It may seem like a cliche, but it's true - a little planning can go a long way towards eliminating stress for yourself, your parents, your teacher and your counselor - all people who's help you're going to want when it's time to apply to colleges. Over the last couple of months, I've fielded many frantic questions and requests from students who need something - a letter, a form, official transcripts, recommendations; and they need it yesterday. I'm glad to say I was able to meet all those requests, but that might not always be the case. I would hate to see a student not get into the college of his choice because he waited until the last minute to ask for something - and then couldn't get it in time.
So juniors, listen up! This is the time for you to get all your ducks in a row, so to speak. Major college application season in California is November of your senior year, and once school starts up in the fall, November will be here before you know it. Sophomores and Freshmen - it's not too early for you to begin planning, either; you'll be that much closer to ready come junior year. Read on for a step-by-step guide to what you should be thinking about now, to make next fall that much easier on all of us.
Juniors
Make sure you know what the admission requirements are for the schools you plan to apply to. Taking a step back, make sure you know what schools you want to apply to. If you haven't decided yet, now is the time. Hopefully you've narrowed down your long list of colleges to between 3 and 8 you will apply to come fall. Check out minimum GPA requirements, standardized test (SAT or ACT) requirements, deadlines, and necessary essays and personal statements. You can get started on your essays and personal statements this summer. If you need letters of recommendation, start thinking about who you will ask, so you can let them know immediately after school starts in the Fall. Finally, make sure you've registered for the SAT or ACT if you need it for your application. If you plan to play a sport in college, make sure you are registered with the NCAA eligibility center as well.
Most importantly: meet with your counselor before the end of the school year to make a plan (and a calendar) for your applications come fall.
Sophomores
Begin your "long list" of colleges - all the colleges you can find that you might be interested in; if you've already started this list, keep looking and adding to it. Begin preparing for the SAT/ACT. Meet with your counselor to discuss what courses you should take your junior year to make your college application as strong as you can. And while you're at it, hit the books to finish this semester's classes with the best grades you can possibly manage. Remember - when reviewing applications, most colleges (including UC and CSU) look at 10th and 11th grade GPA - so this semester and your next two are your best chance to bring your GPA up to something the admissions staff will be impressed with.
Freshmen
Start searching online for colleges that might be of interest to you. There are many great internet resources out there, including College Navigator, College Board, and CSU Mentor. All of these sites have search engines to help match your interests and preferences to colleges. You might also check out Colleges that Change Lives to find out about smaller, special interest colleges you might not come across in larger search engines. Meet with your counselor to choose courses for next year - and to make sure you have the courses to prepare you for more challenging courses your junior year. Also ask your counselor about taking the PSAT in the fall - it's a great way to practice for the SAT later on, and if your score is high enough, you might qualify for some scholarship money for college.
All Students
Meet with your counselor before the end of the year and make a plan! The hour or so you spend planning this spring will undoubtedly save hours and hours of headaches later - for you and your support staff.
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