College Planning: 4 Year Overview

• Begin to build strong academic, language, mathematical, and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses. Look at what Honors and AP courses are offered and discuss taking these courses with your teachers and the Dean of Student Services.
• Take your studies seriously and focus on your grades! This is the beginning of your cumulative grade point average which is reported to colleges.
• Become involved at St. Joseph's. Explore extracurricular activities and begin thinking about leadership opportunities at your school and in your community.
• Create a system for recording your extracurricular activities, leadership positions, community service, honors, awards, summer experiences, and jobs. Consider utilizing your SCOIR account to help you keep track.
• Evaluate your grades each quarter and determine what you are doing well and what you need to improve. Make an appointment with your teachers as needed. Remember that you are building your record for college admission beginning in your freshman year.

• Evaluate your performance and your interest in each academic area. Continue to take challenging courses (Honors and AP). Remember to balance taking challenging courses with doing well in them.
• Stay involved in extracurricular activities that interest you. The level of involvement and accomplishment is most important, not the number of activities. Continue to record these activities. Consider utilizing your SCOIR account to help you keep track.
• Consider attending College Fairs (see College Counseling Calendar on SJCS website for dates and times) and try to meet with one to two college representatives that will be visiting St. Joseph’s in the fall.
• Prepare to take the PSAT in October. Utilize the practice tests to become more familiar with test format and the types of questions found on the PSAT. You may also want to visit the College Board website for more information on the PSAT.
• Take the PSAT in October. The PSAT test is more than just practice for the SAT test. At St. Joseph’s, many of the AP courses require a minimum score on one of the PSAT sections as a prerequisite. This will affect both sophomores and juniors as you register for classes for next year. The test date is on our school calendar.
• If you are traveling near any colleges, consider making an informal visit to that institution.
• Use your summer wisely. Consider taking a summer course or participating in a special program related to your field of interest. Think about volunteering or getting some work experience.

August

• Evaluate your performance and your interest in each academic area. Continue to take challenging courses (Honors and AP). Remember to balance taking challenging courses with doing well in them.
• Focus on your academics remembering that junior year grades are very important to college admission committees.
• Update the activities list that you began as a freshman.

September

• Make use of the college planning resources available in the College Counseling Office, as well as those on the Internet.
• Prepare for the PSAT that will be taken in October. Remember, juniors who score exceptionally high on the PSAT may be considered for participation in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
• Numerous college representatives will visit SJCS in the fall. Obviously, schoolwork must come first, but try to attend a few for colleges of particular interest to you. Attend sessions with college admission representatives who visit SJCS (see Colleges Visiting SJCS for dates and times, and be sure to sign up in SCOIR). Make sure to review the College Representative visiting schedule on SCOIR to see the dates and times that the colleges will be visiting. Make sure to discuss attending these visits with your teacher in advance to determine if you can be released from class. Remember you must sign up at least one day prior to the scheduled visit. Listen to the college representatives’ presentations and ask questions about your particular interests. Pick up information and sign the cards provided by the reps so that you will be added to the schools’ mailing lists.

October

• Take the PSAT on the national test date (see school calendar). In the junior year the PSAT is also the NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) and the scores are used to determine who will earn recognition and scholarships.
• Begin to establish criteria for the type of college that you would like to attend. Begin thinking about preferences in broad terms (location, size, programs, etc.). Use college guides and talk to family, friends, and teachers about their college choices and experiences.

November

• Evaluate your first quarter grades and determine what you are doing well and what you need to improve to meet your academic goals for the year. Make sure to meet with your teachers as needed. The grade point average provided to colleges when you apply is cumulative.

December

• Study thoroughly for exams and attend any extra help sessions that your teachers offer.
• PSAT student reports are distributed. Read the information carefully to interpret your performance.
• Use your grade point average and PSAT scores to determine your academic eligibility for your colleges of interest.

January

• You and your parents should plan to attend the Junior Parent Night that will be held in late January/early February. This meeting is extremely helpful in your college planning!
• Look ahead to spring break as possible opportunities to visit colleges.

February

• Begin SAT/ACT preparation and register for the SAT Reasoning Test and the ACT Test this spring (see College Counseling Calendar for dates). 
• Schedule an initial parent-student meeting with your college counselor to discuss your college selection and application process.

March

• Continue your college search.
• Begin thinking about which teachers you will ask to write letters of recommendation on your behalf.
• Utilize your spring break for college visits.
• When you visit college campuses, be sure to ask questions, talk to college students, and keep a notebook of what you liked and disliked about each campus.

April

• Make your requests for teacher recommendation letters and let your college counselor know what requests have been made. All teacher recommendation letters will be submitted to the college counseling office.
• Prepare for your AP Exams, if applicable.
• Take ACT Test.

May

• Take SAT Reasoning Test.
• Take AP Exams, if applicable.
• Prepare for all of your final exams.

June-July

• Take (or retake) SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT Test.
• If you are considering playing sports in college, make sure that you register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.ncaa.net and/or NAIA at www.PlayNAIA.org.
• Spend your summer productively. Colleges like to see that you have spent your summers doing something productive (summer job, community service, etc.).
• Visit colleges that you did not see during the school year.
• Begin to consider essay topics and look for opportunities to use an essay for more than one application. Do rough drafts of essay topics and all applications. You will be glad you did!
• If needed, schedule another student-parent visit with your college counselor in July and/or August.

