Freshman/Sophomore Year College Timetable
❏Explore careers! Using Naviance or Ohio Means Jobs, take their assessments and spend some time reading about the suggestion careers. Think about what might be a “fit” for you and the education needed to get there. Ask family members for advice, input and information. If you know someone in a career that interests you, ask if they will let you “job-shadow” them for a day to see what its really like.
❏Work hard to achieve the best grades possible in each of your classes. Your grades during 9th and 10th grade do matter to colleges.
❏ Find something to get involved with at school or in your community. Extra-curricular involvement can help you learn more about yourself, instill confidence and develop your leadership skills.
Junior Year College Timetable
** Be sure to designate a folder and/or notebook to store college materials and account login information as you go through this process.
Fall:
❏Continue exploring careers
❏Meet with college representatives visiting Crestwood and find days to visit college campuses if possible. Most colleges have Saturday tours available. Most colleges have “virtual” tours as well. Yes, you can and should start this during your Junior Year!
❏Take the PSAT (open to 10th graders also). This gives you insight to your testing abilities and can show you areas that you can improve.
❏Consider a ACT/SAT test preparation tool. Studying for the ACT, for example, can significantly help you improve your scores. (See your School Counselor for information on this.)
❏Meet with the Colleges who come to visit YOU at Crestwood High School during the fall. You can sign up in Naviance.
Winter
❏Prepare to take the ACT (at Crestwood High School). On the ACT website (www.act.org ) you cand find, a free 64 page book of test day tips and practice tests and a registration link to “ACT Online Prep” that provides an individualized learning path for each student. (Students taking our College & Career Readiness class will have an account activated on their behalf.)
❏Sign-up to take the SAT. Many colleges accept either the ACT or the SAT therefore it is individual preference to take both; some students find they do better on one over the other.
❏Continue college exploration by exploring college websites or visiting the campus itself. Students are permitted 2 excused absences from school for college visits. Many colleges have Saturday visits as well.
❏Start to develop a list of colleges that have a career you prefer, if known, and whose admission standards you are likely to meet.
Spring
❏Continue work on developing a list of colleges you’d like to apply to and start tracking the details of the admission process such as: application fee, deadline, application requirements (for example, are letters of recommendation or essays required?)
❏ Consider a full or part-time job for the summer that will help you save for your future and possibly help you explore your career interests.
❏If you are an athlete and plan to continue playing a sport in college, register with the NCAA eligibility center. (www.ncaaclearinghouse.net)
❏Continue to work hard in your academic classes. The transcript you will initially submit to college will be your cumulative GPA at the end of your Junior Year.
❏Continue to seek input and information from your School Counselor at any step of the process!
Senior Year College Timetable
** Be sure to designate a folder and/or notebook to store college materials and account login information as you go through this process.
August/ September:
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Regardless of what you might have heard- year senior year counts; don’t let “senior-it-is” take over. Plan how to use this year to obtain challenge and growth.
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Continue research on colleges. Use Naviance to create a list of colleges you are thinking of applying to and take note of admission requirements and deadlines.
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Meet with college representatives visiting Crestwood and find days to visit college campuses if possible. Most colleges have Saturday tours available. Most colleges have “virtual” tours as well.
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Register to take the ACT or SAT. Some schools take either, be sure to check the requirements if you already have colleges in mind.
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Check with your School Counselor during any step!
September/October:
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Complete applications. This step can take a lot of time, especially if your application requires an essay. Keep a master calendar of deadlines and important dates related to each college.
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Keep a list of each college’s needed admission documents to check off when each is done.
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Be sure to seek someone to proofread essays.
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Seek people to write recommendation letters. Be sure to provide recommenders with a copy of your autobiographical sketch or resume to enable them to highlight your strengths.
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Give recommenders 2 weeks to complete their recommendation letter
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Register or re-take the ACT or SAT
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Continue college visits if you haven’t decided where you’d like to attend.
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Complete your FAFSA (reminder…this is FREE to apply). Even if you don’t know where you’d like to go yet, get started on this. You can send your FAFSA to multiple colleges even if you don’t actually attend there.
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Be sure to watch your EMAIL and MAIL for incoming documents from colleges. The admissions office and FAFSA might email you instead of mailing you updates.
November:
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Continue working on completing your applications. Seek your School Counselor’s support as needed. It’s a good idea to keep copies of everything you’ve turned in. Be sure to watch the deadlines for each college.
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Continue work on searching for scholarships.
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Continue with college visits if you haven’t made your decision.
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November 1- This is the deadline for many “Early Decision” applicants for admission.
December:
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Continue work on applications if not yet done so & applying for scholarships.
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Study for your finals. These grades ARE still important.
GOAL--- apply for all colleges before December 1. This gives Guidance/Counseling office time to submit all documents before Christmas break.
January:
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Keep watch in your email and mail. The colleges you’ve applied to will contact you if they need additional information for your FAFSA and may start sending you information on their Orientation day program.
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Continue work on your scholarship applications.
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Keep studying. Sometimes your admission is contingent on your midterm grades.
January/February/March:
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Keep watch in your email and mail. The colleges you’ve applied to will contact you if they need additional information for your FAFSA and may start sending you information on their Orientation day program.
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As you start to receive acceptance letters remind yourself that there is no “one” right college for you. Don’t panic if you’re not accepted. But do check in with your School Counselor if you need to seek alternatives.
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You will start to receive your “Financial Aid Offer” from colleges. These are often very confusing. Don’t hesitate to call the college for an explanation of what you’re looking at. (Or see your School Counselor.)
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If you’ve been accepted, you might also receive information on setting up an email account. (This still doesn’t mean you have to commit to that certain college yet.) Be sure to set-up your email account, and write down your password. Colleges might use this email address to contact you with information needed for Orientation day programs and Financial Aid.
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Continue applying for scholarships! A lot of scholarships specific to Crestwood students are posted In Naviance in March.
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If at any point, you made the decision to apply to a different college than you had originally intended, make sure you have your test scores (ACT or SAT) sent there as well as your FAFSA
April:
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As you start to make decisions on where you’ll attend, its common courtesy to notify all colleges where you’ve applied of your decision to attend elsewhere.
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Be sure to pay attention to deadlines related to your first deposit.
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Pay attention to email and mail to be sure you are receiving all information related to your selected college’s Financial Aid process and their Orientation Day registration.
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If you are “wait-listed” by a college and intend to enroll if accepted, call, visit, or write to the Admissions Director to state your intentions and ask how to strengthen your application. Recent evidence of notable academic or other achievements could help.
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See your School Counselor at any step of the process as needed.
May:
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Start looking for a summer job to earn money for your college expenses. Textbooks can cost anywhere from $300-$600. Sometimes your loans money won’t be available until after school begins.
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Make sure you request that the Guidance office sends your final transcript to your college.