College Application Planning for High School Juniors

If you are a junior in high school, take out a calendar and count the months until September 2019. Then using a pencil, write that college applications are due by September 30 on the calendar. Although this can be a bit of an exaggeration, depending on the college, it gives you a large window for errors to occur. (An error might be not achieving an adequate score on the SAT or ACT or not having properly researched colleges.) By setting and prioritizing what needs to be done to enter college, you can begin to fill in due dates. If you are hesitant to do this because of a lack of certainty about the process, remember that you are writing in pencil so that anything can be changed. To start, write the following information on your calendar:

· Every date that the SAT and ACT can be taken and circle the preferred test date

· Dates to visit colleges (Although you may not have chosen a college, planning dates to visit schools makes the process achievable.)

· Dates to meet with the high school college counselor regarding "reach, target, and safety" schools recommendations

· Dates to meet with a tutor to prepare for the SAT and/or ACT

Once this is accomplished, place the calendar in a prominent place so that you can review it regularly. Write additional college related activities as you learn about them. For example, the date that your high school hosts College Night should be added when it is announced. Each time you write on the calendar, you are focusing on their goal of attending the college of your choice.