General Expectations

• By the end of your junior year, you should have completed the following: 1. Met with your college counselor a minimum of one to two times. 2. Taken the SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT Test. 3. Established a preliminary list of potential colleges.

August

• Note all registration deadlines for fall SAT and ACT tests and complete registration promptly.
• If needed, plan to attend an SAT/ACT Prep Course.

September

• If you haven’t already done so, schedule a meeting with your college counselor to discuss your final list of college choices and discuss application deadlines.
• Attend sessions with college admission representatives who visit SJCS (see Colleges Visiting SJCS for dates and times, and be sure to sign up in SCOIR).
• Make final decisions regarding Early Decision and Early Action options. Know the deadlines for each college to which you are applying.
• Consider scheduling an interview with the colleges on your list.
• Attend, with your parents, the Financial Aid Night.
• If you have not already done so, consult with your college counselor to review your college essays.
• Prepare to complete the Federal Financial Aid Form (FAFSA) in October if you intend to apply for financial aid. Visit fafsa for the online form.

October

• If you have not already done so, complete all Rolling Applications.
• Meet with your college counselor to complete final reviews of your college essays.
• Meet with you college counselor to review your online college application prior to submitting it to the college/university. The college counselor will upload or mail your transcripts, all letters of recommendation (if applicable), and any other needed forms to your college/university. Please be aware that if you do not follow this process, you may not receive the maximum benefits of the College Counseling Program.
• Adhere to the October 15th SJCS deadline for all Rolling, Early Action, and Early Decision applications. Please note that colleges may have earlier deadlines that you need to adhere to.
• Make sure that you give your Transcript Request Form to the College Counseling Office at least one month prior to the college’s application deadline or one month prior to when you want your transcript packet sent out.
• Note financial aid application deadlines and complete the FAFSA. Colleges’ financial aid deadlines must be met or aid may not be available. Colleges recommend submitting the forms as soon as possible after October 1st. Please note that some colleges have additional financial aid forms that they need you to complete. Please be aware of this and comply with all deadlines.
• If you plan to seek financial aid and are applying to private colleges and selective state universities, complete the CSS PROFILE. CSS PROFILE registration may be submitted before federal forms and gives an early read on a student’s eligibility for financial aid. Visit College Board.
• Review private scholarship opportunities by visiting, the Scholarships page on the SJCS website or the following website: Fastweb.
• Some competitive scholarship applications have deadlines this month. Consult with the College Counseling Office as you complete the application requirements and be sure all recommendations are completed by the required deadline.
• Retake the SAT/ACT Tests, if applicable.

November

• If you have not already done so, finish all remaining college applications.
• Meet with your college counselor to review your online college application prior to submitting it to the college/university. The college counselor will upload or mail your transcripts, all letters of recommendation (if applicable), and any other needed forms to your college/university. Please be aware that if you do not follow this process, you may not receive the maximum benefits of the College Counseling Program. Retake the SAT/ACT Tests, if applicable.

December

• December 1st is the SJCS deadline for all remaining applications.
• If you need a mid-year transcript sent to a college, your request must be made prior to the Christmas Break.
• Devote time and energy to prepare for your first semester exams. Attend review sessions scheduled prior to exams.

January-February

• Mid-year transcripts sent to colleges—if previously requested by the student.
• Early Decision/Early Action deferrals should submit additional information to the colleges to update their applications.
• If you are placed on deferment or waitlist status, please see your college counselor to establish a plan of action. Requesting an interview with the college is highly recommended.
• Complete all scholarship applications that have not been submitted.
• If you have not already done so, you should verify that colleges have all the necessary materials from you and let the College Counseling Office know the status of this check.

March

• Colleges who do not have Rolling Admissions usually begin notifying students of admission decisions. Notifications begin in early March and continue through April 15th.
• Notify the College Counseling Office of all decisions you receive. If you are placed on a waitlist, additional information to update and support your application may be sent at this time— speak with your college counselor!
• Showing strong interest by staying in touch is important!

April

• If necessary, attend special days and weekends planned for accepted students to visit colleges to help with your decision. If you have not already done so, make sure that you visit the college/university. It is highly recommended that you visit the school prior to accepting.
• Final admission notification letters are received. Notify the college you will attend prior to May 1st as well as notify all other colleges of your decision with regard to their acceptance. This helps colleges predict their yield and make decisions relating to wait-list candidates.
• Contact the financial aid office at the college you will attend with questions concerning your financial aid package.
• Prepare for AP exams to be held in May.

May

• You must inform every college of your acceptance or rejection of their offer of admissions or financial aid by May 1st.
• One single deposit to your choice college must be received by May 1st.
• If you wish to remain active on a waitlist, additional steps should be completed by May 1st. Please see your college counselor for assistance.
• Complete the College Acceptance Survey with your College Counselor. This survey is extremely important and must be completed in order to ensure that your final transcripts are sent to the correct colleges. It also includes scholarship offers and college matriculation.
• The FAFSA (Financial Aid) deadline is June 30th. Please note some colleges have earlier deadlines.
• Take AP and Final Exams

June-July

• Final transcripts will be sent to colleges. Make sure that you have met with your college counselor to ensure the proper delivery of your transcripts.