June/July (Summer Before High School)
Get involved and create a log.
Learn more about all CPHS has to offer (sports, fine arts, clubs, organizations).
Find ways to give back to the Austin-area/CP community (volunteer, get involved with a philanthropy, etc.)
Create and track a log of your involvement including the activity name, supervisor (and contact info), date, location, hours served.
Annual (reoccuring) acfivities/events are a great way to regularly volunteer and have the activity on your calendar in advance.
Visit a college campus together.
It’s a great way to get your child excited about college. Learn more about how you and your child can prepare for a campus visit.
Get the facts about what college costs. You may be surprised at how affordable higher education can be. Start by reading Understanding College Costs.
Show your child how to explore career ideas.
He or she can make a list of interests, talents and favorite activities and start matching them with occupations.
Learn more about how your child can complete the career quiz.
August/September/October/November
Help your child set goals for the school year.
Working toward specific goals helps your child stay motivated and focused.
Make a plan to check in regularly about schoolwork.
If you keep up (via HAC) with your child's tests, papers, and homework assignments, you can celebrate successes and head off problems as a team.
Talk about extracurricular activities.
Getting involved in clubs and other groups is a great way for your child to identify interests and feel more engaged in school.
Read more about the benefits of extracurriculars.
December/January/February
Meet with your alpha counselor. (December)
Your child will attend a one-on-one with his/her alpha counselor to discuss four-year planning and college and career options (in order to choose the most-appropriate classes, endorsement area, etc.).
Learn more about the high school counselor's role
Discuss next year’s classes.
Make sure your child is challenging him- or herself and taking the courses college admission officers expect to see.
Learn more about the high school classes that colleges look for.
Start thinking about financial aid.
It’s not too early to look into types of aid that could help you cover college costs.
Start by learning how financial aid works.
March/April/May
Help your child start preparing for their college seach.
Visit College Search Step-by-Step together to get tips on starting a college search and figuring out what matters most to your child when choosing a college.
See how much you need to save for college.
Use the College Savings Calculator to get an idea of where you are compared with your savings goal.
Help your child make summer plans.
Summer is a great time to explore interests and learn new skills — and colleges look for students who pursue meaningful summer activities.
Find out ways your child can stay motivated this summer.