Finding the right college is an exciting opportunity to explore new possibilities and discover where you'll thrive. This timeline will help you navigate each step with confidence, so you can focus on what matters most: finding a place where you'll grow, learn, and succeed.
Sophomore Year: Gather Information
- Begin researching areas of study and careers that capture your interest. Your high school counselor can be a great resource for exploring your future.
- Keep track of your extracurricular activities, responsibilities and accomplishments. These will be helpful in filling out your application and may point to a theme for your personal statement.
- Start researching schools by checking out their websites and attending a college fair at your high school or in your area.
Junior Year: Get Down to Business
- Narrow down the list of schools that you’re interested in.
- Learn about the application process and timeline.
- Create a list of questions that reflect what’s important to you. Do you want a small school with personal attention or a large university doing major research? Do you want the excitement and opportunity of a big city or the peace and quiet of a campus in the country? Each school offers something different, so it’s important to think about what you want.
- Meet with college representatives coming to your high school.
- Schedule an initial visit to your top schools.
Summer Before Your Senior Year: Get Organized
- If you haven’t done so, schedule a visit to the schools you are considering.
- If you’re planning to take the SAT and/or ACT, schedule either or both exams.
- If you’re interested in playing a sport at the collegiate level, learn more about the process.
- Connect with individuals whom you would like to write your letters of recommendation. Think teachers, coaches, supervisors and others who know you well and will make your application shine.
- Start writing your personal statement and other essays. There are countless ways to write your statement, but keep in mind that it should reflect you as an individual.
Senior Year: Apply, Apply, Apply
