The timeline is presented by season. One of the misconceptions of the college planning process is that everything happens according to a pre-ordained, consistent timeline. While there are aspects to the process that are tied to specific dates, the fact is that no two students undertake and complete the process in exactly the same way.

Thus the Great College Advice timeline is organized in a way to help you stay on track without creating a feeling that you are somehow always late with every aspect of the process. Our role in this process is to empower you to manage the process in the way that is best for you. Everything you’ll find on this list is something you should consider to be part of the process. But frankly, with very few exceptions, you’ll also find that the items can be done in an order that suits you best.

So have confidence! Take control of the process! Use this document as a way to ensure that you get it all done–with time to spare. But don’t be tied to this timeline. Adapt it to suit the individual that you are.

College Timeline for Juniors in the Fall and Winter

Make sure you’re in the right classes

11th grade is your last real chance to impress with the classes you’re taking, so make it count! Work with your counselor to make sure you’re not taking on too much, but that you’re also challenging yourself. If you’re unsure whether to take a tough course because you’re worried about your GPA, have a look at our post here.  Keep studying to make sure your grades stay up!

Continue your extracurricular interests

Colleges want students who are engaged and active. They want students who will animate their campuses and make them interesting places to work and play. Consider stepping into a leadership role.  Find ways to expand and deepen your commitments to the areas in which you already excel. The more achievements you can rack up in the next year, the better. And remember, the quality of your commitments is much more important than the quantity. Colleges will be looking for your achievements first. Being a participant is great, but learning to lead and excel is better.

Make a standardized testing plan

If you haven’t already, fall is the time to map our your testing plan. Take full-scale diagnostics on both the SAT and the ACT to understand which test suits you best. Many test prep companies, such as ArborBridge, will offer a free diagnostic and recommendation as to which test would be better for you. Armed with this evidence, you can plan how to prepare and choose dates that work best for you.

We strongly recommend that you schedule at least one “real” test in your junior year, and have another date as a “back up plan.” We generally recommend that you try to take your first test in the fall or winter of junior year, with spring as a fall back option if you need to retake. Senior year is going to be super busy, so don’t leave the testing until the last minute. Plan!

Take the PSAT in October

Even if you took it last year, this is the one that counts! The PSAT is used to qualify people for the National Merit Scholarship Competition. Even if you don’t think you’ll score high enough to qualify for the scholarship, the PSAT is a great way to acclimate yourself to the fun of taking standardized college entrance exams (just kidding!). You will sign up for the PSAT at your school, so look for announcements from your guidance office.

Prepare for the ACT and/or SAT

We generally recommend one-on-one tutoring for our students. While the per-hour cost is more, a really good tutor can help you raise your score, which not only increases your chances for admission but can really boost your chances of a merit scholarship. If private tutoring is impossible, try to attend an ACT/SAT class or workshop. Some high schools will even offer these workshops for free, so look for announcements from your guidance office. If you can’t, there are books and websites you can use. Strongly consider signing up for the ACT/SAT during the spring semester at the very latest.  Follow these links to sign up for the SAT and the ACT. 

Research possible college majors

Now is the time to really focus in on what you want your major to be. Identify your interests and look up online what careers and majors are associated with them. Some websites offer free tests that assess things you like and dislike and offer possible major choices, which could help you if you’re not sure where to start. Check out MyMajors.com as an example. You can also talk to your counselor about choices and to see if they offer a career test as well.

Make a college list

It’s time to start making a list of schools you want to apply to. Keep in mind that you should have safety, target, and reach schools on your list—don’t just apply to one Ivy League! Gather information on admission criteria and deadlines. Make sure the schools you’re interested in have the major you want to study. Consider things like size and location as well as academics. Will you be happy at a rural school, or do you want to be in the city? Do large lectures seem like the way to go, or would you rather have a school with small classes?

Attend more college fairs

Now that you have a list of schools you’re interested in, visit their booths at a college fair near you. Introduce yourself, talk to the admissions representative, and ask questions. Sign up for their email list. Your high school guidance office will likely be sending out information about these fairs. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has numerous college fairs scheduled across the country beginning in September. 

