Time Line for High School Students in Preparation for

College:
2010-2011
SENIORS:

June-August: Make a final list of colleges you want to apply to. Go on

campus visits and learn more about those colleges. Start
thinking about your college essay and come up with a few
drafts. Study and sign up for any more SAT, ACT or SAT II
Subject Tests that you haven’t taken yet. If you haven’t already,
talk to teachers about writing a recommendation letter for
you. Create a resume about yourself and your high school
accomplishments and awards; you might need this for
recommendation letters, personal interviews, and college
applications.

Fall is the busiest and most stressful time of year, prepare

yourself for a difficult first semester; this is the final push!

Aug. 6: Registration Deadline for September ACT

September: Sept. 10: Registration Deadline for October SAT

Sept. 11: ACT
This is the last ACT test date for EARLY admissions. Don’t
forget to send your scores to colleges!
Sept. 17: Registration Deadline for October ACT

Ask teachers for letters of recommendation.

Once you have a final list of colleges you know you’ll apply to,
send them your scores from the SAT, ACT, and SAT II

October: Oct 8: Registration Deadline for November SAT

Oct. 9: SAT/SAT II Subject Test
This is the last SAT test date for EARLY admissions. Don’t
forget to send your scores to colleges!
Oct. 12: NACAC College Fair: Walter E. Convention Center,
Washington, DC
9 am – 1 pm and 6 pm – 8 pm
Oct. 18 – 19: NACAC College Fair: Baltimore Convention
Center, Baltimore, MD
9 am – 12 pm and 6 pm – 8 pm
9 am – 12 pm
Oct. 23: ACT

Tell teachers writing your recommendation letters where you are

applying.
Correct and write final drafts for college essays.
EARLY ADMISSIONS: finish and mail applications!!

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 November: Nov. 1-15: DEADLINES FOR EARLY ADMISSIONS!!
(Specific schools will have different deadlines so make sure you
know exactly what they are so you don’t miss any)

Nov. 5: Registration Deadline for December ACT

Nov. 6: SAT/SAT II Subject Test (Listening Test available)
This is the last SAT test date for REGULAR admissions.
Don’t forget to send your scores to colleges!

REGULAR admission: Don’t forget to send colleges your

scores!

December: Dec. 12: ACT

Dec. 15-20: Colleges will be notifying you about EARLY
ADMISSION decisions

Make sure teachers who are writing your recommendations

know exactly where you’re applying
Correct and write final drafts of essays.
REGULAR ADMISSIONS: finish and mail applications!!

January: Jan. 1 – Feb 15: DEADLINES FOR REGULAR ADMISSIONS!!

(Specific school will have different deadlines so make sure you
know exactly what they are so you don’t miss any)
Jan 1: FAFSA Application Open – complete and mail form
ASAP! Financial aid is distributed on a first-come, first-serve
basis

March GOOD LUCK!

and April: Receive decision notifications from colleges

May: Accept offer of admission at 1 college and make only 1 deposit

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

JUNIORS: This is the BIG year. Most colleges will only see your high school
grades up to junior year. (You should only send your fall senior grades
if you did not do as well as you had hoped junior year.) Try and take
as many challenging courses as you can handle; you’re trying to
show colleges that you’re serious about school and about your future.

Get involved with extracurricular activities. Join a club, play a

sport, submit a poem or article to a local magazine, do community
service, audition for the school play, apply for a job. Try and get as
many leadership opportunities as possible, colleges want students who
will be an important part of their campus.

Start preparing for the SAT, ACT, and SAT II Subject Tests. If
you’re school offers a PSAT (a shorter and more condensed version of

2
 the SAT which is used as practice) take it and learn what you need to
improve on for the actual SAT. Check out the collegeboard.com and
actstudent.org for information on spring test dates. Otherwise, juniors
can also take the tests offered in the fall.

It’s never too early to start researching or visiting school you’re

interested in. It’s okay to be Undecided, but try and start coming up
with some possible career choices. Knowing what you want to do as a
profession can help you narrow down which colleges you like.

Learn more about financial aid and possible scholarships and grants
you could apply for.
Visit http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/college_savings.jsp to figure
out how much your family will need to save for college, and how much
your family can afford.

SOPHOMORES
and FRESHMEN: As you’re starting high school, get involved with
extracurricular activities early on. Colleges like to see
commitments and long-term relationships with an activity.
For example, when choosing to join a club, pick a club where
you can work towards a leadership position, such as Yearbook or
the Newspaper.

Keep your grades up. Your high school transcript is the single most
important thing colleges look at in the admissions process.
Although getting involved in other activities and having a life is
important, your top priority as a student is to get good grades.