Mr. Will Wilson
Chairperson
Junior/Senior Counselor

Mr. Steve Blair
Sophomore Counselor

Mr. Albert Castillo
Student Life Counselor

Sr. Leandra Schaller, osf
Freshman Counselor

 

College Planning Timeline


FRESHMAN YEAR


Grades

  • Plan your curriculum carefully to meet college requirements. Consult your counselor when it is time to select courses for the next year.
  • It is important to start high school on the right foot. Be sure that you are doing the work required of you in each of your classes. Do your best and ask for assistance as needed. Building relationships with your teachers offers many benefits.
  • Establish your study habits early.
  • The later you are in your high school career, the tougher it is to make improvements in your GPA.

Involvement

  • Look for opportunities to develop non-academic skills such as: leadership, creativity, responsibility, special talents, and individuality.
  • The earlier you become involved in activities, the easier it will be to achieve leadership roles in those activities.
  • The more activities you try early, the easier it will be to determine which activities hold the most interest to you.
  • Be a “doer” not a “joiner”.

SOPHOMORE YEAR

Grades and involvement are still very important.

Curriculum

  • Take honors courses if appropriate.

Standardized Testing

  • Students have their first exposure to the SAT through the PSAT. They will also take the PLAN for the second time. Results of the PLAN, taken as a sophomore, offer a good predictor of a student’s ACT score.

College Visits

  • Begin to include college campus visits as part of your family vacations, etc.

JUNIOR YEAR

Continue to improve your study skills and academic performance. Continue to develop your extracurricular involvement and responsibilities. September

  • Prepare for the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT). This take will be used to determine the National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists and Commended students. It is also a good preparation and predictor for the SAT.

October

  • Attend the local college fairs.
  • Take the PSAT/NMSQT in school.

November

  • Meet with your counselor to review your record and identify any areas of concern.

December

  • You must maintain your grades or improve them if necessary. Grades from junior year and first semester of the senior year are a better predictor of how well you will perform in college than grades from the freshman year. In fact, most colleges are most interested in the direction and trends of your grades, emphasizing the most recent (junior and first semester senior).
  • Begin emailing, calling, or writing to colleges for information.

January

  • Results of PSAT are returned to students.
  • Begin preparation for SAT and ACT.
  • Consider taking your first SAT/ACT late this month or early February.
  • Learn to use your College Counseling Center.

February

  • Register for April and May SAT/ACT.
  • Schedule a conference with Mr. Wilson to begin the college selection process. This meeting for juniors and their parents is designed to begin seriously considering specific schools. Identify two past or current teachers to complete evaluations which will be used by Mr. Wilson in writing your recommendation.

April

  • The best way to learn about a college and consider it as an option is to visit. Families are encouraged to include college visits as part of any Easter (or spring break) vacation travel plans. Call ahead and find out when they offer campus tours. Ask to meet with an admission counselor, sit in on a freshman class, speak with a faculty member or a coach, eat in the dining halls. Be sure to talk to students before you leave the campus.
  • If you wish to learn more about the opportunities at a U.S. Service Academy (West Point, Annapolis, or the Air Force Academy) or if you are considering ROTC in college then now is the time to begin calling and writing for information regarding admission and scholarships. Also, write three letters requesting a nomination, one to each of your senators and one to your congressperson. Form letters can be found in the Academies’ college catalogs.
  • If you are thinking that you would like to play sports in college, there is one important thing you should do. Get registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse. This is required to make an "official" visit as a prospective student-athlete or to play at the Division I or II level. Registration forms are in the counseling center or online. www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
  • Apply before May 1 if you plan to attend a Pre-College Program in the summer. (See note below.) A partial list of colleges, universities, and other agencies offering such enrichment programs can be obtained in the counseling center.
  • If you are considering a highly selective school, then you should plan to take the June SAT II Subject Tests.

May

  • If you plan to apply for an ROTC Scholarship, fill out the application for the Air Force, Army, and/or Navy, and turn it in to your counselor before summer vacation begins.

Pre-Senior Summer

June-July-August READ! READ! READ!

