The College Timeline

Obviously, college is a big deal. It will shape your future career, your friends, and where you’ll live for four to eight years. So it’s important that your college search is a true reflection of not only who you are, but who you want to be. With that in mind, I’ve created a timeline to help you maximize your time, potential, and opportunities during the college search. You’re welcome.
Sophomore: Take the PSATs (practice SATs) to prepare for next year. Some schools offer AP classes for sophomores; if this is the case at your school, I highly recommend take one just for the experience. It looks good to colleges if you challenge yourself early, and then by your junior year you’ll know what to expect. If you have the $80, try the AP test because even if you completely bomb it, you’ll be better prepared for any future AP endeavors. Also try to narrow down what you’d like to do and what schools you might want to attend.
Junior: Really think about what to you want to study and take classes accordingly. If you aren’t sure, try a variety of classes to see what peaks your interest and take basic AP classes, as many as you can handle. Focus on juggling schoolwork and lots of extracurriculars; right now searching for the right school should be on the backburner. Toward the end of this year (like, after the AP tests) make searching for colleges a bigger priority, and intensify your search through the summer. Register with one of the many free websites that send you email alerts when scholarships you qualify for become available, and work on those when you can. Your junior year should mainly be about good grades, extracurricular activities, and time management, but if you do have time, beginning your college and scholarship search early is an excellent idea. Take the SATs early in your junior year so that if you need to retake them, you’ll have plenty of time. Don’t worry about taking any SAT subject tests until late in the year; if you take, say, an AP chem test, take the chem. SAT while the material is fresh in your mind.
Senior: You’re coming down the home stretch and you just want to blow everything off. All I can say is: get some coffee and get yourself through it. After you’ve narrowed your college choices down, begin filling out applications. Aim to have these all finished and mailed in two weeks before winter break (if your deadline is the day before winter break, your guidance counselor will hate you. Trust me.). Make a list of what you need for each application and make dates for when you’ll have it done. Know what the requirements are for each school (especially concerning the SATs) and plan to handle that accordingly. Once you have a handle on the applications, go big with your scholarship search. There seems to be an endless supply of them available online from scholarship search engines; sign up for as many as possible, and try to fill out a reasonable amount each day. Check with your or your parents’ employer, the guidance office, your college, your place of worship, etc. Work on them all throughout the year whenever you have the time. As the end of your senior year approaches, don’t forget to have fun, study for your AP tests, and make sure that your final transcripts are going to the college of your choice. Any time you have questions, your guidance office or your college should be happy to help you.
Post high school summer: Your main goals should now be having fun and making money, but there are a few loose ends you’ll need to tie up. Your AP grades will come mid-July and they should be reported to your college, but if you don’t receive notification that they were applied by the college by August, give the school a call. At orientation, ask every question you can think of and try to make new friends. Try to meet your roommate (or find them on facebook) so that you can figure out what you will need and get to know each other. And buy your textbooks as soon as you can—the best prices sell out fast. Good luck!