First Semester Actions

Prepare for ACT/SAT Entrance Exams

Take the PSAT/NMSQT if you did not in the 10th grade. This is a preliminary test that helps students practice for the SAT and assess their academic skills. Juniors who score well on the test are also eligible for scholarship opportunities. Juniors can take the SAT at school on the Sophomore test date. Juniors wanting to test will have to pay the CollegeBoard testing fee.

Review PSAT/NMSQT results. Log in to CollegeBoard's student score reporting portal to see your scores. Based on your results the report will show you what you should work on to get ready for college; lists Advanced Placement courses that might be a good match for you; and connect you to free personalized study material on the Khan Academy website.

Take a ACT/SAT prep course. GHHS offers a free SAT prep course each year. Check with the College and Career Center for the next available class. Many students improve their scores by 100 points after taking this course, so yes it is worth it! There are also many other online or commercial sources like Khan Academy, Kaplan Test Prep, Princeton Review, and ACT Online Prep that provide test prep programs.

Explore Colleges

Create a college fit profile. Choosing which college to attend is one of life's major decisions. It is important to choice wisely. The college you choose should be the one that best fits and meets your needs and future goals. Selecting a college based on characteristics that match your personality, learning style, and comfortable living environment will ensure you finish your degree programs and have an enjoyable time while doing so. To help with your process and get you thinking about what your dream school looks like, complete the Characteristics of My Perfect College worksheet. Create a list of about 5 to 10 schools that meet your needs based on the worksheet.

Attend College and Career Fairs. You should have attended your sophomore year, so this year lean about schools you did not the prior year. Speak with college and career reps you did not before. You need to gather as much information as you can from a number of different sources to decide on a college that best fits and meets your needs and goals.

Tour college campuses. Check out campuses of colleges you are interested in attending. Plan your visit using the Planning a College Visit handout and the College/University Visit Questionnaire.

Assess Future Career Goals

Take the ASVAB test. If you did not take the ASVAB in your sophomore year take it this semester. The ASVAB Career Exploration Program will help you explore career options. Check with the College and Career Center for ways to sign up.

Complete a career assessment. Using your ASVAB results complete the Career Selection worksheet. This worksheet will help you evaluate your career choices by understanding the skills and education requirements needed to work in your desired filed. This worksheet will also help you begin to think about possible colleges you can attend that have your career major.

Participate in Extracurricular Activities

Get and stay involved. A Strong academic record accounts for a lot when applying to college, but it is not the only factor that makes you competitive. Colleges consider well rounded students as ideal candidates for admission. Find ways to explore your interest in a sports, school clubs, music or drama groups, or community volunteer activities. As you explore ways to get involve remember not to over extend yourself. Colleges would rather see real involvement in one activity instead of loose connections to several.

**Note**If you are or become a student athlete and think you might be interested in playing sports in college, research the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) eligibility requirements. The NCAA and NAIA requires completion of certain core courses and test scores; you can find the specifics at NCAA Eligibility website or NAIA Eligibility website.

Second Semester Actions

Take Your Entrance Exams

Take the ACT/SAT w essay. Sores on these test are used for the vast majority of college admission. It is recommended to take these test in your junior year to give yourself an opportunity to test again if you need to improved your score. Refer to the College Entrance Exams page on this website to find information on the differences between the ACT and SAT exams.

Take an SAT subject test. Many colleges require or recommend taking a subject test. The test will assess your skills in a certain academic area. It is a great ideal to take the test right after taking the relevant course. The scores may also be used for admission into special programs at certain college campuses.

Take an AP test. If you have taken AP classes you should take the test in May. High scores on the test will earn you college credit in many colleges. The scores may also be used for admission into special programs at certain college campuses.

Know the Schools You Want To Apply To

Compare colleges. Compare all the colleges you have researched and visited to select at lest five schools to apple to next year. Utilize the Comparing Colleges and Universities worksheet to narrow your choices. The schools in your top 5 list will meet your college major, career aspirations, perfect fit characteristics, and financial budget.

Know what it takes to get accepted. Now that you know what schools you want to apply to, find out what what it takes to get accepted. Complete the Getting Accepted worksheet so there are no surprises and you are well prepared for the application process next year.

