Year By Year Timeline: 11th Grade
A year by year guide to preparing for college

Think about this – your student's high school career is half over. Before you can blink an eye, your child will be a senior getting ready to graduate. Believe it or not, he has a full time job already – to get the best possible education he can in the academic environment he is in.

When your student goes go to college, he will have to balance things for himself –time, money, resources. Your support will still be there, but now it is long distance! There will be no one there to wash his clothes, shuttle him from place to place or help him manage his time. Many college students also work. Is your student equipped to balance this equation?

This will be a busy year. When Spring rolls around, you and your rising senior will be dumbfounded by how quickly it flew by. Make the most of it NOW. Help your junior get to know himself and seek the opportunities available to him.

Use the Making It Count website for resources you can use to have a great year beginning the college search with your junior.

Here are some other tips to help you help your student.

In the Fall of 11th GRADE YEAR

• Take the most challenging academic program available
• Demonstrate leadership and responsibility in community and school
• Begin a list of colleges
• Gather career information - job shadow or see if your school offers a career day
• Make the most out of your part time job
• Talk with college reps and ask them questions
• Attend evening information sessions about college that occur in your area
• Go to college fairs
• Discuss testing plan with your counselor
• Register, prepare for and take the PSAT/NMSQT
• Check out free scholarship searches
• Make college visits if your high school permits them
• Begin to consider which teachers, moderators, or employers you might use if you need recommendations
• Continue talking with your parents/guardians and your counselor about your plans

In the Spring of11th GRADE YEAR

• Request information from colleges
• Make plans to visit colleges
• Research scholarship opportunities
• Continue discussing college finances with parents/guardians
• Arrange to meet with College Financial Aid Representative
• Attend college fairs