Freshman - Senior Students
Time to get organized and prepare for next steps. Below you will find what you can do now to prepare for your next important steps.
[ ] Visit college campuses.
[ ] Make a diploma plan with your counselor.
[ ] Talk to your counselor/mentor about your college plans.
[ ] Get to know your teachers.
[ ] Take tough classes. Colleges are looking for honors or AP classes.
[ ] Choose electives that will help you learn about your interests.
[ ] Participate in academic enrichment programs—PREP, Pentathlon, Decathlon, AVID.
[ ] Keep a folder of your accomplishments
1- Awards
2- Certificates
3- Community Service Hours
4- Job shadowing and internships letters of participation
[ ] Get a Reality Check! Check out which careers will pay for your lifestyle.
[ ] Build your personalized career plan, develop your resume, and research college and universities.
[ ] Retake your Learning Style Quiz. Your learning style changes and grows.
[ ] Prepare for the PSAT.
[ ] Work hard to create and keep a high GPA! Make sure you’re doing your homework!
Don’t fall into the sophomore slump! College may not seem like the most important thing in your life right now, but you’ve got to start preparing. Stay focused!
1- Challenge Yourself
Learn what you need to do now to build a strong educational foundation for college.
2- Make a Plan
Take the steps you need to get closer to that college degree.
3- Discover Your Options
What do you like to do? Your hobby could become a career later.
4- Find the Money
Discover ways you can start saving and finding money for college.
5- Prepare for the PSAT
Write The College Essay
According to CollegeBoard.com, there are usually three types of College Essays.
The “you” question:
Colleges want to know who you are—values, priorities, etc.
Choose one or two things that reveal your best qualities.
The “why us” question:
Colleges want to know why you chose their school.
What are your goals and your commitment to their school?
The “creative” question:
Colleges want your reaction to a specific topic—national issue, book, famous person.
Colleges want to see how creative you can be and the extent of your knowledge.
Be creative but use common sense.
College Preparation Goals
Juniors – Look at the list below and develop your own timeline for completing the college access activities listed. Make sure to:
Prioritize the list according to your plan. Some will require specific deadlines and some may be ongoing.
Keep a College Access Calendar for planned and completed activities.
REMEMBER! You are responsible for taking care of your college access business with the guidance and advice from your counselor and other school staff.
_____ Keep an Academic Portfolio and a record of your extra-curricular activities.
_____ Ask to see a copy of your high school transcript.
_____ Have a discussion with your parents or guardian about college, college finances, majors, and your future plans.
_____ Talk to college friends, relatives and teachers about their college experience.
_____ Get a professional sounding e-mail address; avoid cute or eye-brow raising informal addresses such as nicknames.
_____ Become involved in extra-curricular activities, voluntary community service, as well as church or community organizations.
_____ Pursue advanced placement or dual credit courses available in your high school to save money in college and increase your GPA.
_____ Register for and take the PSAT/NMSQT. Your scores could qualify you for scholarship money.
_____ Talk to your guidance counselor about your scores and investigate ways to improve your scores before taking the SAT.
_____ Stay focused on your grades and attendance in your classes.
_____ Write a resume and continually update it with current information about you and your activities.
_____ Make a list of colleges that you wish to research on line.
_____ Discuss the colleges in which you are interested with your counselor or other staff members assisting with your college access.
_____ Attend college fairs and college visits scheduled on your campus, and visit colleges.
_____ Become familiar with the requirements regarding standardized testing at the colleges in which you are interested.
_____ Register before the deadline for the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests
_____ Follow through by reporting for the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests.
_____ Select senior year classes which meet college requirements and which demonstrate to prospective colleges your ongoing commitment to challenging yourself academically.
Time Management: Manage Your Priorities
Here are some tips for taking control of your time and organizing your life:
Plan your work ahead of time.
Keep a planner to keep track of your schedule.
Use your time wisely—study while waiting for the bus or in between events.
Don’t work more than ten hours a week.
Find a solution if your grades start to suffer—talk with your boss, coach, or sponsor.
Your education always comes first!
Participate in Internships
An internship can last a few weeks to a few months and is one way you can explore your career interests and gain experience working in a field-from physics to advertising to fashion. Some internships are paid and provide housing, others provide neither, just the experience.
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET AN INTERNSHIP:
You Can Explore Potential Careers
It will help you figure out if the profession you’re thinking about pursuing is for you.
It Will Help You Stand Out from the Crowd
Gain experience in a field you plan to pursue in college strengthens your college applications.
You Will Gain Valuable Insight
You learn how to work in a professional setting.
You Will Meet Lots of New People
You will gain contacts that may lead to other opportunities throughout high school and can snag you a job right out of college.
Where to find an internship:
Talk with mentors, teachers, and counselors and see what is available in your community.
Look at company websites to see if there are opportunities in your area.
Investigate Job Shadowing
Job shadowing let’s you explore the career you’re interested in and gain first-hand experience by “shadowing” someone in their job for a day.
Unlike internships, job shadowing usually lasts only 1-2 days. It is an unpaid position which gives you valuable insight into the career field you are exploring.