Talk to your family

Let your family know which colleges interest you. Listen to their questions and concerns; they might be things that didn’t occur to you, or they might ask you questions things you can already answer. Now that will impress them that you’ve got this process under control! If, however, you’re feeling hounded by your parents about the college process, suggest to them that you make a set time every week to discuss college stuff. This way you keep the family discussion going, but you can avoid the constant nagging: “Hey, Mom, thanks for reminding me about this college stuff; let’s talk on Wednesday after dinner at our appointed time.” Sometimes creating boundaries are as important as creating a college admissions timeline.

College Timeline for Juniors in the Spring

Schedule college visits

Try to do as many visits as you can while the campus is holding classes. Spring break could be an ideal time for these visits. You’ll get a much better idea of what it’s really like there during classes than you will while the school is on break. Take a campus tour, go to an information session, and see if you can meet with an admissions officer or a faculty member in your intended major. Make sure you go prepared with questions to ask! Keep in mind that some schools offer admissions fee waivers when you visit, so it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Download this comprehensive e-book to learn how to get the most from your campus visits.

Demonstrate interest

Colleges want to know that you are interested in them. College visits are one sure-fire way to demonstrate that interest. However, if you’re unable to visit for any reason, you should still let the admissions office know that you are seriously considering their college. Fill out the form on their admissions website to request more information. Write a short note to an admissions officer asking for specific information about a program or major that interests you.

Follow the school’s account on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media (believe me…this sounds crazy, but it helps). Think of each of these contacts as a “brownie point” in the admissions process. And who doesn’t need more brownie points?

Take the ACT and/or the SAT

Even if you plan to take these tests during your senior year, it can be helpful to take them now, too. Make sure you sign up by the deadline and arrive with all required materials and nothing else.

Ask for letters of recommendation

Many schools will require you to have letters of recommendation from teachers or guidance counselors. Ask those individuals towards the end of your junior year, when they’ve just had you in class or in the office. This way, they’ll remember you better, and will be able to write a compelling letter telling everyone how wonderful you are. If you wait, you might get a more generic letter, which won’t help as much in the admissions process. To learn how you can get great letters of recommendation, check out this article. Recommendations are an important aspect of your college admissions timeline.

College Timeline For Juniors in the Summer

Strategize your application strategy

Early action? Early decision? Regular decision? Figure out which admission programs you’re going to apply under for each school. We generally recommend that you apply early to as many schools as possible. Make sure to check and see if there are any special early deadlines for scholarships or for certain programs. Mark the dates on your calendar, and make sure to give yourself enough time to complete all of your applications.

Work on application essays

Many colleges release their essay prompts well in advance of when the Common App actually opens in August. Starting your essays well before they’re due gives you the chance to put a lot of thought into them, which will help your essay stand out more.

The hardest part of the entire essay process is landing on a topic that will make you shine. It also gives you plenty of time to edit so your essay is perfect. Also note that many colleges require additional, or supplemental, essays as part of their applications. You will need to look these up and create a document that contains all the prompts you will have to address on your various applications.

College Admissions Timeline for Junior Parents

Visit nearby schools

Arrange a day trip to a few nearby colleges. They don’t have to be ones that your student is interested in; check out a big school vs. a small school or a public university vs. a liberal arts college. Visit places with differences so you can start a conversation about what your student is really looking for in a school.

Help your student narrow down the college list

Ask your student to explain why each school is on their list. Help them think of pros and cons for each school so they can really narrow it down. (This will help later, too, when they have to write a supplemental essay on the topic, “Why do you want to go to this school?”). Attend college fairs with your student, if possible, and help arrange college visits for you and your student.

Ask about scholarships

Make sure your student is looking into potential scholarship opportunities. Ask at work if they have a scholarship program for employees’ children. Find out about local scholarships for which your student can apply.

The college planning timeline summary

So there you have it–a college planning timeline for juniors. This to-do list contains the things you need to stay on track and take control of the college planning process. However, if you feel as though you need some personal guidance in through this process so that you can blaze your trail toward college success, give us a call (after all, it’s much more than a college admissions timeline). The team at Great College Advice is here to help you stay on track entering your junior year. Sign up for a free consultation to find out whether our college counseling services can help you make the process of preparing, selecting, and applying to college more successful, less stressful, and more fun.

