Fall

• Meet with your school counselor to learn which courses meet college entrance requirements and plan your enrollment in these courses
• Create a four-year class schedule that meets both high school graduation and college entrance requirements
• Take the most challenging and realistic course load, if possible
• Create a floridashines.org account and complete the assessments to begin thinking about colleges and explore careers that may fit your interest

Winter

• Talk with your parents about your academic strengths and weaknesses and explore tutoring resources for improvement
• Enroll in honors courses in the subjects you excel at
• Create a folder for college-related materials

Spring

• Get involved with clubs, activities, and community involvement - all of these things look great on a college application
• Record and track all of your credentials - awards, volunteer hours, etc.
• Look early for summer jobs and internships - preferably those that will help you expand your academic and leadership skills
• Find information in the School Counseling office, library, or online to start learning about college
• Plan a challenging course load for your sophomore year

Summer

• Continue to build your credentials over the summer
• Along with completing all summer reading assignments, create a list of other books to read as well
• Continue talking to your parents or any adults in your life about colleges and courses to take in high school
• Build your community service hours needed for graduation and the Bright Futures Scholarship

Fall

• Set-up a free account with collegeboard.org - you can research colleges and prepare for the PSAT/SAT
• Prepare yourself to take the PSAT - link your College Board account to Khan Academy
• Start preparing for the ACT by taking practice tests and studying
• Participate in a college fair/attend a college financial aid workshop
• Get involved with extracurricular and volunteer activities - be a leader inside and outside of school
• Review your PSAT score report and discuss areas that may challenge you, to be prepared for the SAT the following year
• Your GPA counts - stay on track with your courses, and if you are struggling, speak to your teachers or school counselor to explore possible solutions
• With a parent, research and discuss colleges and their costs and take a tour of a local college or university

Spring

• Begin your search for summer jobs, academic enrichment, and volunteer opportunities early
• Meet with your counselor to discuss summer Dual Enrollment opportunities, Junior year courses and your current GPA
• Plan a challenging course load for your Junior year (AP, AICE, and Honors) and discuss Dual Enrollment opportunities with your counselor

Summer

• Along with completing all summer reading assignments create a list of other books to read as well
• Find a summer job that offers valuable work experience and will help you along your path to college and a successful future
• Build your community service hours needed for graduation and the Bright Futures Scholarship

Fall

• Sign up for the PSAT during lunches at SRHS at the end of September
• Continue to stay on track in all of your classes to build up your GPA
• Use your test scores and current GPA to evaluate your college options – make a list and include campus size, location, cost, etc.
• Find out more about college visits around your area and on campus
• Begin researching scholarships https://www.raise.me/ https://www.fastweb.com/
• Look for your PSAT scores in December https://www.collegeboard.org/
• Practice the SAT based on weaknesses with www.khanacademy.com

Spring

• Take at least one practice exam before taking the School-Day SAT in March
• Take the ACT - sign up on www.act.org and practice on https://academy.act.org
• Know the dates and locations of all SAT and ACT tests - deadlines pass quickly
• Decide which test is better for you and focus on it - ACT versus SAT
• Make a list of at least three colleges to apply for (dream, reach, and safe school)
• Contact those who may be willing to write a letter of recommendation for you
• Search for scholarships and plan summer college visits
• Apply on time for any summer jobs or internships you might be interested in
• Plan a challenging course load for your senior year - discuss dual enrollment opportunities with your counselor

Summer

• Participate in meaningful and valuable educational opportunities, preferably related to your desired major in college
• Keep practicing for the SAT and/or ACT
• Along with completing summer reading assignments, create a list of other books to read as well
• Build your community service hours needed for graduation and the Bright Futures Scholarship
• Start college application essays - finalize resume and essays

Fall

• Finalize your college essays
• Ask references for letter of recommendation so that they can be submitted
• Keep taking the SAT or ACT if needed
• Take the ASVAB test in October to determine your career aptitudes
• Attend the SRCHS College Night in October
• Attend the PBCSD College Fair in October (a lot of out-of-state schools attend)
• Make sure your transcript and records are all up to date
• Familiarize yourself with deadlines for colleges of your choice - November 1st is the early priority deadline for most colleges
• Check www.floridashines.org for Bright Futures eligibility
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - opens October 1st of senior year https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa
• Complete the Bright Futures Scholarship Application and other state scholarships - opens October 1st of senior year https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org
• Apply for scholarships and keep track of the deadlines https://smrh.palmbeachschools.org/scholarshipsandspecialprograms
• Make sure all community services hours are completed and on your transcript
• Goal - complete all college applications/come up with your after-graduation plan

Spring

• Maintain second semester grades and be aware of senioritis- if your grades plummet drastically or you make changes to your schedule, colleges can rescind their acceptances
• Watch for admission letter in the mail or email notifications
• Compare financial aid packages
• Make a final choice on which college you will attend and attend orientation
• Look for any summer jobs early
• GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL!

Summer

• Confirm final transcripts have been sent to the colleges you will attend in the fall
• Confirm AP and AICE test scores have been sent to the college you will attend
• Make preparations for the following school year
• Make sure that everything needed for financial aid is ready to go - check with your college’s financial aid office