The Preparation For College Calendar
(What students should be doing year-by-year preparing for college)
FRESHMAN YEAR
· Build strong academic, language, mathematics and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses.
· Get involved in campus activities such as fine and performing arts, athletics, clubs leadership etc.
· Develop your 4-year academic plan keeping flexibility in mind.
· Become familiar with the UC/CSU and other University admission requirements.
· Develop and/or strengthen your time management and study skills.
· Create a folder to keep track of your activities, awards, honors, and community service hours.
· Start checking out general college websites such as collegeboard, college source, ACT, college admission planning, college choice, (UC-www.ucop.edu, CSU-csumentor.com)
· Do Your Best-Keep your grades up!
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Concentrate on academic preparation and continue to develop basic skills. Your 10th and 11th year grades are the most important for most universities including the UC and CSU system for GPA Admission purposes.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER-Inquire about PLAN (Practice ACT) including test date, time and place. PLAN can be an excellent preparation for the ACT. Inquire about the PSAT which is an excellent preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test. It is not mandatory that you take the PSAT as a sophomore. Attend the WVUSD College Fair either this month or next. Consult with your GLC.
Do you have aspirations of playing college-level athletics? Consult with your high school coach and GLC regarding the requirements of the NCAA Eligibility Center to ensure you are on the correct eligibility track.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER-Consider taking the PSAT or PLAN if available to you. Start thinking in general terms about what your post-high school plans will be.
DECEMBER-Receive results of the PSAT or PLAN. Read materials sent with your score report and consult with your GLC to discuss remaining courses which may be required or beneficial for your post-high school plans. Share these scores with your parents.
APRIL-Consider registering for SAT Subject Exams or ACT exams. (This does not apply to all students). It may be best to wait until your 11th grade year to start taking the exams. If you are in an Advanced Level of a certain course, you may be prepared to take the SAT Subject Exam in that subject in the spring. For the University of California-UC, the SAT Subject Exam is no longer a requirement for admissions; however, some majors at some UC campuses may recommend particular SAT Subject Exams.
MAY-Consider a summer course or program. Make wise use of your summer; sometimes this means taking the summer off and re-charging your battery. Consider visiting some universities this summer as you begin developing your list of prospective colleges to attend.
IF INTERESTED IN SEEING JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS….THE COMPLETE PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE CALENDAR CAN BE FOUND ON THE CLASS OF 2021 WEBPAGE UNDER GLC/GUIDANCE AT www.dbhs.org.
The Preparation For College Calendar
(What students should be doing year-by-year preparing for college)
JUNIOR YEAR
Begin your college selection process!
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER -Inquire about PLAN (Practice ACT) including test date, time and place. PLAN can be an excellent preparation for the ACT Plus. Inquire about the PSAT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) when taken as a junior. This is an excellent preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test. Attend the WVUSD College Fair either this month or next. Plan out your SAT/ACT schedule and start signing up to take these exams. (IMPORTANT: WHEN REGISTERING FOR THE SAT OR ACT USE THE SAME NAME WHICH APPEARS ON YOUR HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT. THIS WILL USUALLY BE THE NAME YOU ALSO USE FOR YOUR UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS. TO ENSURE YOUR TEST SCORES, TRANSCRIPTS AND APPLICATIONS ALL ARE CONNECTED THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TASK!) REMEMBER: The Current Version of the SAT will be available through January, 2016. Starting March 2016, the NEW version of the SAT will be introduced and the old/current version will no longer be available. Students may take either of these tests-universities will accept both towards admission. Consult your GLC.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER-Take the PSAT/NMSQT on a national test date offered by your school. The PSAT/NMSQT taken during your junior year makes you eligible for the National Merit Scholarship (NMSQT) competition. Check to see if any of the colleges you plan to apply to prefer the ACT Plus over the SAT Reasoning Test.
NOVEMBER-Keep your grades up!
DECEMBER-Receive results of the PSAT or PLAN. Read materials sent with your score report and consult your GLC to discuss remaining courses which may be required or beneficial for your post high school plans. Share these scores with your parents.
