College Application Timeline
Ninth Grade
Fall
- Make an appointment to meet with your counselor.
- Discuss your academic/career plans and personal and academic strengths.
- Visit your career center. Become familiar with the resources available there.
- Participate in school extracurricular activities.
- Take the practice PSAT, if appropriate.
Spring
- Begin working with CHOICES(careers, interests)
- Make an appointment with your counselor to review your academic progress and plan your program for next year.
- Talk about your grades. Remember the grades earned in the ninth grade are part of your official high school transcript.
- Research different career interests.
- Work on earning your student service learning hours.
- Visit your College & Career Center to locate summer programs that will enrich your experience..
Tenth Grade
Fall
- Continue your participation in extracurricular activities.
- Take the practice PSAT. Check with your counselor for more information.
- Visit your College and Career Center.
- Continue working with CHOICES.
Winter
- Talk with your counselor about your grades.
- Meet with your counselor to discuss results of the PSAT.
- Find out what kinds of post-secondary schools offer the education you need to meet your career plans.
Spring
- Plan next year’s program to reflect your interests, school progress, and emerging career plans.
- Continue working with CHOICES.
- Consider career and technology course offerings at the Thomas Edison High School of Technology.
- Use the Summer Search booklet and visit your College and Career Center to locate summer enrichment programs.
Summer
Continue earning student service learning hours, particularly through activities related to potential career plans.
Eleventh Grade
Fall
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT.
- Attend college programs sponsored by your guidance department.
- Attend career presentations sponsored by your school, MCPS, and the business community.
- Acquire volunteer or job experiences related to career plans.
- Monitor your student service learning hours.
Fall/Winter
- Meet with your counselor about your progress.
- Meet with college admissions representatives who visit your school.
- Get information on apprenticeship programs.
- Get information on trade and technical schools.
- Take career interest inventories.
- Continue working with CHOICES.
Early Spring
- Consider career goals as you select classes and revise your high school planning sheet.
- Plan next year’s program to enhance prospects for employment opportunities and college admissions.
- Register for ACT and/or SAT I/SAT II.(Consider how you will prepare-prep class or books)
- Use the computer search programs to identify appropriate colleges and/or trade and technical schools.
- Consider an internship for your senior year.
Spring
- Attend college fairs and school-sponsored programs.
- Confer with your counselor about postsecondary plans.
- Attend career information programs.
- Spend time in the career center exploring materials.
- Find out about summer enrichment programs.
- Begin visiting colleges and /or trade and technical schools.
- Assemble a file of materials collected from colleges and/or trade and technical schools and those distributed by your guidance department.
- Make interview appointments for the early fall if appropriate.
Practice interviewing skills.
- Become familiar with college and job applications.
- Develop your résumé/personal references.
- Continue earning student service learning hours if needed.
Twelfth Grade
Summer/Fall
- Make an appointment with your counselor for you and your parents (College Meeting)
- Applications are available online through the college websites.
- Set up a file system.
- Stay abreast of all scholarship opportunities.
- Review high school records, including graduation requirements.
- Complete any remaining student service learning hours.
- Keep up your grades as colleges will look at your senior year.
Late Summer/Fall
- Visit college and/or trade and technical schools.
- Talk to admissions representatives who visit your school.
- Seek out scholarship information and apply as appropriate.
Fall
- Attend college and career programs sponsored by your guidance department.
- Familiarize yourself with your school’s transcript request procedure and follow it.
- Register for ACT, SAT I, and SAT II tests if needed.
- Talk with your counselor about your academic progress.
Fall/Winter
- Fill out applications. Remember: Be aware of deadlines by both B-CC and your colleges.
- Seek letters of recommendation if needed. Give teachers and counselors sufficient time.
- Complete a résumé.
December
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other financial aid forms, if required by the college, and file after January 1.
Spring
- Attend job fairs.
Contact Maryland Department of Economics and Employment Development for job openings.
- Maintain good grades and good attendance.
- Notify your counselor of your application status as you hear from the colleges.
- Request a final transcript to be sent to the college you will attend in the fall.
- Notify the colleges you are not planning to attend.
- Perfect your job-interviewing skills.