As you review this college admissions timeline, remember that college planning rarely evolves according to a strict timeline. Keeping up your grades is not exactly something you can schedule: it’s something you have to work on every day. Similarly, your record of extracurricular achievement depends on a lot of factors that are hard to slot into particular days of the week or months of the year. Even developing a test prep calendar can be difficult, and plans can change depending on how hard you prepare and the score you get on your first attempt. 

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The post College Timeline for Juniors first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

These are the questions on the mind of high school students as they near the end of their junior year and look forward to their final year of high school. By this point, most college-bound juniors are knee-deep in college visits, building college lists, thinking about the dreaded SAT and ACT tests, and trying to keep the grades up until the end of the semester. The last thing these students want to think about is stepping up their game for senior year. Can’t they just take a step back?

And what about that senior who is just starting their final year of high school?  Shouldn’t the focus be on the college applications and enjoying being on top of the heap in that final year?

The answer is–in a word–no.

There are a couple of reasons.

Senior year courses for college admission

The first reason is that colleges will see your course selections for your senior year. In fact, you will have to list them right there on the Common Application. More than likely, your transcript will also reflect the courses in which you are enrolled. If these are not listed on the transcript, your counselor will likely let the admissions office know in some other fashion. So you can’t really hide.

Admissions officers do care about your senior year courses. They are looking for students who challenge themselves, who are interested in their own learning, and who pick senior year courses that push them to be their best. Colleges want curious students who are academically interested–as well as talented.

Colleges are also not looking for students who do just the bare minimum. There is a big difference between what your high school requires for graduation and what colleges would like to see from you. After all, colleges are “schools” and they want to see how you take advantage of your educational opportunities.

Do not slack off when you arrange your senior schedule.
 
In your senior year, you need to be taking the most rigorous schedule possible. If you’ve taken one AP in Junior year, now is the time to take two APs. If you’ve taken two APs junior year, now is the time to take three APs. You get the idea.

Some seniors are even taking five APs. Of course, if you had an extremely difficult time in junior year with two APs, it’s advisable to stick with two APs for your senior year.

The key is to not decrease the number of your rigorous courses. Colleges want to see that you continue to challenge yourself each year.

Which is better: taking easier courses and boost your GPA, or taking more rigorous courses and risk a perfect GPA? If this post hasn’t telegraphed the answer to you, read this article on the subject.

Your education starts today

It amazes me that kids (and sometimes their parents) will talk about how important college is, and then sign up for “student assistantships” and take extra periods off during their senior year so that they can “relax” since high school is finished.

Well, high school may, indeed, be winding down. But your education is just beginning. And for most Americans, high school is free. College is not free.

So why would you pass up the opportunity to advance your education during high school–when that education is free–and then go into debt to take courses that you should have taken in high school?

I sometimes hear kids say, “I am not going to take calculus this year because I’ve already completed all the math requirements, and I’m just going to have to take it in college for my math/economics/engineering major anyway. So I’m going to hang out with my friends more while I still can.”

I think these priorities are all wrong. Sure, you may have to take–or retake–calculus in college. But taking it in high school can give you a leg up later on. If you do well in the AP Calculus BC course, then you might not even have to take it in college. In fact, you might actually get credit for the course in college if you do well enough on the exam. That could save you several thousands of dollars.

Of course, you could work slinging ice cream or stocking shelves at the grocery store, but you’d have to work a lot of hours to pay for that opportunity you just passed up while in high school. Even if you end up retaking it in college, your early preparation may make it possible to ace that college course, thereby raising your GPA while in college. If you’re thinking about graduate school in the future, racking up a bunch of A grades early on will help keep that GPA high when you hit some more challenging courses later on.

Summary: senior year courses in high school

High school is your education. It isn’t just a holding pen for college-bound students. It’s an opportunity to learn.

And isn’t that why you’re going to college…to learn?

Take full advantage of the educational opportunities you have today. Don’t fritter away your senior year. Get out there and learn stuff!

Need more help in preparing for college and choosing the right senior year courses?

If you’re thinking about the college process and feeling unsure about how you should plan, you might want to reach out to the expert college counselors at Great College Advice.  We not only can help you prepare and take advantage of all your opportunities in high school, but we can help yo select the right colleges to apply to and guide you through the entire application process.  If you’d like to learn more, please give us a call or contact us here.  We’d be happy to provide a free consultation to learn more about your thoughts about the future.  We look forward to getting acquainted!

