Sophomore Year
- Become familiar with college entrance requirements and how your high school grades and extracurricular activities will be viewed.
- Learn about the different types of colleges and universities.
- Begin to plan what schools you would like to visit.
- Consider what characteristics are important to you as you are looking at a college; things like large or small, public or private, location, facilities, academic offerings, etc.
- Consider taking the PSAT 10 in the Spring.
Junior Year
- Maintain good study habits.
- Participate in extracurricular activities.
- Identify career interests.
- Identify locations for community service activities.
- Take Advanced Placement courses, prepare for AP exams.
- Take the PSAT.
- Prepare for the SAT or ACT.
- Begin the college search process (identify colleges, seek scholarship information, etc.).
Spring of Junior Year
- Select senior year courses. Remember to continue challenging yourself academically.
- Consider or plan to visit colleges spring semester.
- Register for upcoming SAT and/or ACT tests.
- Look for and attend college fairs.
- Begin thinking about summer plans
- Take appropriate AP exams.
Summer of Junior Year (Rising Senior)
- Work – save money for college.
- Complete community service hours.
- Consider taking a summer course, such as SAT prep or essay writing.
- Visit colleges that interest you.
- Athletes: Find out if you need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Senior Year
- Maintain good study habits.
- Participate in extracurricular activities.
- Take Advanced Placement courses, prepare for AP exams.
- Complete the college application process.
- Research financial aid at colleges.
- Take SAT and/or ACT, SAT II and other required tests.
Fall of Senior Year
- Check your course schedule with your guidance counselor. Make sure you are taking all required courses and review your transcript.
- Develop college application plans with your parents and counselor.
- Identify colleges that you would like to apply.
- Familiarize yourself with the CV Application Process
- Begin working on college applications; take note of all deadlines.
- Keep track of all correspondence with colleges.
- Bring in your "College Application Checklist" allowing 10 school days for processing
- Register for any additional ACT, SAT or TOEFL exams.
- Check Naviance and listen to the announcements for scheduled visits of college representatives.
- Plan campus visits and interviews, or take “virtual tours” and make appointments to have interviews locally.
- Look for and attend college fairs, including the CV College Fair in October.
- Request letters of recommendation from your teachers and counselor.
- Prepare your student resume.
- Continue preparing and finalizing college list.
- Continue meeting college reps, visiting colleges (if possible) and interviewing.
- If applying Early Decision, prepare application, request all necessary documents.
- Begin researching financial aid and scholarships.
- Begin drafting college essays. Review the essay with your counselor, English teacher and parents.
- Apply for ROTC scholarships, if interested.
- November 1st and November 15th are the deadline dates for many colleges.
Winter of Senior Year
- Register for and take the ASVAB, for military aptitude if interested.
- Regular Decision admission deadlines are often December 15th or January 1st – watch your deadlines.
- Submit college applications with January deadlines two weeks before winter break.
- Complete financial aid form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- Attend Financial Aid Night here at CV.
- Submit your completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Keep a copy for your records.
- Begin requesting scholarship applications.
- Consider, plan, and register for Advanced Placement exams.
- Continue looking for scholarship money.
- Respond to requests from colleges for any additional information needed.
Spring of Senior Year
- Begin receiving financial aid award letters from the colleges you have applied to, and make comparisons.
- Investigate payment options with each college.
- Accept all or part of the financial aid offered; sign and return acceptance letter.
- Most schools will require commitments to attend by May 1st; deposits will be required.
- Final transcripts are sent to colleges based on the Graduation Survey information. Complete this in your Family Connection > About Me > Graduation Survey
- GRADUATE!