11th Grade

The Path to High School Graduation and Beyond

We want to make sure you know what you should be thinking about as you prepare for high school. The following is an action plan for you to follow. We will revisit this plan each year, but we want to give you a game plan so you can start your Junior year feeling informed and ready to start making the correct choices now!

Fall Semester

STUDY:

Work hard to get A’s and B’s in all courses. Do at least 1 – 2 hours of homework/study per night.

TAKE THE PSAT:

Register to take the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test). The PSAT is a practice test for the SAT.
Take the PSAT test, given in October, at Santana High School. The PSAT test results will give you an idea of your academic strengths and the areas you need to improve in as you prepare for college admission.

RESEARCH COLLEGES AND CAREERS:

Attend the Future Fest College Career event in the spring (usually in February).
Do research on colleges. Use your CaliforniaColleges.edu account to view colleges, including their majors, admission requirements, and deadlines.
Begin visiting colleges of interest. Call ahead to schedule a college tour or a meeting with the admissions office.

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Continue to update your personal file of transcripts, accomplishments, awards, community service, etc.
Do community service, volunteer, and participate in sports and clubs. Keep track of your hours. You may have to list hours of participation on your college or scholarship applications.
If you plan to take AP (Advanced Placement) exams, register to take them in the fall. The AP exams are given in the spring. Scoring well on AP exams may allow you to earn credit for college-level courses.
Make sure your counselor knows you are planning to go to college. Review your transcript with your counselor. Be familiar with the “A-G” college requirements.
Sign up for Dual Enrollment college classes. CCAP classes are offered on Santana's campus; non-CCAP classes are offered through the community college, either on the college campus or online.

APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS:

Check the scholarship link on the Santana website (Scholarships). See the scholarship advisor with questions or for copies of applications. Also use the Internet to look for scholarships. Continue watching and applying for scholarships throughout your senior year. Do your community service—it plays a big role in qualifying for scholarships.

Spring Semester

TAKE THE SAT or ACT TESTS (if required by the colleges you want to apply to):

Register to take your SAT or ACT test (if needed). NOTE: The UCs and CSUs no longer require the SAT or ACT test. You typically have to register at least 1 month before each examination. You can register online at www.collegeboard.org or www.actstudent.org.
Take your SAT, ACT tests. DO NOT POSTPONE TAKING YOUR SAT/ACT TESTS UNTIL YOUR SENIOR YEAR!! Many colleges require all tests to be taken early in the senior year.

APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS:

Check the scholarship link on the Santana website (Scholarships). See the scholarship advisor with questions or for copies of applications. Also, use the Internet to look for scholarships. Continue watching and applying for scholarships throughout your senior year. Do your community service—it plays a big role in qualifying for scholarships.

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