COLLEGE COUNSELING

AUGUST-DECEMBER

• Meet with your Counselor to discuss your college plans.
• Start a calendar with important dates and deadlines.
• Get ready for and take the PSAT exam in October.
• Speak with college admission representatives visiting SGS during recess! There are many!
• Get more involved in SGS extracurricular activities and focus more on those you really love!
• Use College Board (www.collegeboard.com) to search for majors/careers and colleges that interest you.
• Take another career interest inventory or personality assessment.

CHRISTMAS VACATION

• Use College Board to search for majors/careers and colleges that interest you.
• Visit colleges while they are still in session or explore other universities online.
• Talk with college friends or SGS grads about their college experiences.
• Learn about college costs and talk with your parents about financing college.

JANUARY – MAY

• Go over your PSAT with Math and English teachers.
• Use College Board to develop a plan on doing better on next year’s PSAT and make an SAT study plan.
• Use College Board to take personality assessments that help you find potential majors or careers you are interested in.
• Consult your 4 year plan and think ahead about the IB Program.
• Learn more about IB classes being offered next year and about the IB application process
• Explore summer opportunities- look for jobs, internships, volunteer positions, or camps/classes to attend.
• Study hard for final exams. These are important in the college application process.
• Finish your 10th grade strong! Stay focused until the end!

JUNE – AUGUST

• Start a summer reading list. Ask your teachers to recommend books.
• Visit college campuses to get a feel for your options, set up interviews with college admission reps.
• Continue to work on your PSAT/SAT study plan
• Taking an IB ? Make sure you stay on top of the summer assignment.
• Make the most of your summer!

AUGUST-DECEMBER

• Meet with your Counselor to discuss your college plans.
• Start a calendar with important dates and deadlines
• Get ready for and take the PSAT exam in October. Go over your 10th grade results and complete practice questions/exam on College Board.
• Speak with college admission representatives visiting SGS! There are many!
• Attend any college fair visiting SGS and take them seriously!
• Start the college application discussion with your parents! Do you plan on applying to the U.S., D.R. or other countries?
• Use College Board (www.collegeboard.com) to search for majors/careers and colleges that interest you. Start to narrow down your choices.
• Focus on your grades and make sure you are taking the most challenging curriculum possible. This is the last full year of grades colleges will see when you apply next year!
• Make a list of your activities, personal attributes, strengths, passions, or anecdotes you think your teachers and Counselor would like to know about you.
• Write your own letter of recommendation letter to give to the future teacher or Counselor that writes your letter of recommendation.
• Start developing your college list through College Board. Ask your Counselor if you need support or others that have gone through this process.
• Determine if you think you will be applying Early Action or Early Decision to any universities. Organize yourself so you are prepared to apply early (i.e. SAT, TOEFL, grades, letters of recommendation)

PLAN YOUR SPRING TESTING & COLLEGE APPLICATION CHECKLIST SCHEDULE

• All Junior students should register for either the May or June SAT or both on www.collegeboard.com. Remember that some colleges require the SAT Subject Tests. If a college you are applying to needs SAT Subject Tests it is recommended you take the SAT in either May or June and the SAT Subject test on the other test day.
• All Junior students should register for the TOEFL exam. You can register at www.ets.org/toefl.
• 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 results and explore lists of suggested colleges, majors and careers, as well as see your potential to take certain IB courses.
• Start visiting colleges if you can: large, small, public, and private. Get a feel for what works for you. Develop a list of 15-20 colleges that interest you. Share your ideas and list with your parents and narrow down your options.
• Talk with college friends or SGS graduates about their college experiences

JANUARY – JUNE

• Plan on who you will ask to write your letters of recommendation. If one of those teachers is leaving next year, ask them early in the semester so they can complete your letter prior to leaving.
• Print off and fill in a Common Application. You will not be able to fill out the actual online application till August, but this paper form will allow you to start getting an idea of the data and information colleges request, and then you can just enter in that information in August!
• Pick an essay question from the Common Application and start brainstorming! Chances are you have at least one college that uses the Common Application, and getting a head start on your essay will ease your burden your senior year.
• Meet with your College Counselor to start developing a college plan
• Go over your PSAT results, and use My College Quickstart to study for the SAT exam later this semester.
• Explore summer opportunities- look for jobs, internships, volunteer positions, or camps/classes to attend.
• Study hard for final exams. These are important in the college application process.
• Stay focused and finish strong. Remember this is the last full year of classes and grades a college will see in your college application.
• Complete your community service hours!

JUNE – AUGUST

• Visit colleges. Take campus tours and at college you’re serious about, schedule interviews with admissions counselors.
• Develop your final college list (5-8 colleges).
• Develop a calendar with important dates and deadlines.
• Determine whether you will be applying early action, or early decision so you can get organized and get your application materials ready and in on time.
• Get summer reading lists from teachers.
• Plan summer activities. Enrich yourself by volunteering, getting an internship or job, or take a class.