Countdown to Graduation
College/Career Planning Checklist for Freshmen
September
- Meet with your counselor.
- Discuss your academic/career plan, personal, and academic strengths.
- Get involved in extracurricular and/or community activities.
- Start collecting materials important for goal setting and resume: grades, activities, honors, awards and standardized test scores.
- Visit the Career Center and become familiar with the many resources available. It is open before and after school and during lunch.
December
January
- Be prepared for first semester exams.
February
- Plan for next year with your parents, teachers, and counselor.
- Fill out your registration form for next year. Both student and parents must sign the form.
April - June
- Work on earning your student service-learning hours.
- Use the Summer Search booklet to locate summer enrichment programs.
- Be prepared for second semester exams.
College/Career Planning Checklist for Sophomores
September
- Continue extracurricular involvement.
October
- Sophomores take the PSAT on October 17.
November - April
- Take an interest inventory, available in the career center.
December
January
- Be prepared for first semester exams.
February - April
- Discuss your selection of courses with your parents and counselor.
- Fill out necessary registration forms.
- Consult handbooks of universities and colleges, trade and technical schools in the Career Center.
- Consider career and technology course offerings here and at the Thomas Edison High School of Technology.
March
- Meet with counselor to review progress and goals.
April - June
- Be prepared for second semester exams.
- Investigate volunteer summer programs.
July-August
- Continue meaningful student service learning hours.
College/Career Planning Checklist for Juniors
September - May
- Meet with college representatives who visit SHS and plan college visits.
- Continue to develop in-depth extracurricular activities & leadership positions.
- Monitor your student service learning hours. Acquire experiences related to career plans.
October
- Register for the PSAT/NMSQT, which will be administered at SHS on October 15,2008.
December
January
- Be prepared for first semester exams.
- Discuss next year’s schedule with your parents, counselor and teachers.
January - June
- Make an appointment to research colleges in the Career Center and make list of schools of interest.
March
- Register for the May SAT I/ SAT II and/or ACT.
- Look for college summer programs.
- Begin looking for a summer job.
February - March
- Meet with your counselor to update your career/educational plans.
- Visit colleges during spring break.
- Spend time in the College/Career Center exploring materials.
April
- Register for the June SAT.
- Do advance research on college decision making in the Career Center.
- Prepare for and attend the National College Fair.
- Be prepared for AP exams.
May - June
- Develop resume and activity list from review of high school career.
- Non-college bound students should look into post-secondary options such as apprenticeships, technical schools and full-time jobs.
June
- Be prepared for second semester exams.
Summer
- Visit college campuses.
- Assemble a file of materials collected from colleges.
College/Career Planning Checklist for Seniors
Senior Packet:
Parent Brag Sheet Parent Brag Sheet and Student Brag Sheet Student Brag Sheet
College Transcript Request Procedures; College Transcript Request Form 2010-2011
Summer/September
- Meet with your counselor to discuss postsecondary plans.
- Request and send applications from colleges, trade and technical schools.
- Register for October SAT I/SAT II and/or October ACT.
- Register for November SAT I/ SAT II.
- Review credits necessary for graduation with your parents and counselor.
- Athletes register for the NCAA Clearinghouse.
- Update your resume.
September-November
- Meet with college representatives.
- Arrange to tour campuses. (Prior approval is required if you are absent from school.)
- Complete all forms in the senior packet and return them to the counseling office.
- Familiarize yourself with the school’s transcript request procedure and follow it.
- Request letters of recommendations.
- Complete college applications
December
- Register for the January SAT I/SAT II.
December - June
- Begin job hunting or researching vocational/technical schools if you do not plan to enter college in the fall.
January
- Be prepared for first semester exams.
- Make sure the registrar has the addresses for colleges to which you want mid-year grades sent.
- Attend financial aid workshop at SHS.
February - April
- Apply for local scholarships.
- Be prepared for AP exams and senior exams.
May
- Complete senior survey and senior information sheet.
- Give Mrs. Hernandez a stamped addressed envelope for the final transcript to be sent to your college.
June
- GRADUATION - Congratulations!