Research Financial Aid

Understand FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form used to apply for federal and state funded student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans. Colleges and universities also use your FAFSA to determine your eligibility to receive aid available through the institution's financial aid programs. Completing and submitting the FAFSA will be done in your senior year and each subsequent year you are registered in college courses. Learning the process now will have you better prepared for your fast-pasted senior year. You can determine your eligibility and estimate your student aid with the FAFSA 4caster.

Understand the CSS Profile. The College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile is an application distributed by the College Board in the United States allowing college students to apply for financial aid. It is primarily designed to give private member institutions of the College Board a closer look into the finances of a student and their family. It is much more detailed than the FAFSA. Generally speaking, most public and state universities do not use the CSS Profile to make financial aid decisions, while many private colleges do.

Understand the Cal Grant. The Call Grant is a financial aid program administrated by the California Student Aid Commission. It provides aid to California undergraduates, vocational training students, and those in teacher certification programs. Cal Grants are the largest source of California state funded student financial aid. The Cal Grant gives funds to qualifying students who meet GPA and parent income requirements. Funds may be applied to tuition, room and board, or books and other supplies. The Cal Grant is determined based on information from the FAFSA or California Dream Application.

Understand the California Dream Act Application. The California Dream Act Application allows DACA holders, U Visa holders, and individuals with Temporary Protected Status to apply for the Cal Grant. Students must meet California's non-resident tuition exemption, i.e., AB 540/AB 2000/SB 68 requirements to be eligible to receive the Cal Grant.

Know how much aid you need. Planning financially for college is a huge part of your journey and may sway the decision of which college you attend. Take the time to know where you stand financially and your ability to pay for college. Complete the Financial Aid-Need Assessment worksheet. This should keep you focused and motivated to hunt down and apply for all the financial available to you.

Look / apply for scholarships. Applying early for scholarships allows you more time to rack up money for college. Applying early means you will have more opportunities to win scholarships. There are many state, and national level scholarships for sophomore students. Check this link to research junior scholarships and to get you started on your quest to find, apply, and win as many scholarships as you can.

Visit More College Campuses

Tour a college campus or two. Check out the campuses you plan to apply to next year. Know for sure if they are a fit for you. Sometimes you have to see and touch something to get a true feeling about it. Plan your visit using the Planning a College Visit handout and the College/University Visit Questionnaire.

Stay on Target/Prepare for Next Year

Meet with your high school counselor. You will want to meet with your counselor to go over course options for your senior year. You will need to ensure your course schedule is challenging enough to prepare you for college and you are on target to meet A-G entrance requirements. This gives you an opportunity to discuss summer classes to make up any course(s) you received a grade lower than a C. If you are an ambitious student and would like to get ahead or look into taking college level courses this is something you can speak with your counselor about.

Take challenging courses next year. Taking honors courses or college-level courses like Advanced Placement courses. As a senior these course can help you prepare for college level course work — and these are also the courses that college admission officers like to see.

Schedule Appoint with College/Career Center. Schedule an appointment with the college and career advisor to ensure you are on target with your college planning efforts. This is your opportunity to get additional assistance and have your questions about financial aid, college applications, career choices, etc answered.

Summer Actions

Review SAT results.

Log on to Collegeboard. Log in to CollegeBoard's student score reporting portal to see your scores. Based on your results the report will show you what you should work on to get ready for college; lists Advanced Placement courses that might be a good match for you; and connect you to free personalized study material on the Khan Academy website.

Get Started on College Applications

Weigh the pro/cons of early action. Some colleges have early action, which allows you to apply and receive acceptance before the general application process. However, there are pros and cons to early action. Decide if early action is right for you. Visit Collegeboard website to get the facts about early action.

Explore Summer Opportunities/Programs

Look for summer academic programs. Make your summer count by developing your skills. Summer programs are a great way to experience life on a college campus, explore new and exciting fields you may want to pursue for your college major, make friendships with students from around the globe and, perhaps even earn college credit for the courses you take. Visit the College and Career Center to learn about specific summer program opportunities.

• Check out these websites to find summer programs:
  • Summer Programs for H.S. Students
  • College Transitions
  • Best Value College Summer Programs

Look for jobs, internships, or volunteer positions. This is a great way to help you learn about career paths and industries of interest to you. Look for opportunities that will matter to your future. Gain exposure in things that you are interested in. Refer to the Career Exploration page of this website to get information on job, internships and volunteer opportunities.