventually becoming a leader. Do not just join a club to check a “box.”
Begin to get to know your counselor or others who may be a mentor and can give you a recommendation. Let them get to know you and check in periodically during high school.
Begin identifying classes that interest you.
Consider visiting colleges and universities while on vacations, preferably when the school is in session.
Involve yourself in community service and developing a community service mindset.
Start a file folder to keep awards, report cards, certificates, etc. Create a list all school and community activities in which you participate and how many hours per week and weeks per year. List all volunteer or paid jobs. Update every semester.
Keep your social media accounts “clean.”

TENTH GRADE

Maintain a strong GPA.
Take practice PSAT in Fall semester.
Challenge yourself and go beyond the minimum course requirements.
Research colleges: check out college websites and attend college fairs and information sessions.
Update your file folder with grades, certificates, awards, etc.
Continue community service, sports, extracurricular activities, and look for formal and informal leadership opportunities.
Consider "active" community service opportunities and developing a community service mindset.
Think about academic interests, notice which classes you like and excel in, and explore possible college majors/minors.
Summer- consider international exchange programs, internships, leadership conferences, volunteer opportunities, and jobs.
Visit colleges while on vacation, preferably when the schools are in session.
Maintain appropriate social media accounts.
Continue to get to check in with your counselor and mentor, who may be able to write a recommendation letter.

ELEVENTH GRADE

Maintain a strong GPA.
Take honors, AP, or other rigorous courses.
Continue college and university research: check out college websites and attend college fairs and information sessions.
Take PSAT (Fall semester).
Evaluate and explore academic interests, college majors/minors, and careers.
Update the file folder with activities, awards, certificates, etc.
Save graded essays, math tests, lab reports, etc. for test optional/flexible schools.
Continue community service, extracurricular activities, sports, etc. and continue leadership in activities.
Consider "active" community service and developing a community service mindset.
Continue to check in with people who may write your recommendation letters and identify core course teachers from 11th grade who may write recommendation letters. Let the teachers get to know you by being involved in class.
Study for and take SAT or ACT. (Consider taking PSAT, ACT, and SAT prep courses).
Determine whether you will need to take two or three SAT subject tests in the spring or summer (Some colleges require them.)
Consider visiting colleges, preferably when schools are in session.
Consider summer internships, foreign exchange, volunteer opportunities, career-oriented activities, and jobs.
Take AP exams in courses taken this year.
Maintain appropriate social media accounts.
In the spring and summer, identify potential colleges, application requirements and due dates, including dates for early decision, early action, and priority consideration.
In the spring or summer begin writing Common Application essay (prompts are available in early approximately February).

TWELFTH GRADE

FALL of Senior Year:

Continue taking rigorous courses.
Keep the grades up.
Maintain appropriate social media accounts.
Continue extracurricular, community service activities, and leadership.
Save graded essays, math tests, lab reports, etc. for test optional/flexible schools.
Take the ACT or SAT again in the fall, if necessary.
Take the SAT subject tests for the second time, if necessary and only for the schools that require them).
Evaluate and explore majors/minors and career exploration to refine college list.
Attend local college fairs and information sessions.
Identify colleges to which you will apply, note due dates, application requirements, including dates for early decision, early action, priority consideration, merit consideration, and interview schedules.
Request recommendation letters from teachers, counselor, and “others” who can write a strong letter of recommendation. (at least 8 weeks before due date).
Consider college visits during your Fall break when the schools are in session.
Prepare applications, including essays and artistic portfolios, if necessary.
Research and apply for scholarships.
Pay attention to scholarship deadlines.
File your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) available in October and CSS profile for those schools that require them.
Verify with college admissions offices that your applications are complete.
Write thank you letters to people who wrote letters of recommendations.

SPRING of Senior Year:

Keep your grades up.
Take AP exams.
Continue research and applying for scholarships.
Make decisions about colleges and financial aid packages.
Make a deposit timely.
Resist the urge to slack off and make poor decisions about activities and behaviors that may result in withdrawal of admission offers.
Request final transcripts to be sent to the college you will be attending.
Make sure that your college or university has all required information, test scores, and deposits.
Pay attention to dates for orientations, class selection, and special programs that are open to students in the week before traditional move-in date.