JUNIOR YEAR
COLLEGE PLANNING TIMELINE
Your 11th grade year in high school is an extremely important time in the college & career planning process. You will be taking college entrance exams, narrowing down your college choices, and learning more about financial aid. In addition, you will need to stay involved in your high school courses and activities. Please use this timeline as a way to stay organized and updated as you begin your journey to college and life after Crete-Monee High School.
FALL (AUGUST-NOVEMBER)
Make sure you know how to log into your SchooLinks account (Can login directly using Classlink).
Continue to take challenging courses and maintain satisfactory grades.
Evaluate your higher education options. Start to think if you would like to attend a traditional 4-year college or university, a 2-year community or technical school, or enter into one of the Armed Forces.
If you are interested in attending a military academy, get in touch with a military recruiter (Talk with Mrs. Drummond for more details).
Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if you are planning to play sports at the college level.
Make a list of potential colleges that you are interested in using SchooLinks. This list should include schools that meet your most important interests, criteria, and priorities. Consider the size of the school, location, cost, academic majors offered, and special programs. The best way to gather information about colleges is to go to their website or speak with a college representative.
Attend college fairs and go on college campus visits.
Meet with college representatives in the Guidance Office. Check the School Counseling Office website or SchooLinks for a schedule of visits.
Take the PSAT/NMSQT (offered every year in October).
WINTER (DECEMBER-FEBRUARY)
Meet with your counselor for your Junior Meeting to review your transcript, and discuss post-high school plans.
Continue to stay involved in extracurricular activities and be sure to properly balance them with your course load. Keep in mind that colleges look for consistency and depth in the non-academic activities that you pursue. Taking on leadership roles and making a commitment to the same groups are more important than trying numerous activities each year.
Organize your college information. Set up a filing system with individual folders for each college’s correspondence and printed materials. This will make it easier to locate the specific information you are looking for.
Begin narrowing down your college choices. Check details such as entrance requirements, tuition cost, room and board costs, course offerings, student activities, financial aid, etc. Begin comparing the schools by the factors that are the most important to you.
Prepare for the ACT. Find out if the colleges that you are interested in require an ACT score, or if you need to take the SAT, as well. Most Juniors take the ACT in the Spring. You can take the tests again in the Summer and/or Fall of your Senior year if you are unhappy with your scores.
Speak with your family, particularly about the colleges that you are interested in and what your options are for financing college.
SPRING (MARCH-JUNE)
Plan spring and summer college visits with your parents.
Begin a scholarship search for any National Scholarships that are available . Use online scholarship searches, SchooLinks, and updates from the Counseling Department to become aware of the opportunities for scholarships that may be applicable to you. (Most scholarships won't be available until the beginning of your senior year and local ones are available in Jan/Feb of your senior yr)
Consider whom you want to ask to write you a letter of recommendation and request their letter via SchooLinks so that they will have enough time to prepare a quality letter before the deadline. Ask teachers who know you well, and who have positive things to say on your behalf.
Complete a Who am I packet and provide a copy to all request teachers. Teachers must receive your Who am I packet before they will write you a letter.
Apply for a summer job, internship or pre-college program. Summer employment and internships in career fields that you are interested in will look appealing on a college application or resume. The money you earn can also be used to help pay for application or admission exam fees. Pre-College programs offer students the chance to take courses that interest them while building a great portfolio.