Timetable for College Admissions - 11th Grade

            Preparation for college is a four-year job.  Each year you will have different talks which you must do in between writing papers, completing projects, studying for tests, doing your homework, participating in extracurricular activities, and working.  You won’t have too much to do during the ninth and tenth grades; however, there are important things that you must do almost every month during the eleventh and twelfth grades.
            The college planning calendar that follows will help you organize your time so that the admissions process will run smoothly for you.  The calendar lists the steps you should be taking every year.  Read through the calendar for an entire school year at the start of the year to get an overview of what you will need to do.  Then during the year check off each step as you complete it.  If a step does not apply to you, check it off. 

Eleventh grade          This is a very important and busy year in the college admissions process.  You will be taking college entrance exams, narrowing your list of possible colleges, and talking college representatives.  You should also be assuming the role of leader in your extracurricular activities.

If you are just beginning to use this calendar, make sure that you have completed all the steps that should have been taken in the ninth and tenth grades so you won’t miss any important steps in the admissions process.

August-September  
_____ Make sure that your course selections meet the requirements for high school graduation and for the colleges you may wish to attend.
_____ Study college catalogs and guidebooks.
_____ Plan the necessary entrance tests for college.  Enter the registration deadlines and test dates on your calendar and/or day planner.
_____ Attend college representative visits held in the counseling center to learn more about colleges your are considering.
_____ Find out what information your school has about colleges.

October  
_____ Take the PSAT.
_____ Attend College Night.
_____ Encourage your parents to attend back-to-school night so they will become familiar with your class schedule, teachers, and school.
_____ If you have not already passed it, take the TCAP test.
_____ Continue attending college representative visits.
_____ Begin writing to colleges for information.
_____ Organize a filing system to keep information on individual colleges.

November  
_____ Continue writing to colleges for information.
_____ Continue attending college representative meetings.
_____ Continue investigating career choices and begin to make tentative choices about careers.
_____ Make plans to visit several colleges.  
_____ Discuss financing your college education with your parents.
_____ If you are interested in attending Governor’s School, and rank in the top ten percent of your class, complete a Governor’s School application.  The deadline for applications will be early December.

December
_____ Discuss your PSAT scores with your counselor and use the scores to guide your college plans.
_____ Visit colleges you are interested in during your vacation.  
_____ Prepare for semester tests because colleges are interested in your grades.  
_____ Share the date of your junior conference with your counselor with your parents.  This is a very important meeting for both students and parents!

January-May  
_____ Select courses for the next school year that are compatible with your college and career goals.
_____ Reduce the number of colleges that interest you.
_____ Write for information and applications from colleges that definitely interest you.
_____ Visit colleges for admissions interviews and tours.  
_____ Talk to your counselor about applying to colleges.  
_____ Prepare individually or take a course to prepare for the ACT and/or SAT.
_____ Arrange to take the ACT or SAT on appropriate dates.  
_____ Take the SAT II, if appropriate.  
_____ Take advanced placement tests for AP courses you are completing.  
_____ Prepare for second semester test.
_____ If you have not already passed it, take the TCAP test in February.

June  
_____ Take the ACT, SAT, or SAT II, if appropriate.  
_____ Make plans to visit colleges during the summer.  
_____ Save samples of your work, newspaper clippings, and copies of your grades.

Summer  
_____ Complete summer reading assignments and continue reading to increase vocabulary.
_____ Prepare for the ACT or SAT, if necessary.
_____ Visit colleges for admissions interviews and tours.  
_____ If you have not already passed it, take the summer administration of the TCAP test.
_____ Complete application forms for colleges with early deadlines.
_____ Complete housing applications, if appropriate.