Overview/Timeline

A General Planning Timeline for Students and Families 

9th Grade Year 

• • Areas of Focus 

    • • Academic Success 

      • Extracurricular Involvement (in school and/or outside) 

      • Community Service (60 total hours required during high school) 

      • Personal Growth 

      • Healthy Balance 

  • Summer after Freshman Year 

    • • Personal Growth and Community Service 

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   Sophomore Year 

• • Areas of Focus 

    • • Academic Success 

      • Extracurricular Involvement (in school and/or outside) 

      • Community Service (60 total hours required during high school) 

      • Personal Growth 

      • Healthy Balance 

  • Take a Career Interest Inventory (introduction to SCOIR) ● 

  • Consider the PSAT in October (open to Sophomores, but mainly for Juniors) ● 

  • Summer after Sophomore Year 

    • • Personal Growth and Community Service 

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Junior Year 

• • Areas of Focus 

    • • Academic Success 

      • Extracurricular Involvement (in school and/or outside) 

      • Community Service (60 total hours required during high school) 

      • Personal Growth 

      • Healthy Balance 

  • First Semester 

    • • Take the PSAT and/or a practice ACT in October 

        • • • Signups through the high school in late September 

            • Exact details will be shared as soon as available 

      • Start thinking about a plan for taking standardized tests 

        • • • When/how will you prepare for a test? 

              • • Take a prep class, and/or.. 

                • Study using available free online resources, and/or … 

                • Get private tutoring

            • When will you take your first test? 

              • Potentially take first standardized test in winter (dates below)  https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines 

              • https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html 

            • Start to explore colleges 

            • Use the college search tool in SCOIR; enter preferences and look at a list of matching schools 

            • Visit colleges locally to experience different varieties of campus settings 

  • Second Semester 

    • • Formally begin the postsecondary planning process 

      • Attend group meeting with School Counselor(s) to get an overview of the planning process 

      • Meet individually with your School Counselor to talk about your specific interests and plans 

      • Take the SAT and/or ACT for the first or second time 

      • Visit and research colleges and programs 

      • Begin process for Military Academy Appointments or ROTC scholarships, if interested 

      • Parent nights 

        • Junior parent intro. to postsecondary process in February 

        • Financial Aid night, sponsored by MEFA, in April or May 

      • Ask one or two teachers for college recs in March 

      • Write college essay(s) in junior English class 

      • Summer after junior year 

        • • • Begin college applications, if motivated to start early 

            • Explore alternatives to college for those interested 

            • Continue and/or complete Community Service 

            • Explore enrichment activities, research opportunities 

            • Complete Senior Self Reflection to inform the School Counselor recommendation 

            • Parent(s) complete the Parent Questionnaire to inform the School Counselor recommendation 

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Senior Year 

• • • • First Semester 

        • • • Continue the postsecondary planning process

            • Attend group meeting with School Counselors related to the application timeline and process 

            • Parent(s) attend the Senior Postsecondary Planning Night 

            • Continue to explore colleges and programs 

              • • Visit campuses 

                • Meet with college reps who visit Needham High in the Fall 

                • Meet individually with School Counselor (as many times as needed) 

                • Talk in detail about your specific plan(s) 

            • ○ Start to apply if choosing to apply early (Mid October to Early November Deadlines) ***

            • ○ Start the Financial Aid Process if needed 

            • ○ Explore Scholarship Opportunities (many resources, including the ones below) 

              • • FastWeb 

                • StudentScholarships.org 

                • Scholar Snap (connect through your Common Application) 

      • Second Semester 

        • • • Finalize applications 

            • Firm up postsecondary plans 

            • Submit deposit to college attending by May 1st 

            • ED acceptances require deposits shortly after acceptance 

            • All other acceptances allow for a May 1 deposit 

            • Complete all graduation obligations

*** NHS adheres to the CEPP outlined by NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counseling: Section II:  B: #1:page 6 )  in facilitating the application process. We ensure that school documents, and counselor & teacher recommendations will be available for submission on October 15th. Colleges are prohibited from providing or implying an advantage for getting these materials in before the October 15th deadline.