Preparing for College / A Step-by-Step Guide

This guide, developed by USC, covers what is needed for most selective colleges. Planning should begin in the 8th grade, when you decide whether you are going to follow a college preparatory track. You should take:

4 years of English and literature

3 years of math (through advanced algebra and trigonometry)

2 years of foreign language

2 years of laboratory science

2 years of history and social science

1 year of visual or performance arts

1 year of electives from the above list

Total: 15 yearlong academic subjects

This schedule demands at least four college preparatory classes every year of high school, but it leaves room for electives. Some colleges have slightly different prerequisites.

Year-By-Year Checklist

8th Grade

* Remind your parents and your counselor that you plan to attend a four-year college or university.

* If you are not taking algebra or a foreign language this year, make sure that your 9th-grade schedule includes these subjects.

* If you will be attending a year-round school in the 9th grade, make sure that you are assigned to a track that offers college preparatory classes.

* Strive to make A’s and Bs in all of your subjects and do at least one hour of homework every night.

* Ask your counselor about academic enrichment programs (including summer and weekend programs) at your school or local colleges. Sample programs include MESA, Med Cor, Upward Bound, YBS, Cal Soap and Talent Search.

9th Grade

* Remind your counselor again that you want to attend a four-year college or university and that you need to schedule college prep courses. Take algebra or geometry and a foreign language in both semesters.

* If you attend a year-round school, make sure that you are in a track that offers college prep subjects.

* Maintain A’s and Bs in all subjects, and do at least one hour of homework each night.

* Form a study group with friends who also plan to go to college, and study together often.

* Create a personal resume file to save:

--copies of report cards

--diplomas and certificates presented to you

--a list of awards and honors you receive

--a list of school and community activities you join

--a list of offices you hold in these organizations

--a list of jobs you hold (volunteer or paid)

* Update this file each semester.

* Begin visiting local community colleges, state universities and an independent college or university with your family or friends. Before you go, call the admissions office for brochures and information about campus tours.

* Participate in academic enrichment programs.

10th Grade

* Review your 9th- and 10th-grade class schedules with your counselor to make sure you are taking all the college prep classes you need to attend a four-year college or university.

* Maintain A’s and Bs and do at least one or two hours of homework every night.

* Continue to form study groups with friends.

* Continue to update your personal file every semester.

* Continue to visit local colleges and universities.

* Continue to participate in academic enrichment programs and special summer workshops and camps for music, science, engineering, writing, filmmaking, theater, language and other fields. Many are held on college campuses, and some offer scholarships.

11th Grade

* Check with your counselor to make sure you are on track to take the college prep subjects needed to attend a four-year college or university.

* Maintaining A’s and Bs is especially important during your junior year. You should be doing a minimum of two hours of homework each night and continuing to participate in study groups.

* Register for the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test) in October. The PSAT is a practice exam for the SAT I and is required for several national scholarship programs, such as National Merit, National Achievement and National Hispanic Scholarships.

* Take the PSAT. The results will give you and your counselor an idea of your strengths and the areas you need to improve in as you prepare for college admission.

* If you are taking Advanced Placement subjects in the 11th grade, register to take the AP exams in the spring. Scoring well on those exams will enable you to earn credit for college-level courses.

* Attend college fairs and sit in on presentations by college representatives who visit your school.

* Do some research. Most schools and libraries have computers to help you search for college and university information either on their database, via the Internet or on CD-ROMS. All college counseling offices have libraries of college catalogs, guidebooks and directories for researching college options.

* Create a file on the colleges that appeal to you. Ask for literature about admission, financial aid and your proposed college major, if you have one. Your counselor can also provide contact information.

* Begin visiting the colleges that interest you. Call ahead so that you can participate in a campus tour and a presentation about academic programs, admission and financial aid. Sometimes it is possible to meet with staff from admissions, academic departments, student organizations and athletics. Prepare to ask questions and bring your transcript or a list of the courses you have taken since the 9th grade.

* Start thinking about when and how often you will take your college entrance exams (SAT or ACT). Your school guidance counselor can provide you with all necessary information. Taking the SAT or ACT in the spring or summer will allow you to receive the results and meet with your counselor to see if you need to retake the test in the fall. You should register for these exams one month in advance of the test date.

* Continue to update your personal resume file each semester.

* Check with your counselor to decide if you should take the SAT II in any subjects that will be completed in your junior year.

* From May to July be prepared to receive mail from many colleges. Make a short list of colleges that interest you and keep a file on each.

*ver the Summer

* Read through the college mail you receive. Return the reply cards to the schools that interest you. They will send information, catalogs and applications.

* Visit your short-list colleges.

* Prepare for the SAT I or the ACT by reading books and manuals with testing tips and sample questions. These can be found in bookstores, libraries and at your school, or can be accessed on the Internet or on CD-ROM. Workshops on how to prepare for these entrance exams are also offered. Check with your counselor. Financial support may be available for some workshops.

12th Grade

* Review your class schedule with your counselor to make sure that you have taken or are taking the college preparatory classes required for admission to four-year colleges and universities.

* Maintain A’s and Bs, continue to form study groups and do at least two to three hours of homework each night. Your grades are still very important.

* Continue to visit your short-list schools and meet with their admission counselors whenever possible.

* Attend college fairs and sit in on presentations by the admission representatives who visit your school.

* Check frequently with your college counselor or career center director for information about scholarships awarded by your school, local companies and community groups.

* Early September: Register for the SAT or the ACT. Your counselor will provide registration forms and information about fee waivers. You should register for these exams a month or two before the test date.

* Late October: Make a final list of the schools that interest you. Contact these schools for their applications (including financial aid and scholarship information) and materials on your intended field of study.

* Keep a file on each that will include a checklist of all the required admission items, such as transcripts, application fees, recommendations, essays, test scores and so on.

* Pay special attention to deadlines--mark them down on your personal calendar.

* Get information on fee waivers from your school counselor if the application fee would be a financial burden to your family.

* Apply early. Be sure you meet the deadlines for applying to your short-list schools, as well as the deadlines for merit scholarships and financial aid. December is a critical time for early-consideration applications, merit scholarships and deadlines for state universities.

* Practice filling out application or scholarship forms on a photocopy first. Also, many colleges and universities have electronic applications that can be filled out on a computer and sent over the Internet.

* Make photocopies of all forms and correspondence you send to the colleges.

* Also in September and October: Complete the CSS PROFILE registration form in the fall of your senior year (see your counselor).

* December: Obtain the FAFSA from your school and have your parents complete the form in January.

* January: Remind your parents to prepare their income tax statement early, since a photocopy must be sent to most colleges where you apply for financial aid.

* February--If you want to apply for a Cal Grant, tell your counselor so that the school officials can submit the form during this month.

Seniors: After you apply. . .

* Wait for your acceptance letters from the colleges and universities to arrive in the spring. If you follow the suggested dates for applying for financial aid, you may hear about your eligibility for financial aid around the same time.

* April: Use this month to compare your acceptance letters, financial aid and scholarship offers. If you need to revisit a campus to clarify any issue, do it!

* May 1: Mail your commitment deposit check to the college or university you plan to attend by the May 1 National Candidates’ Reply Date.

* Proceed with the application for university housing if you plan to live on campus. Watch these deadlines carefully.

* Write or call the colleges to which you were admitted but will not be attending and inform them where you will attend.

* Also in May: Take AP exams, usually given this month, for any subjects you took in high school.

* Participate in any summer orientation programs for incoming freshmen. These programs are designed to provide additional placement testing and academic counseling.