Freshman Year

- Become familiar with your strengths, abilities, and weaknesses.

- Discuss postsecondary education and careers that interest you with your parents.

- Discuss your future with your school counselor.

- Learn about college entrance requirements.

- Be sure you have completed the prerequisites for each class for which you have enrolled for your sophomore year.

Sophomore Year

- Start to look at college catalogs and financial aid materials.

- Meet college representatives and collect materials at the Sumner County College Night held in October. 

- Take the PSAT in October. 

- Take the PLAN for career inventory information.

- Be sure to select the right high school courses for your college/career interests.

- Continue to work with your counselor.

- Volunteer or apply for a summer job.

- Join clubs and activities to develop leadership skills and expand special abilities and interests.

- Be sure you have completed the prerequisites for each class for which you have enrolled for your sophomore year.

Junior Year

Fall

- Make sure your high school course selections are appropriate for your college/career interests.

- Make sure that you are meeting high school graduation and college admissions requirements.

- Take the PSAT in October to practice taking college admissions tests, and to establish your eligibility for the National Merit Scholarship competition, the National Achievement Scholarship Program for Outstanding Negro Students, and/or the National Hispanic Scholar Awards Program. 

- Continue to talk with your parents about your future plans. 

- Begin to make a list of possible postsecondary schools. 

- Check in the guidance office for catalogs and other admission materials for schools that interest you.

- Get on mailing list of colleges you like. 

- Attend the College Night or career fairs in your schools, community, or religion.

- Meet and talk with college representatives who visit your high school.

- Think about college majors, size, and geographic area of schools that match your abilities and interests. 

- Begin researching various sources of financial aid including private.

- Prepare a resume.

Spring

- Begin the application process if you intend to seek appointment to one of the military academies or an ROTC scholarship.

- Take the ACT and/or the SAT I.

- Narrow your list of choices for a postsecondary school to 5-10.

- If the postsecondary institutions that you are considering require SAT II Subject tests, take them in May or June.

- Visits the schools that are high on your list. 

- Check with your school library, the local public library, and you school counselor for possible scholarship sources. 

- Select appropriate courses to meet college requirements.

- Begin to plan portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talents if they are required for admission or for scholarship.

- Become involved in summer experiences, including work, summer school, special workshops, and college bound programs.

Summer

- See your coach for instructions, if you are seeking an athletic scholarship, 

- Write letters to request application information from any private scholarship sources that interest you.

- If possible, visit and interview with the schools that interest you the most.

Senior Year

Fall

- Be sure your high school course selections are appropriate for your college/career interests.

- Be sure that you are meeting high school graduation and college admissions requirements.

- Discuss your current plans for postsecondary education with your counselor. Consider your high school grades and SAT/ACT scores when meeting with your counselor.

- Request application materials for admissions, scholarships and financial aid from schools to which you plan to apply, if you have not already done so.

- Be sure that your application materials are submitted by the deadline, if you are requesting college admission on an Early Action or Early Decision basis, 

- Attend college fairs.

- Take or re-take the SAT I or the ACT. 

- Do not procrastinate. Be sure to meet admissions and financial aid application deadlines. You must request a transcript be sent. Transcript request forms are in the guidance office. Keep copies of all applications and supporting materials you submit.

- Be sure to meet application deadlines for any private scholarships you intend to seek. Keep copies of your applications and letters.

- Give recommendation forms to teachers, counselors, and other persons from who you are seeking references at least two weeks before they are due to be returned; include a stamped, addressed envelope. 

- Be sure your file is current if you are seeking appointment to one of the military academies.

- See your coach for instruction if you are seeking an athletic scholarship. 

- Complete portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent that is required for admission or for scholarships.

- Schedule admission interviews.

Winter

- Complete and mail college applications before winter break to ensure getting desired housing.

- Attend, with your parents, the Financial Aid Workshop, which is held in early December at Station Camp High School. 

- Apply for your pin number.

- Submit your family's financial information on the need analysis document (based on the current year's Income Tax return) as soon after January 1 as possible.

- Request that your high school send a copy of your transcript which includes first semester senior grades to the school to which you have applied. 

- Continue to apply for scholarships.

Spring

- Make your final decision about which postsecondary institution you will attend. Notify the school of your choice by the appropriate deadline. 

- Decline other offers of admission (other students may be waiting for that place in the freshman class). 

- Review your financial aid award letter with your parents.

- Sign your financial aid award letter and any other items requiring your signature and return them. 

- Notify the financial aid office of schools in writing if you decide to decline their offer. (other students, who wish to attend that school, will need the aid that you decline).

- Continue to apply for scholarships.

- Find out when payment of school charges for tuition, fees, room and board, etc., will actually be due.Plan how you will meet those charges. Be certain that you understand how financial aid or scholarships will be disbursed, and whether you can defer bill payment until the funds are available.

- Be sure to attend any summer orientation sessions that you must attend at the school in which you will enroll.