Counseling Department
College Application Timeline Grades 9-12

Ninth Grade

• 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 PSAT, if appropriate.

Spring

• Begin working with CX Online.
• 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.
• Attend career information programs.
• Work on earning your student service learning hours.
• Use the Summer Search booklet and visit your career center to locate summer enrichment programs.

Tenth Grade

• Continue your participation in extracurricular activities.
• Take the PSAT. Check with your counselor for more information.
  Visit your career center.
• Continue working with CX Online.

Winter

• Talk with your counselor about your grades.
• Meet with your counselor to discuss results of the PSAT.
• Find out what kinds of postsecondary 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 CX Online.
• Consider career and technology course offerings at the Thomas Edison High School of Technology.
• Use the Summer Search booklet and visit your career center to locate summer enrichment programs.

Summer

Continue earning student service learning hours, particularly through activities related to potential career plans.

Eleventh Grade

• 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 CX Online or 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.
• 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

• Make an appointment with your counselor for you and your parents to discuss postsecondary plans.
• Request applications from colleges and/or trade and technical schools.
• Set up file system.
• Register for ACT, SAT I, and/or SAT II.
• Stay abreast of all scholarship opportunities.
• Review high school records, including graduation requirements.
• Complete any remaining student service learning hours.

Late Summer/Winter

• 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 by December 1 if possible.
• Abide by both school and college deadlines.
• Seek letters of recommendation if needed. Give teachers and counselors sufficient notice.
• Complete a résumé.

December

If appropriate, have your parents 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.