Job shadowing helps you gain valuable insight into whether the job or career is for you!
Filing Out The FAFSA (Free Application Federal Student Aid)
Learn how filling it out impacted former San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro’s decision to attend Stanford University.
Challenge Yourself
Learn what you need to do get ahead and graduate on time.
Find the Money
Discover ways you can start saving and finding money for college.
Scholarships!
Everyone likes the idea of free money! Check out these links for local scholarships you may be eligible to apply for. Good luck!
Make a plan! College is just around the corner!
Graduation is just around the corner, but watch out for Senioritis! There’s still a lot to get done. You MUST keep track of all deadlines, apply to colleges, get your financial aid done, and most importantly, stay on top of things in order to graduate!
Sound like a lot to keep track of? Don’t panic! Stay on track by clicking on the sections here and take a deep breath. You’re almost there.
Explore Careers and earning potential
- bls.gov/ooh/
- mynextmove.org
- Research colleges
What to look for:
- Admissions requirements
- Graduation rate
- Application Deadline
- School demographics
- Majors/degree programs
- bigfuture.collegeboard.org
- collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Research Scholarships
- Add application deadlines to your calendar
- collegegreenlight.com
- Register for SAT and/or ACT
- collegeboard.org
- act.org
- khanacademy.org/sat
- Start Building Your Résumé
- Community Service
- Employment/Internships
- volunteermatch.org
Write The College Essay
According to CollegeBoard.com, there are usually three types of College Essays.
The “you” question:
Colleges want to know who you are—values, priorities, etc.
Choose one or two things that reveal your best qualities.
The “why us” question:
Colleges want to know why you chose their school.
What are your goals and your commitment to their school?
The “creative” question:
Colleges want your reaction to a specific topic—national issue, book, famous person.
Colleges want to see how creative you can be and the extent of your knowledge.
Be creative but use common sense.
College Preparation Goals
Seniors – Look at the list below and develop your own timeline for completing the college access activities listed. Make sure to:
Prioritize the list according to your plan. Some will require specific deadlines and some may be ongoing.
Keep a College Access Calendar for planned and completed activities.
REMEMBER! You are responsible for taking care of your college access business with the guidance and advice from your counselor and other school staff.
_____ Keep an Academic Portfolio and a record of your extra-curricular activities.
_____ Ask to see a copy of your high school transcript.
_____ Have a discussion with your parents or guardian about college, college finances, majors, and your future plans.
_____ Talk to college friends, relatives and teachers about their college experience.
_____ Get a professional sounding e-mail address; avoid cute or eye-brow raising informal addresses such as nicknames.
_____ Become involved in extra-curricular activities, voluntary community service, as well as church or community organizations.
_____ Pursue advanced placement or dual credit courses available in your high school to save money in college and increase your GPA.
_____ Register for and take the PSAT/NMSQT. Your scores could qualify you for scholarship money.
_____ Talk to your guidance counselor about your scores and investigate ways to improve your scores before taking the SAT.
_____ Stay focused on your grades and attendance in your classes.
_____ Write a resume and continually update it with current information about you and your activities.
_____ Make a list of colleges that you wish to research on line.
_____ Discuss the colleges in which you are interested with your counselor or other staff members assisting with your college access.
_____ Attend college fairs and college visits scheduled on your campus, and visit colleges.
_____ Become familiar with the requirements regarding standardized testing at the colleges in which you are interested.
_____ Register before the deadline for the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests
_____ Follow through by reporting for the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests.
_____ Select senior year classes which meet college requirements and which demonstrate to prospective colleges your ongoing commitment to challenging yourself academically.
Time Management: Manage Your Priorities
Here are some tips for taking control of your time and organizing your life:
Plan your work ahead of time.
Keep a planner to keep track of your schedule.
Use your time wisely—study while waiting for the bus or in between events.
Don’t work more than ten hours a week.
Find a solution if your grades start to suffer—talk with your boss, coach, or sponsor.
Your education always comes first!
Participate in Internships
An internship can last a few weeks to a few months and is one way you can explore your career interests and gain experience working in a field-from physics to advertising to fashion. Some internships are paid and provide housing, others provide neither, just the experience.
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET AN INTERNSHIP:
You Can Explore Potential Careers
It will help you figure out if the profession you’re thinking about pursuing is for you.
It Will Help You Stand Out from the Crowd
Gain experience in a field you plan to pursue in college strengthens your college applications.
You Will Gain Valuable Insight
You learn how to work in a professional setting.
You Will Meet Lots of New People
You will gain contacts that may lead to other opportunities throughout high school and can snag you a job right out of college.
Where to find an internship:
Talk with mentors, teachers, and counselors and see what is available in your community.
Look at company websites to see if there are opportunities in your area.
Investigate Job Shadowing
Job shadowing let’s you explore the career you’re interested in and gain first-hand experience by “shadowing” someone in their job for a day.
Unlike internships, job shadowing usually lasts only 1-2 days. It is an unpaid position which gives you valuable insight into the career field you are exploring.
Job shadowing helps you gain valuable insight into whether the job or career is for you!
