Road to College

9th Grade

Fall
· Start a calendar with important dates and deadlines.
· Get involved with extracurricular activities.
· Go to college fairs in your area.
· Talk to your counselor and teachers about taking SAT Subject Tests™ in your strong subjects this   spring. Take Subject Tests such as World History, Biology E/M and Chemistry while the material is still fresh in your mind.
· Get to know yourself: strengths, weaknesses, abilities.

Spring
· Sign up for college preparatory courses for next year.
· Look for a great summer opportunity — job, internship or volunteer position.
· Check with your counselor and search online for summer learning programs

10th grade

Fall
·  Meet with your counselor to discuss your college plans. Review your schedule to make sure you’re enrolled in challenging classes that will help you prepare for college.
·  Find out the required courses and tests for colleges that you might be interested in attending.
·  Start a calendar with important dates and deadlines.
·  Get involved in extracurricular activities.
·  Attend college fairs

Winter
·  Use the access code on your PSAT/NMSQT score report to sign in to My College QuickStart. With this personalized planning kit, you can prepare for the SAT using a study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT results and explore lists of suggested colleges, majors and careers.
·  Talk to your counselor and teachers about taking SAT Subject Tests™ in your strong subjects this spring. Take Subject Tests such as World History, Biology E/M and Chemistry while the material is still fresh in your mind.
·  Visit colleges while they're in session.

Spring
·  Sign up for challenging courses next year.
·  Look for a great summer opportunity – job, internship or volunteer position.
·  Check with your counselor and search online for summer learning programs.
·  Plan to visit college campuses during the summer to get a feel for your options. Start with colleges near you.

11th Grade

Fall

· Get PSAT/NMSQT tips and a free practice test. When taking the PSAT/NMSQT, sign up for Student Search Service to hear from colleges and scholarship programs.
· Make lists of your abilities, preferences and personal qualities. List things you may want to study and do in college.
· Jump-start your college planning by reading about majors and careers.
· Talk to your counselor about your college plans. 

Winter

· Use the access code on your PSAT/NMSQT score report to sign in to My College QuickStart. With this personalized planning kit, you can prepare for the SAT using a study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT results and explore lists of suggested colleges, majors and careers. 
· Prepare for the SAT by taking a free full-length official practice test on the College Board website. Then get a score and skills report. Learn which skills you need to improve. Be sure to sign up for The Official SAT Question of the Day for daily practice. 

Spring

· Start visiting local colleges: large, small, public and private. Get a feel for what works for you. Develop an initial list of 15-20 colleges that interest you. You can narrow it down later. 
· Review your senior year class schedule with your counselor. 
· Plan summer activities early. Enrich yourself by volunteering, getting an interesting job or internship, or signing up for special summer learning programs.

Summer
· Visit colleges. Take campus tours and, at colleges you're serious about, schedule interviews with admission officers. 
· Request applications from the colleges you're planning to apply to. Check important dates; some colleges have early dates or rolling admission. 
· Check The Common Application website to see participant schools.