Are you ready?

College Planning Timeline

Whether you’re a soon-to-be senior or just starting high school, there are things you can do now to position yourself to be ready for the college search and admission to a school that is the right fit for you.

9th Grade / First-Year Students

Work hard, play hard—have fun
Enjoy your high school experience and remember to stay on top of your grades. Establish good study habits early on! 

Get involved outside of class if you can
Join clubs, teams, and activities (inside or outside of school), volunteer, or get a job that interests you.

Set goals
Think about specific goals you would like to accomplish by the end of high school and what you need to do to achieve them. 

Begin discussions
Start talking with family about different aspects of college (cost, distance from home, etc.)

10th Grade  / Sophomore Students

Challenge yourself
If your school offers them, challenge yourself by taking advanced classes, such as honors, AP, IB, and Dual Credit courses. Universities want to see that you’re preparing for college-level coursework. However, don’t overload yourself--only take as many as you can handle.

Talk to your counselor
Introduce yourself to your high school counselor if you haven’t already. They can help you navigate the academic and college planning process.

Visit a college campus or two
Take notes of things you liked and disliked about the experience to help you better understand the qualities you’re looking for in a college.

Check emails
Get used to checking and responding to emails! Most colleges use email as their primary form of communication.

11 Grade / Junior Students

Start studying for the SAT or ACT 
Do your research to see if the schools you want to apply to will require either test for admissions or scholarship consideration.

Letters of recommendation
Make a list of any teachers you think would be willing and able to write a supportive letter of recommendation for you during your senior year. 

Attend an upcoming event
Check with your high school college counselor about upcoming events where you can connect with different colleges, like fairs or high school visits.

Make a list
Begin crafting your college list based on the college experience you want to have (location, size, academics, research opportunities, etc.) 

Stay connected
Connect with admissions counselors, professors, and students at the schools on your list for unique perspectives about each place and to find out more about their academic programs, campus life, and enrollment process. 

What should I be doing right now?
Check out our college planning checklist for more recommendations to help you stay on top of your college search journey.

Checklist for Juniors (PDF)