Sign up for strong courses and make studying your number one priority.
Explore possible career interests.
Work up to your potential—the grades you earn throughout high school become part of your cumulative grade point average (GPA), which is shared with colleges.
Participate in extracurricular activities.
Begin to work on your community service requirement for graduation.
Make your summer meaningful. Consider summer school, a part-time job, volunteer work, or other enrichment opportunities.
Begin looking at strong courses to take in 10th Grade.
When on vacation, drive through and walk around college campuses just to get the feel of different types of schools.
Take the PSAT8/9 to begin to determine a baseline of your skills.
Focus firmly on grades. This is the last year to acquire a strong GPA for college admissions applications next fall.
If your 10th grade PSAT test scores show potential for National Merit consideration, consider taking a PSAT prep course before your test in October.
Talk to college representatives and begin to establish contact with various schools of interest to you.
Talk with college representatives when they visit the school.
Attend college information sessions on theAYA campus and throughout the metroplex.
Take the PSAT in October. National Merit Scholarship Competition eligibility is determined from the 11th Grade PSAT.
Use your 11th Grade PSAT as a baseline score from which to prep for next spring’s SATs and ACTs.
Consider an SAT/ACT prep course after receiving PSAT scores in December. PSAT scores can be used as SAT predictors within approximate ranges. They can also indicate areas of strength or weakness that students can work on before taking the first SAT or ACT in the spring of the junior year. You can retest in the fall of the senior year.
Take the practice ACT or SAT.
Meet with college counselor second semester.
Check with yourthe college counselor for additional application forms if you regularly use and will need special testing accommodations.
If you are enrolled in AP courses, prepare for and takeAP tests at the end of your junior year.
Continue to work on your community service hours. Consider running for leadership positions.
Get on the internet and investigate college websites.
Visit college campuses. Take advantage of virtual tours for schools you are unable to visit in person.
Make your summer meaningful. Consider internships, enrichment programs on college campuses, work experiences, travel to Israel, etc.
Complete the junior project & resume.
Begin to explore financial aid policies, procedures and net price calculators.
Sign up again for the SAT or ACT. If necessary, continue test prep if appropriate.
Make plans to visit college campuses of interest to you.
Attend AYA's Senior Boot Camp.
Work to revise and finalize essays.
Meet with the college counselor for admission tips, extraassistance, and to review the college application.
Attend various rep. visits both online and on campus.
Become aware of application deadlines. Meet with your counselor regularly to update and finalize college application choices.
Follow application directions for each college and submit electronically all applications on time.
Request letters of recommendation and transcripts through Naviance.
Apply for scholarships from local and national organizations.
Check on the financial aid and scholarship process at the colleges you are considering. Do any schools require that you submit the CSS Profile? Meet application deadlines.
Apply for need-based financial aidthrough the FAFSA or the CSS Profile.
