Your high school years will be some of the happiest and most care-free of your life.  Keep them that way!  Be attentive to the advice below, but don't let the college admission process dictate how you live your life.  Keep things in perspective.  Live a healthy life.  Be a good, honest person.  Work hard in school, always do your best.  Challenge yourself.  Get involved in your school and in your community.  Take advantage of opportunities.  If you do these things, the college process will be a natural next step, and you'll be well prepared to handle it successfully.

FRESHMAN YEAR
SOPHOMORE YEAR
JUNIOR YEAR
SENIOR YEAR

Freshman Year

• get to know your school counselor
• get involved in school activities: do what you enjoy!
• get involved in community activities and service
• earn the best grades you can
• take the most challenging (but appropriate) courses you can
• read, even when not assigned for school, on a regular basis
• depending on your courses, you might take an SAT II: Subject Test at the end of the year; talk with your counselor
• if your family travels over spring break or during the summer, and if you pass near a college campus, stop and take the tour
• in addition to enjoying your time off, plan to do something constructive with your summer vacation

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Sophomore Year

• stay in touch with your school counselor
• if your school offers it, take the PSAT or PLAN in the fall
• remain involved in school and community activities: follow your passions!
• earn the best grades you can
• continue to take the most challenging courses you can
• continue to read for pleasure
• depending on the courses you take this year, it is even more likely that you would consider an SAT II: Subject Test at the end of the school year; talk with your counselor
• in the spring, look at the list of senior college acceptances: who do you know and where is he/she going?
• continue to take advantage of college visits if your family is near a college-- just to get a feel for the different types of colleges there are
• use your free time in the summer productively, while also enjoying your time off

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Junior Year

• this is the most important year academically: do your best, challenge yourself appropriately
• continue to remain involved in activities; try to move into positions of responsibility or leadership
• take the PSAT and/or PLAN in the fall
• following your school's guidelines for meeting with your counselor to start the college process; in many schools, the process begins in the late fall or after the holiday break
• in the winter, think of how you will prepare for your first SAT and/or ACT
• when you select your courses for senior year, get advice and choose wisely
• with your counselor, develop an initial list of colleges during the spring
• try to make some preliminary visits to colleges during spring break
• take advantage of college representative visits to your school and evening programs in your community
• research colleges, collect information
• use your summer vacation time productively; visit colleges during the summer

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Senior Year

• don't forget how important your grades continue to be: the first semester/ trimester is critical
• remain in close contact with your counselor
• remain involved in activities which you enjoy, assume leadership positions and more responsibility
• continue to add or subtract colleges from your list as you learn about schools, make visits, etc.
• be attentive to in-school deadlines and procedures established by your guidance or college counseling office
• continue to take appropriate tests as you need to take them.
• meet with college representatives who visit your school in the fall; attend evening programs in your community which are hosted by colleges in which you are interested
• when you are able, continue to visit colleges in which you are interested when you have time off from school during the fall
• if you are applying early, be aware that application deadlines are just a few weeks after school begins
• make arrangements with teachers and others for recommendations; follow your school's procedures
• by Thanksgiving time, your list of colleges should be final: six to eight schools is a good number for most students looking at selective colleges; get advice from your counselor
• before the holiday break, be attentive to early deadlines and/ or preferred or recommended application deadlines for state universities, honors programs, rolling admission schools, and scholarship programs
• give yourself plenty of time to work on applications, especially essays
• know what financial aid forms you must submit, and submit them in a timely fashion
• take advantage of interviews when given the opportunity
• after your applications are completed, continue to work hard: senior slump can have disastrous consequences
• as you receive decisions, inform your counselor, teachers, and others who helped you; thank them
• in April, consider participating in the open house/ accepted student programs hosted by colleges
• have your one deposit at the school you will attend by May 1
• if you are on a waiting list, get advice from your counselor
• enjoy senior year sensibly and responsibly!