JANUARY-Start narrowing your list of universities you would like to explore. Get your Social Security Number (required by many colleges). SAT/ACT: Remember, the CSU system requires the SAT Reasoning or ACT and the UC system requires the SAT Reasoning or ACT Plus. The SAT Subject Exam is not a requirement of the UC; however, some majors at some UC campuses may require/strongly recommend an SAT Subject Exam. Consult the particular campus and academic major websites for accurate admission’s information-PLAN AHEAD, PLAN AHEAD!
FEBRUARY-Meet with your GLC to continue making a list of colleges to explore. If you are able, plan on visiting some prospective universities over the upcoming spring break.
MARCH-Continue to explore and retrieve information on universities. When selecting your senior courses, be sure to continue to challenge yourself with keeping a balance in your life in mind. Utilize our school website, our career center and the internet to request information. Visit prospective schools! Use the FAFSA Forecaster-www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov. to project your financial aid status.
APRIL- Continue evaluating colleges (consider narrowing your list by eliminating schools that no longer match your needs). You may start looking for a summer job as well. Continue to take your SAT and ACT exams.
MAY-Make sure there are no classes you have to take or make up in the summer. If there are, make sure you register for these classes. Continue taking your SAT and ACT exams, and any Advanced Placement exams. Plan your summer and consider doing some volunteer work/community service and/or working part time. Begin planning which colleges you plan on visiting this summer and make arrangements. Attend a College Admissions workshop by your Grade Level Coordinators.
JUNE- Take your SAT/ACT exams. After school ends, get on the road to visit colleges.
SUMMER: JUNIOR TO SENIOR YEAR-Request college APPLICATIONS from Private Universities you are interested in-Use the Common Application for most Private Universities. UC/CSU applications will be available in the Fall, ONLINE. If you are considering competing in College Athletics at the NCAA Division I or II level, now is the time to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
The Preparation For College Calendar
(What students should be doing year-by-year preparing for college)
SENIOR YEAR
Apply to colleges. Make Decisions! Finish High School with pride and dignity.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER
· Prepare your SENIOR PROFILE (Link on www.dbhs.org-Updated in spring of your junior year) to be completed by you and used by your GLC and teachers when you request a letter of recommendation. UC and CSU schools do not require and do not want letters of recommendation; however, most private universities and scholarship applications will require a letter.
· Begin organizing all of your applications and paperwork and start requesting letters of recommendations from your GLC and selected teachers. You will have to be very ORGANIZED with this process! Dates will be given to you as DEADLINES for letter requests and these deadlines must be met by you, the student, or a letter will not be written.
· Complete your UC Personal Statement, and any supplemental essays that some universities may request. Have several people proofread your Personal Statement and any essays. We also suggest to have several people proofread these items including people that do not know you very well-these people will usually catch things in your writing that others will not.
· If you are considering competing in College Athletics at the NCAA Division I or II level, now is the time to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.
· Research and apply for any scholarships you are interested in. This process should continue your entire senior year of school! APPLY, APPLY, APPLY!
· Sign up for any remaining SATs to be taken. UC and CSU schools (unless otherwise indicated) will accept the December SAT score to be used for admission’s decisions. You need to verify with any private or out-of-state universities you are considering what their SAT/ACT deadlines are. Some universities my not accept the December SAT; you need to verify this information in advance! When you register to take your last SAT/ACT, please list every university you are applying to on this last SAT/ACT application so that your SAT scores are sent directly to all of the universities applied to. The Collegeboard will send an SAT Transcript that includes every SAT (both Reasoning and Subject tests if taken) you have ever taken to the universities you indicate on your SAT application. Don’t panic-Some universities will use the highest score you earned on any single test-date. Some universities will split your SAT scores which means they will use the highest Critical Reading score from one test date, the highest Math score from another test date and the highest Writing score from another test date. They don’t average the scores of all SATs taken; they will use the scores that put you in the most competitive situation. SEND ALL OF YOUR SAT/ACT SCORES TO THE UNIVERSITIES YOU ARE APPLYING TO.