The post What Senior Year Courses Should You Take? first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Stuck. Bored. Stir-crazy. Those are some of the sentiments we are hearing from our students. Without the ability to go out into the world, attend school, get together with friends, or pursue their usual activities, students are unsure of what to do with themselves. Plus, those who have college on their minds worry about how this period in their lives will be viewed in the application process. They wonder, how can I continue to show colleges that I’m involved and engaged when I can’t go out and do my thing? How can I manage my extracurricular activities and Covid-19?

We urge students to re-orient their point of view. Instead of looking at the current situation as a period of confinement, students should instead view it as one of freedom and opportunity. As we’ve said in several of our recent posts, colleges understand the constraints and challenges that students currently face. In other words, they have no expectation that students will be active in their usual pursuits. Students have a pass to take each day as it comes.

Making Covid-19 a Time of Opportunity

How does this cure the stuck, bored, and stir-crazy? While your past extracurricular activities and Covid-19 may be a bad mix, that doesn’t mean you have to laze around and complain. You have a lot of new possibilities all around you. Because students have more time on their hands and they don’t have to stress about what colleges want, now is the perfect opportunity for them to:

• Try something new
• Go deeper into interests that they don’t otherwise have the time to pursue
• Help their local community
• Be creative

Ideas for New Extracurricular Activities

Here are some starter ideas that are fun, educational, and will even be impressive to colleges:

• Take an online class. We know you are possibly online already for high school, but that’s not what this is! There are literally thousands of courses on every possible subject offered for free by organizations such as Coursera and edX. From poetry to politics to studying the science of happiness, you are sure to find something interesting.

• Join a political or get-out-the-vote campaign. It’s a big election year, and there’s lots you can do from home to support your favorite candidate – from social media support to letter and postcard writing. No experience is required. Just contact the office of the candidates, or contact your county-level political party headquarters. Getting involved will help you learn more about the issues in the world around you.

• Do some online business. Interested in studying business in college? What better way to learn some basic business principles than trying it yourself? Clean out the family closets and do some selling on eBay. Take your creations, whatever they may be, and do some promotion on Etsy. Or, volunteer to help with social media and marketing for a local business that may be struggling during these times.

• Start a blog. No matter what compels you, a blog is a great way to put your thoughts out into the public sphere, improve your writing capabilities, and learn some new internet functionality.

• Learn a new language. Online platforms such as Language Bird and Duolingo will help you to become competent in a new foreign language. You can also brush up on the news in other by listening to Slow News in French or in other languages. [And if you want to learn more about foreign language requirements and college admission, check out this post].

More Ways to Combine Extracurricular Activities with Covid-19

• Put your writing hat on. Craft some short stories or a screenplay. Enter creative writing competitions. Let your voice be heard and send in some op-eds to your local newspaper about issues that you care about.

• Help senior citizens in your area. Offer to do meal delivery, yard work and other outside activities to assist your elderly neighbors (from a distance). You could use sites such as NextDoor to get the word out that you’re available.

• Sew masks for healthcare workers. Our healthcare workers are in great need of masks to continue their fight against Covid-19. Don’t know how to sew? Now is a great time to learn! There are tons of charities looking for volunteers to cut and sew.

• Pick up some new life skills. Learn to cook. Paint your bedroom. Do your own laundry! These are all things that will be important as you go through college and life. (We’re not kidding).

• Gain some computer skills. Many online options exist that educate students on coding, building websites, and other aspects of computing. Here’s a list of over 20 opportunities: Computer Skills.

• Apply your computer skills. If you already have some coding abilities, there are organizations online that use your help. Get involved with home-based coding for nonprofits that need help through organizations such as Code for Social Good, Benetech, or DonateCode.

• Plant a garden. Get out into nature and start a garden, either for your family or your community. Flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs. You can learn a lot by planting and growing a variety of crops. If you don’t know where to start, connect with your state agricultural extension office, which is usually part of your state university system. Best of all, you can enjoy the harvest or share it with your community.

So What Will You Do with This Opportunity? 

The bottom line is that only so much Netflix binge-watching is healthy, and there is no reason to feel stuck, bored, or stir-crazy, because there is truly so much that you can do. Look around you, brainstorm with your parents, take time to reflect, and you will discover literally thousands of interesting and productive ways you can spend your time. Seize this opportunity!

