College Athletics? Apply Your Junior Year to NCAA
College Readiness
College Readiness Checklist
9th Grade:
- Know graduation requirements
- Create a 4 year plan for high school
- Start your child thinking about careers/take an inventory
- Encourage extra-curricular activities
- Save for college- 529 plans
- Stress that study skills and grades are important!
10th Grade:
- Make sure student is in college prep courses
- Take a foreign language
- Take the PLAN
- Are you interested in attending a US Military Academy? Research requirements
- Attend College and Career Fairs
- Participate in a school activity or volunteer effort
- Tour college campuses when possible
11th grade: Fall
- Make lists of abilities, social/cultural preferences and personal qualities
- Review high school courses and activities.
- Explore internship opportunities
- Take a Dual Enrollment or AP class sometime this year
- Learn about colleges-check out western states participation in WUE
- Attend the College Fair in September/October
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT
- Make a file of searches, tests and applications
11th grade: Winter
- Register for the SAT or ACT in the spring
- Begin a search for financial aid sources- register with www.fastweb.com
- Research SAT subject tests
- Register to take AP exams for current courses
- Continue looking at colleges
- Military Academies and Colleges-apply for summer programs
11th grade: Spring
- Visit local colleges-get a feel and use the score card!
- Develop a list of 15-20 colleges that interest you
- Make college visits over spring break
- Meet with counselor to ensure you are on track for graduation
- Take the ACT or SAT
11th grade: Summer
- If an athlete, register with NCAA clearinghouse
- Work, volunteer or participate in a camp or summer program
- Visit and tour college campuses
- Create a resume/ complete personal profile form
- Request application materials from colleges and check deadlines
- Narrow your list to 5-10
Senior year: Fall
- Do a credit check and be sure you are in the right classes
- Meet with your counselor
- Meet with college reps visiting your school
- Apply to 3-5 colleges (reach, math, and safety schools)
- Create a master list or calendar: tests, applications and financial aid due dates, any other deadlines
- Send test scores to the colleges
- Take or Retake ACCUPLACER, ACT, or SAT if necessary
- Attend College Fair in October
- Apply to CA schools and early decision by Nov 1st
- Finalize your college choices
- Complete school specific scholarship applications
- Prepare Early Decision, Early Action or other applications ASAP
- Contact teachers and others for recommendations if you need. Give them your personal profile/resume!!! Provide a stamped envelope
- For essays, write drafts and ask teachers to read them
Senior Year: Winter
- NO SENIORITIS Second semester grades count and are looked at
- Apply for a FAFSA pin at www.pin.ed.gov
- Parents complete taxes
- Apply for housing
- Schedule AP exams
- Keep active in school!
- Complete FAFSA by March 1st
Senior Year: Spring
- Receive acceptance letters and financial aid packets
- Notify college of your decision of admission and/or financial aid
- Send your deposit to one college only
- Wait-listed? Talk to admissions on how to strengthen your application
- Request final transcript be sent
- Schedule summer orientations/registrations
- Set up college internet account
- GRADUATE!!!
Do the Free Application For federal Student Aid (FAFSA) starting October 1st!
1. Create your FSA ID:
- Visit the Federal Student Aid website to create your account.
- Enter your email
- Create a username and password
- Enter your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, contact information, and challenge questions and answers
- Confirm your cell phone and email address with the secure code sent to your phone and email
2. Identity, Family + Other Info:
- Both the parent and student need to create separate FSA IDs
- Parent(s) and student’s full legal names
- Parent(s) and student’s birth dates
- Parent(s) and student’s Social Security Number (SSN), permanent resident card, green card, or I-94 (Note- if your parent doesn’t have a SSN you can still apply)
- Parent(s) and student’s mobile phone numbers and emails (if available, cannot be the same)
- List of schools the student is considering
- Student’s driver’s license (if they have one)
- Parent(s) marriage status and dates. If divorced, the month and year of the divorce.
Have ready before you fill out the FAFSA: Tax & Financial Info
- Parent(s) and student’s federal tax return (If they have one)
- Parent(s) and student’s W-2 and other records of income.
- Annual amounts of untaxed income received in the household (SSI, Child Support, SNAP Benefits, etc.)
- Bank statements and records of investments (the home you live in and retirement accounts are not counted here)
- If your parent owns a business with more than 100 employees, or an investment farm, know the total value of the business.
For more help with FAFSA and FAQ's go to:
