College Planning
Freshman & Sophomore Guidelines
- Work hard to get good grades.
- Start a notebook that contains the following information:
- Colleges you might be interested in
- High School Curriculum requirements
- Important dates and deadlines
- Start researching college websites and take notes. Talk with current students and alumni of these colleges.
- Develop good study habits. Aim for at least two hours of study each weeknight.
- Inquire about scholarships that are available (not all scholarships are just for Seniors). Check our website for scholarship opportunities.
- Begin to identify your areas of academic strengths, as well as particular interest and passion.
- During the summer months, participate in workshops, community and enrichment programs.
- Work on your Community Service hours. Aim to incorporate professions that interest you while earning Community Service hours.
Junior Year
Summer
June
- Be active; get a job, internship or pursue a passion
July - August
- Talk with family about your college goals and college costs
- Start visiting college campuses
Back To School
September
- Keep your grades up - admissions counselors look closely at your junior year grades
October
- Stay involved and take on leadership roles in your extra-curricular activities
- Prep for ACT or SAT, and review winter/spring test dates at actstudent.org and sat.collegeboard.org
November
- Think about teachers/coaches/community members/employers you can ask for recommendations in near future
December
- Meet with your school's college counselor to discuss your goals and make sure you're on track for graduation
After Winter Break
January
- Research college admissions to determine if you need to register for and take SAT's.
**NOTE: All Michigan colleges accept ACT
February
- Attend college fairs
March
- Identify the factors in a college that are most important to you - location, cost, programs, public, private, religious affiliation, social environment, etc.
April
- Visit convenient college campuses over Spring Break
- Ask teachers/coaches/community members/employers to write your recommendation in the fall
May
- End junior year strong!
Senior Year
Summer
June
- Complete your Community Service!
June - July
- Take part in activities that continue to enhance your college and scholarship applications; i.e. volunteering, jobs, passion pursuits
- Tour Universities
August
- Gather application materials from colleges
- Get to work on admission essays
Back To School As A Senior!
September
- Keep your grades up! Colleges can rescind Admission Acceptance if grades slip.
- Take charge in your exta-curricular activities and continue to demonstrate leadership
October
- Check-in with teachers/employers/community members/coaches you've asked for recommendations and provide them with materials and deadlines
- Apply for FAFSA Apply here for FAFSA
November - December
- Order and send official ACT/SAT scores and your high school transcript to all colleges using Parchment. http://parchment.com
- Apply for financial aid pins
- Submit all application materials before deadlines
December
- Confirm materials have been received by colleges, including letters of recommendation, official scores, transcripts, etc.
After Winter Break
February
- Apply to any additional colleges you're still considering
March
- Continue to keep up your grades as you wait to hear decisions from schools
- Apply for Local Scholarships
April
- Visit colleges to which you've been accepted if you still need help making a decision
May
- Keep an eye out for financial aid award letters around April and consider appealing if you have not been awarded a fair amount by a particular college.
- Decide on a college and send the Enrollment Confirmation Form no later than May 1