The post Extracurricular Activities and Covid-19: Get Creative! first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

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• Freshman space available:  362 colleges
• Transfer space available:  374 colleges

Although it may seem that there are fewer and fewer slots available for students trying to get into college, this year had more schools reporting that they had space still available after May 1 than in the previous 12 years!
Also, if you think that you can’t afford to apply to school as a late applicant because financial aid resources will be all gone, think again!  Over 370 schools reported that they had institutional financial aid still available for late applicants.
One caveat, is that you still must be considered a “qualified applicant” to gain admission at these schools.  In other words, just because they have space, and you apply, this does not mean that you will get accepted.  If you had no chance of gaining admission during the regular admissions period, you won’t get accepted during this late application period, either.
Here’s just a very small sampling of schools who are still accepting applicants:

1. Albright College, PA
2. Albion College, MI
3. University of Arizona, AZ
4. College of the Atlantic, ME
5. Drew University, NJ
6. Eckerd College, FL
7. Elizabethtown College, PA
8. Evergreen State, WA
9. Gordon College, MA
10. Guilford College, NC
11. Hofstra University, NY
12. Hood College, MD
13. Juniata College, PA
14. Kalamazoo College, MI
15. Knox College, IL
16. Lawrence University, WI
17. Loyola University, MD
18. Manhattanville College, NY
19. University of Maryland-Baltimore County, MD
20. Mills College, CA
21. New College, FL
22. Oglethorpe University, GA
23. Seton Hall University, NJ
24. Stetson University, FL
25. Smith College, MA
26. Susquehanna University, PA
27. University of San Diego, CA
28. University of Tampa, FL
29. Villanova University, PA
30. Wheaton College, MA

To see the whole list of over 350 schools, check out the NACAC site by clicking here.  The list is available and updated through the end of June.
If you’re interested in applying to any of the space available schools for the Fall of 2012, you should contact the school admissions office directly to ask them how to best do that.  But, do it soon.  Space is available for now, but may be gone quickly!
Andrea Aronson
College Admissions Specialist
Westfield, NJ

The post It’s Not Too Late to Apply for Fall 2012 Admission at Some Great Schools! first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

But I do believe that if you have a 9th grader who is taking taking HONORS BIOLOGY,  it’s worth taking the SAT Subject Test in Biology NOW- before your child forgets about photosynthesis and everything else they learned.
Taking it now will give them a jump on all the tests that will be thrown at them junior year.

SUBJECT TESTS

There are a total of twenty SAT Subject tests in five different subject areas.  These include:  ENGLISH, HISTORY, MATH, SCIENCE and LANGUAGES.  Chances are your child won’t take more than four or five of these tests.

SUBJECT TESTS TO TAKE IN 9th and 10th GRADE INCLUDE:

Math 1 –  covers subjects up to Algebra 2.
Math 2 –  covers all math up to Calculus.
Biology – best to take when you are studying this in school.
Chemistry – best to take when you are studying this in school.
World History – great to take when you have AP World History in 10th grade.

According to the College Board,

“Students take the SAT Subject Tests to demonstrate to colleges their mastery of specific subjects such as English, history, mathematics, science, and foreign languages.”

And lackluster  SAT Reasoning Test scores can be offset by amazing SAT Subject Test scores.  That will be helpful when you’re applying to college – when you are a senior.

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The post There are no SAT Tests in the Summer! first appeared on College Admission Counseling.

Are you ready to make your commitment? How are you spending these last few days leading up to May 1 deciding?

– Flipping a coin?
– Trying that t-shirt with the college name on the front on one more time?
– Getting feedback from the people you trust?
– Reading the fine print on the financial aid forms once again?
– Chatting online with current students to get your final questions answered?
– Writing pro and con lists?
Everyone makes their final decision in a different way. My advice? It echoes that of our NACAC 2011 keynote speaker, Jonah Lehrer. Go with your gut.
Go with what your instinct tells you. You’ve visited the campuses, spent the time researching, read all of the brochures, gone on the website hundreds of times and now the time has come to take the next step. Listen to what your gut is telling you and ask yourself, “Will I be happy here?” Is the answer yes? Then sign your name on the dotted line and start getting excited for this new adventure you are about to embark on!

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These are just a few highlights. There are lots more out there to explore!

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