A quick glance at the information below should tell you one thing: the earlier you start planning for your child’s college education the better. Ideally, the goal for your child is to receive as many acceptance letters as possible from schools that offer what he/she wants to study. The best way to accomplish this is to start planning as early as freshman year of high school because there is much to accomplish. You don’t want to be caught trying to rush through the process and miss an opportunity. Here’s our thumbnail to-do list for the college admissions process:
Starting Freshman Year:
- Achieve Good Grades. The better his/her grades, the better your child’s chances to gain admission to their top choices. Encourage your child to work hard at developing good study habits in order to maintain the highest grades possible.
- Talk to the School Guidance Counselor. Be sure your child meets with the school counselor to set an academic course load for the next four years that is challenging and will [look good on] his/her transcript. Classes may include Honors, AP and IB classes: the more rigorous the curriculum, the more impressive your child’s resume.
- Identify an Academic and/or Extracurricular Interests/Talents to Pursue on a Deeper Level. If your child doesn’t have a favorite activity or passion, start exploring some by getting involved in school clubs and activities or by volunteering within your community. This process can start as early as grade school.
- Take the PSAT. The PSAT is administered in schools as early as freshman year, and is a great way to gauge how well a student will do on the SAT. The ACT offers a similar pretest called the PreACT that can be given during the sophomore year.
- Prepare Financially for College. Whether you’ve already started a college savings plan for your child or have no idea how you will pay for college, now is a good time to explore your options.
- Begin Building Portfolios. If your child’s interest lies in the performing or visual arts, now is a good time to begin thinking about and building a portfolio of his/her work.
Starting Sophomore Year:
- Create a Target List of Colleges. Discuss with your child what colleges appeal to him/her. Consider your child’s personality, interests, and geographical preferences.
- Visit One Campus or Four. If your child is interested, it’s not too early to check out a few campuses, especially if you happen to be in the area.
- Search for Test Preparation Resources. Start looking online, in bookstores and locally for ACT/SAT preparation services, books and tutors.
- Study for the ACT/SAT. If your child is considering athletic recruitment and/or early admission/decision college applications, sophomore year is an opportune time to start preparing. This is also good time to determine which test your child is more inclined to do well in by taking the practice tests.
- Be Aware of Special Circumstances. For example, if your child is an athlete and would like to be recruited, you should be aware of the NCAA requirements, as well as the schedule and procedures for recruiting in your child’s sport. In certain circumstances, this may involve an acceleration of the college admissions process which will require taking the ACT/SAT during sophomore year.
- Consider taking SAT Subject Tests as early as the end of sophomore year. Subject tests are best taken after the corresponding courses are completed and the knowledge is still fresh in the student’s mind. Depending on the student's course load, it may mean that end of the sophomore year may not be too early.
- Begin taking Advanced Placement (AP) Tests (if applicable). In most cases, the AP test is administered at your child’s school after the corresponding class is completed.
Starting Junior Year:
- Take the ACT/SAT. Plan for your child to take their first crack at the test in the fall of their junior year. Again, he/she may need to start taking the test in your sophomore year if a special circumstance for early recruitment exists. This will allow ample time to prepare to take it again (once or twice more) if need be.
- Look for Scholarships and Apply. Your child should expect to spend some time completing scholarship applications which generally require academic information, personal details and essay answers to specific questions.
- Start Preparing for Interviews. Some colleges will require these, especially if there is some kind of recruiting for sports or other activity. Others have optional interviews. Either way, have your child prepare for them by practicing with guidance counselors or someone who is familiar with the process.
- Begin Writing College Admission Essays. There is an art to crafting the perfect essay and it takes a lot of time to do it. Now is a good time to start on that first draft.
- Identify Individuals to Write Recommendation Letters. Have your child choose people with whom they’ve worked well with and who can write positively about him/her.
- Build a Resume. A resume for college applications is a one-page, easily shared or scannable synopsis of your child’s achievements. Revise as necessary.
Starting Senior Year:
- Sit for the SAT Subject Tests. You and your child should research each college on the target list to find out individual requirements as they vary by school. They are best taken after the corresponding courses are completed and the knowledge is still fresh in the student’s mind.
- Finalize Essays. Help your child by editing, but never by writing! The essay must sound and be authentic.
- Gather All Required Materials. This should include transcripts, test scores, forms and recommendations.
- Mind Application Deadlines. Be sure you and your child are well aware of deadlines to submit for Early Action/Decision (if applicable) and regular admission. Even if your child is applying for early admission, do regular admission as a back-up., in case your child isn’t accepted early.
- Submit FAFSA Form / CSS Form. Have your financial documents ready when you sit down to fill out the online forms. It’s tedious but necessary. Be sure to submit the FAFSA shortly after October 1, as most money is awarded on a first come, first serve basis.
- Interview with College Admissions. He/She can go in with confidence, knowing that they’ve prepared for this day since last year (thanks to this list)
- Make a Decision. Early Decision/Action results are usually available in December with two or more weeks to respond. Regular admission results typically release between January and March with a bit more lead time to respond (usually May 1). Consider financial packages, consult family/friends/teachers and visit the colleges that offered your child admission to help with the decision process.
- Send Final Transcripts. With all of the excitement of graduation, it’s easy to forget to send the final transcripts that are required by most colleges.
- Look for New Student Instructions. During the summer following your child’s senior year, there will be notices for orientation and other resources to help you and your child prepare for freshman year.
Quite a list, isn’t it? Pace yourself and don’t wait until the last minute to prepare for tests, essays, interviews and applications. A disciplined approach will help ensure your child will have the best crack at the college admissions process.
If you are interested in speaking with one of our Advisors about college planning, you can schedule an introductory free consultation here.
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