College Timelines by Grade

Freshman Year

Welcome: We're glad you're here!

Grades: Work hard in your courses.  Develop good study habits. Take the most challenging courses you can handle.

Activities: Get involved in activities such as clubs, a part-time job, sports, music, art...

Attend: Come to lunch sessions at the CAVA College and Career Center to explore post-high-school options.

Explore: Create a CaliforniaColleges.edu account and learn about careers and colleges

Organize: Keep a list of all activities and honors you do each year. If it isn't Netflix or napping, list it!

Plan: Take a CTE pathway next year or a community college course. Both are great on college applications.

Summer: Volunteer, get a job, take a summer class for fun, travel, follow your passions. Take virtual tours of a few colleges.

Sophomore Year

Grades: Work hard in your courses.  Develop good study habits. Take the most challenging courses you can handle.

Activities: Explore other activities and find your passion. A part-time job gives you experience, spending money and a sense of independence.

Attend: Come to lunch sessions at the CAVA College and Career Center to explore post-high-school options.

Learn: Complete CaliforniaColleges.edu lessons on career exploration and college planning. 

Organize: Keep adding to the list of all activities and honors. Remember: if it isn't Netflix or napping, list it!

Plan: Find courses you enjoy that interest you at a community college. Continue in your CTE pathway.

Summer: Volunteer, get a job, take a summer class for fun, travel, follow your passions. Take virtual tours of a few colleges.

Junior Year

Grades: These are the last set of grades colleges will see. Colleges look at this year to see if you challenge yourself with difficult courses, and how well you do in them. Some say this is the most important year for college applications.

Activities: Explore other activities and find your passion. A part-time job gives you experience, spending money and a sense of independence.

Resume: Create a resume and list all work experience as well as activities.

Attend: Come to lunch sessions at the CAVA College and Career Center to explore post-high-school options.

Learn: Focus on colleges you are serious about; make a list on CaliforniaColleges.edu. Do the same for careers that interest you.

Organize: Keep adding to the list of all activities and honors. Remember: if it isn't Netflix or napping, list it!

Plan: Next year should be the capstone course (CTE) or another community college class.

Summer: Plan to visit a few colleges in person, or get an internship or paid job in the field you want to pursue.

Essays: Start brainstorming for your college essays.

College Applications: Many college apps open in late summer. Get started!

Senior Year

Options: There are so many options and we're here to help. We've loaded the College and Career website with resources on the 4-year college, community/technical college, apprenticeships, military, gap year and direct-to-work pathways. 

Applications: Get started or continue working on applications. Plan to meet all deadlines. If you need a fee waiver, contact your counselor. App portals vary by school and include the UC application, CSU application, Common Application, community college application, and  individual school portals. Launch your UC, CSU and CCC applications from CaliforniaColleges.edu for the easiest experience! 

Application help: Look for line-by-line application help in the calendar of events, or make a 1-on-1 appointment.

College Essays: Get 1-on-1 help with brainstorming and editing from a trained CAVA college application or essay reader!

FAFSA/CADAA: Fill out this financial aid application. It's a requirement for seniors in the state of California. Look for line-by-line help sessions in our events calendar.

Deadlines: Check the application deadlines for each college - they can be very different!

Grades: Colleges still check grades after they admit you, so finish strong! *Print an unofficial transcript to ensure all courses are correct.

2nd Semester Schedule Changes: Senior year course schedules are key parts of an admission decision. Avoid adjustments. Notify admission offices if you need to make a change.

Scholarships: Fill out as many scholarship applications as you can. Find a list on the counselor's website.

Attend: Come to lunch sessions at the CAVA College and Career Center to explore post-high-school options.

Graduate: You made it! Savor your accomplishments and celebrate with your family, CAVA classmates and staff.