We’re organizing the checklist below by year, but if you’re first seeing this during the fall of your or your student’s senior year, don’t fret—that happens all the time, and students still go on to live fulfilled lives (We know 40 year olds who still say they don’t know what they want to be when they grow up. They’re fine). If that’s the case, just do your best to look through each year and address pieces as best you can.

9th Grade

• If you haven’t previously, start planning out how to pay for college (use that guide).

• Encourage your teen to explore their interests and values

• Option: take an interest and/or strengths assessment (caveat: these can easily change over time)

• Plan high school classes (especially if a student is interested in a particular subject or field)

• Explore extracurricular interests (Recommended: as long as it doesn’t dampen the experience, keep an activity log throughout high school)

• PSAT: School-by-school basis → some high schools allow students to take the October PSAT as a freshman

• Student should meet with school counselor, start building a relationship

• Summer: students have options. We’d recommend families read that post and then play sounding board with them. (Note that, from an admissions standpoint, colleges generally like seeing a story arc, with summers, and school year, building on one another.)

10th Grade

• Deepen involvement in extracurricular activities that align with values, interests, and long-term goals (But also useful to explore new things)

• Maintain grades + take more challenging courses

• PSAT: School-by-school basis → some high schools allow students to take the October PSAT as a sophomore

• Meet with school counselor, continue building a relationship

• Take a practice SAT or ACT (Note: often useful to take both and see if a student has any preference)

11th Grade

• Maintain grades

• Continue deepening involvement in extracurricular activities. If they haven’t already, explore leadership opportunities

• Option: take an aptitude or career assessment test such as YouScience (understanding that interests and strengths will evolve and grow)

• Attend a college fair, talk with admission reps

• Start building a balanced college list

• Meet with you counselor to talk about your list and preferences, and ask for suggestions

• PSAT/NMSQT—generally administered fall of junior year. (Scores on the PSAT are used to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship)

• SAT + ACT—registration deadlines (SAT and ACT) vary year to year. Common advice is to plan on taking a test at least once spring of junior year (though often earlier for recruited athletes) and then again in the fall of senior year

*Note that some schools no longer require or accept standardized test scores. For detail/nuance, see the section on testing.

• AP Tests—typically early to mid-May

• Ask for letters of recommendation (ideally, speak with teachers before the end of junior year; if past that, do so now)

• Schedule (virtual or in-person) school tours (if planning on in-person, highly recommended to do virtual first, unless the school is very close to home)

• During summer, begin working on main personal statement + supplemental essays

12th Grade

• Maintain grades

• Continue working on main personal statement + supplemental essays

• Ask for letters of recommendation (ideally, speak with teachers before the end of junior year; if past that, do so now)

• Apply for scholarships throughout the year

• Continue building a balanced college list

• Likely take the SAT and/or ACT again

• Complete a profile on the Common App and/or Coalition App after Aug 1 during summer before senior year

• If applying to the UCs, complete a profile after Aug 1

• Complete the FAFSA (and possibly CSS) in October (ideally, as close to Oct. 1 as possible)

• Common App early deadlines (varies by school; typically early November)

• UC deadline (for 2022, submit between November 1-30; starting 2023, submit between Oct 1 - Nov 30)

• UT Deadline Dec 1

• Regular decision deadlines  (varies by school; typically early January)

• Rolling admissions (dates vary by school)

• If deferred/waitlisted, possibly send a letter of continued interest

• May 1: National Candidates Reply Date (deadline to commit to a school, deposit funds)

• AP/IB exams