Look through college guidebooks such as: The Fiske Guide to Colleges, The Insider's Guide to the Colleges, Princeton Review’s Best 361, Donald Asher’s Cool Colleges, The ISI Guide, Choosing the Right College and Peterson's Competitive Colleges. There are also valuable "nuts and bolts" guides such as De Oliveira and Cohen's Getting In! and several excellent publications from the College Board and Octameron Associates, Inc. that offer valuable insight into the college. Combine your summer vacation with college prospecting. Call, email, or write for an admissions appointment, meet with a counselor, and take a campus tour. If your travel schedule is indefinite, stop at the campus and see if perhaps someone in the Admissions Office will be able to talk with you. Talk to the admissions counselor about your chances of being admitted in light of the academic record and test scores you are able to provide. Read carefully the pamphlets and brochures that you receive in the mail or in the admissions office. They are much more meaningful after you have been on campus.

SENIOR YEAR

September-October

  • Applying to colleges is the single most important thing you will do this fall. The paper work to be done must be done on time and impeccably. Either type your applications or use an online version to complete them. Start your application essays early. Give the first draft of your essay to Mr. Wilson, a teacher, your parents, and/or friend to critique. Rewrite again and again and again.
  • The application for any college to which you have decided to apply under an early decision or early action plan must be completed now.
  • Although your GPA will not improve significantly, a strong seventh semester is always important. Many colleges will wait for these grades before making a decision. Likewise, this is the year to show leadership in extra-curricular activities and sports.
  • Register to retake the SAT, ACT, or SAT II (Subject Tests). Nearly three-fourths of the students will improve the second time around.
  • Complete your senior resume. Give this careful thought and attention. Give a copy to Mr. Wilson.
  • Schedule another meeting with Mr. Wilson.
  • Meet with the college reps from any school in which you are interested when they visit school.
  • Attend the local college fairs. Over 200 colleges will have representatives on hand to answer questions and distribute information.
  • Visit the colleges to which you have narrowed your choices and schedule an appointment with the Admissions Office. Arrange for permission for these trips with the school’s office.

November

  • Dedicate yourself to your college applications. All applications should be completed this month and turned into Mr. Wilson. Get all of your applications done early.

December

  • Do the preliminary work on any financial aid applications this month. Plan to mail them as early in January as possible. Apply for your FAFSA PIN # at www.pin.ed.gov
  • Register for the College Opportunity Fund if you have applied to in-state public colleges. http://cof.college-access.net/cof/index.htm

January

  • Complete and mail your FAFSA (or complete online at www.fafsa.ed.gov to speed processing by nearly a month) and perhaps the Profile. Note, you can file the FAFSA and Profile before you file your tax forms with the IRS. If there are any significant changes to be made, a supplementary form can be filed at a later date.
  • Complete any applications which you still intend to submit. Although a college may have a later deadline or a rolling admissions policy, an early filing will often result in an earlier notification and more time to work through decisions.
  • Expect to be contacted for an alumni interview by some colleges.

February-March

  • Respond quickly to any requests from either admissions or financial aid offices for additional information.
  • Be patient and wait; admissions offices are very busy, but if something significant develops which can enhance your chances for admission then let them know.

April

  • Review all your acceptances and financial aid awards. Call the financial aid offices if you need clarification of your award or need to discuss the amount of your aid package.
  • If you have any doubts about your decision, visit the colleges which have offered acceptances, stay overnight, go to class, talk to students and professors, and get a feel for the campuses.
  • By May 1, notify all colleges who have accepted you that you will or will not be enrolling. Your enrollment deposit must also be paid by May 1 to the college you plan to attend. At most schools, the earlier you deposit, the higher priority your campus housing application receives. Deposit at only one school.

May

  • May 1 is the deadline date for deposits for admission to most colleges.
  • Keep grades strong and do well on Final Exams!
  • Your Final transcript should be sent to your chosen college. (Don't forget that all offers of admission are contingent upon you successfully completing your final semester.)

A Note on Pre-College Programs

These programs are designed for capable, highly motivated young men and women who have completed the 11th grade and who are intellectually prepared for college level work. The sessions usually run two, three, four, or six weeks.

Costs vary; a six-week session may run $3000 or more while other programs may only cost a hundred dollars.

Application deadlines vary, but most are May 1.

Classes are taught by college faculty. In addition to your courses, the programs usually also feature workshops on selecting a college, pre-professional programs, career planning, college survival skills, and many diverse extracurricular activities. These programs are widely recognized by college admissions committees. However, a student should not attend one because he thinks it will give him an "in" at a specific college. Admissions offices are clear that those who attend summer programs have no special connection. Rather, they value a new knowledge, experience, or creativity that these programs might help develop. They also strongly value work experience, volunteer activities, and unusual travel experiences which add to the profile of the student.