High School Timeline

Freshman Year
_ Plan challenging high school courses
_ Make good grades in your classes (As and Bs)
_ Become familiar with college entrance requirements
_ Join/continue extracurricular activities (consider clubs you will be a part of for all four years of high school)
_ Attend summer camp at a college to experience a college-like atmosphere
_ Research college costs
_ Continue/start saving for college
_ Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year
_ Create a CFNC account
_ Explore personality and interests on CFNC.org and other internet sites

Sophomore Year
_ Continue to take and plan challenging high school courses (register for AP and Honors courses)
_ Make good grades in your classes (As and Bs)
_ Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year
_ Explore careers on CFNC.org
_ Think about what kind of education/training different careers require
_ Take the PLAN® (offered at IHS) and review results with your parents and school counselor
_ Take the PSAT (offered at IHS) and review results with your parents and school counselor
_ ACT and SAT prep – use free online study tools by CFNC, Khan Academy, College Board, ACT.
_ Start collecting college information
_ Continue/start saving for college
_ Join/continue extracurricular activities
_ Talk to family and friends about their educational choices

Junior Year
_ Continue to take and plan challenging courses (register for AP and Honors courses)
_ Keep your grades up (As and Bs)
_ Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year
_ Continue / Join an academic club
_ Take the PSAT (offered at BHS)
_ Talk with your parents and high school counselor about colleges that interest you
_ Research at least six or seven colleges that interest you
_ Visit colleges and talk with college students
_ Prepare a list of questions to ask on campus visits
_ List, compare, and visit colleges
_ Start or update an academic resume
_ Begin narrowing down colleges by comparison
_ Consider putting together a portfolio that highlights your special skills and talents
_ Investigate scholarship opportunities
_ Volunteer for activities and clubs related to career interests
_ Maintain good relationships with teachers and counselor, they will be writing your recommendations
_ Register for the SAT and ACT (ACT is offered at IHS). You should be academically ready to take it by spring. If not, take it early in your senior year.
_ Get a part-time job, apprenticeship, or internship; or job shadow in a job that interests you
_ Attend college fair
_ If you plan to participate in athletics in college, you will need to register for through the NCAA Clearinghouse
_ Narrow down school choices to your top five.
_ Continue to make college visits during the Summer before your Senior year.

Senior Year
August – December
_ Sign up for and take the SAT / ACT
_ Visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements
_ Consider taking courses at a local university or community college
_ Keep working hard all year and keep your grades up; second semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility
_ Make a master calendar of all deadlines for applications and scholarships
_ Ask for references from teachers, school counselors, or employers early in the year or at least two weeks before application deadlines.
_ Visit with admissions counselors who come to your high school
_ Attend a college fair
_ Begin your college essay(s)
_ Apply for admission at the colleges you've chosen and confirm that the universities or colleges have received all application materials
_ Use CFNC.org to send transcripts to North Carolina colleges and universities (including community colleges)
_ Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college you have applied to
_ Start the financial aid application process
_ See your school counselor for help finding financial aid and scholarships

January – May
_ If you need it, get help completing the FAFSA (must have tax forms to complete)
_ Use CFNC.org to send transcripts to North Carolina colleges and universities (including community colleges)
_ Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll
_ Decide which college to attend, and notify the school of your decision
_ Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork
_ Notify schools you will not attend of your decision
_ Continue to look for scholarship opportunities
_ Keep track of important financial aid and scholarship deadlines
_ Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR)—it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed
_ Compare financial aid packages from different schools
_ Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money
_ Notify your college about any outside scholarships you received