· Meet and discuss with your GLC to ensure that your FINAL college list includes colleges appropriate to your academic and personal record and plans. Complete this Final list of colleges you will pursue.
· Verify if any of the private universities you are considering require the CSS Profile for financial aid purposes.
· Review your academic records, (TRANSCRIPT) to ensure that they are accurate.
· Plan any last visits to colleges you did not visit earlier or want to visit for a second time.
· Attend the WVUSD College Fair.
· Secure the COMMON APPLICATION FOR PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES! www.commonapp.org
· Make sure you have a Social Security Number for Financial Aid applications.
· Apply and obtain a Personal Identification Number-PIN for both you and your parent so that you can apply online for Financial Aid! www.fafsa.ed.gov.
· CREATE COLLEGE APPLICATION ACCOUNTS ONLINE:
Cal State University-Use www.csumentor.com University of California-Use www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions Private Colleges-Use www.commonapp.org or visit the specific university website.
· For the Common Application-Used by over 500 colleges/universities, you should visit the website and watch the Tutorials and Presentations to better understand the process of the Common Application, these presentations/tutorials can be found at https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/Members.aspx
The Preparation For College Calendar
(What students should be doing year-by-year preparing for college)
SENIOR –YEAR CONTINUED
OCTOBER
· Continue to gather information needed to complete admission applications. You will need an updated copy (unofficial) of your academic transcript, your SAT/ACT scores, AP Scores etc. Keep in mind that you will be “self-reporting this information to the universities via the Application for Admission. You do not need to send your transcript to any university unless specifically told to by the university. Do not send your AP scores via Collegeboard to any university until later in spring unless specifically told to do so by a university. In the spring, after you have decided on the university you will attend, you will send your transcript (at end of school year) and your AP scores (via Collegeboard) to the “one” university you have decided to attend in the fall of 2017.
· If applying for Early Admission, submit your application by the deadline. Keep copies of your submitted applications for your records.
· Some universities may begin accepting applications in October or earlier.
· Attend CSU and UC Application Workshops on campus and any other College Information Nights on campus!
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER
· UC and CSU applications are due this month. They must be submitted by the November 30th deadline! Keep copies of submitted applications for your records.
· Start the Financial Aid Application process. Gather data/information needed for financial aid applications-Use the FAFSA Worksheet at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Everyone should start gathering information on the FAFSA-Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Make sure you and your parent have a PIN-Personal Identification Number for Financial Aid. Even if you believe you will not qualify for Financial Aid through the FAFSA process, most universities require this to be submitted!!
· Some universities require (in addition to the FAFSA) a financial aid application called the CSS PROFILE. Check with particular universities to make sure if they require the PROFILE or use www.collegeboard.org and use the PAY FOR COLLEGE link for the CSS Profile.
· Attend a Financial Aid Application Workshop in the next couple of months-most likely in November or December through DBHS or www.edfund.org.
· Use the FAFSA Forecaster-www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov.
· Make sure you’ve requested your SAT/ACT scores to be sent directly to all of the schools you applied to.
DECEMBER
· File any last applications to schools that have a December deadline. Have you covered all of your options?!? You should have an answer by now if you applied Early Admission.
· Last SAT/ACT opportunity this month for UC and CSU schools unless otherwise indicated. Make sure you’ve requested your SAT/ACT scores to be sent directly to all of the schools you applied to.
· Check your college application accounts to ensure each university has received all necessary documents etc.
JANUARY
· Keep working on earning good grades. Courses continue to count towards university admissions throughout your senior year.
· Mid-Year Reports: University Applications-If a university you applied to requires a mid-year report; make sure you request your GLC to submit the proper documents. If not submitting electronically, provide completed mid-year report forms to GLC.
· Start the process for enrollment to the Junior College System or Trade or Technical schools. if you are planning on attending a junior college listen for bulletin announcements, see your GLC, and see Mrs. Williams, Career Technician in our DBHS Career Center.