Freshman Year

• Have your Individual Planning Portfolio meeting with your counselor. This plan leads you through your high school years.
• Take the most rigorous academic schedule possible.
• Get involved in the extracurricular activities that reflect your interests.
• Be serious about your grades, attendance, and punctuality, all of which are important factors when applying for college or employment.
• Assemble a file documenting the nature and dates of your achievements and activities in and out of school.

Sophomore Year

• Take the most rigorous academic schedule possible, this year and when registering for junior year courses in the spring.
• Examine your interests, aptitudes, and activities, and continue to assess your strengths and weaknesses.
• Take the PLAN in October during the all-school test day.
• Explore careers that might match your interests and abilities through the PLAN results.
• Meet with your guidance counselor to update your Individual Planning Portfolio.
• Explore summer opportunities (courses on college campuses, work experiences, volunteer experiences, travel, etc.).

Junior Year

October

• Attend the annual RMACAC College Fair to meet college representatives from various schools.
• Attend college representative visits to JMCHS. Calendars and sign-up sheets are posted weekly on the bulletin board outside the Counseling Center.
• Take the PSAT on all-school testing day. It’s good practice for the SAT I and it’s also the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

January

• Receive results of your PSAT. Review your test to determine how you might improve.

February

• Attend the college information session for juniors and parents.
• Attend the presentation on beginning the college search process in Theology classes with Ms. Alamilla.
• Meet with Ms. Alamilla before end of year for individual planning meeting in which you will:
• Share your interests and experiences.
• Discuss post graduation plans and begin the formal college planning process.
• Review your transcript and credits.
• Develop list of colleges that would be a solid match.
• Discuss what entrance exams are required for your colleges and when to take them.

March/April

• Register for SAT Reasoning test, ACT, or SAT Subject tests.
• Meet with Ms. Alamilla if haven’t already.
• Plan college visits over spring break.
• Plan to register for most rigorous academic schedule possible senior year.

May

• Take AP exams if enrolled in AP classes.
• Write resume. Ms. Alamilla will give tips and samples in English classes.
• Contact appropriate persons for ROTC scholarships and Academy appointments if interested in military options.
• Meet with Ms. Alamilla if haven’t already.
• Build a list of 5-15 colleges that meet your criteria so you can research them over the summer.
• Plan for possible summer college visits.

Senior Year

September

• Finalize list of colleges to which you’re applying.
• Obtain admission and financial aid information and applications.
• Attend application process information session for seniors and parents.
• Check on military academy and ROTC deadlines if interested.
• Note Early Decision, Single Choice Early Action, and Early Action deadlines.
• Meet with college representatives who visit JMCHS.
• Review scholarship and financial aid information. Look at Scholarship Book.

October-November

• Begin writing draft(s) of personal statement(s). Ms. Alamilla will be giving tips on writing the essay in English classes.
• Make chart of application and financial aid and scholarship deadlines.
• Turn in Test Score Release Form (sent to families via mail) to the Counseling Center. These forms will allow us to release your test scores on the back of your transcript.
• Take the SAT Reasoning, ACT, or SAT subject test for the first or second time, if necessary.
• Finalize teacher and counselor recommendations.
• Complete and return the CSS Profile form if your college requires it.
• Meet with Ms. Alamilla to review college choices and the application process.
• Attend the RMACAC College Fair.
• Meet with college representatives who visit JMCHS. Calendars & sign-ups are posted.
• Start working on applications with December deadlines.
• Keep your grades up! College admissions officers for regular application deadlines will want to see your seventh semester grades when making their decisions.

December

• Parents should attend the Financial Aid Night with the Westminster College Director of Financial Aid the first week of December.
• Pick up the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in the Counseling Center.
• Complete applications with January and February deadlines. REMINDER: Letters of recommendation requested the week before Christmas break will not go out until after we return from break.

January-February

• Continue completing college applications.
• Explore financial aid and scholarship opportunities and complete the FAFSA.
• Submit additional credentials (mid-year grade reports, new test scores, etc.) to colleges if requested.
• Keep your grades up! Many colleges only accept students on the condition that they graduate in the same standing with which they applied.

March-April

• You may start receiving replies from colleges during this time period.
• Make final campus visits if needed.
• Compare financial aid packages.

May

• Notify colleges of your final decision by May 1^st, the National Candidate Reply Date.
• Send tuition and housing deposits to college of your choice.
• Turn in graduation contracts and Post-Graduate plans to the Counseling Center.
• Request your final transcript and verification of graduation be sent to the college you plan to attend (also part of the graduation packet).
• Take AP exams if enrolled in AP classes.
• GRADUATE!