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College Planning Milestones

Freshman Planning    

  • Complete your 4 year plan with your School Counselor in Freshman Foundations Class

  • Ask about Honors and AP Courses offered at your school

  • Begin your college planning with a broad college search on collegeboard.org

  • Sign up for AP Courses or make sure that you are planning to take them in the near future

  • Complete an interest survey on cacareerzone.com to help choose a potential career goal 

Sophomore Planning

  • Sign up for the PSAT which will give you an idea of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can study for exams

  • Sign up for AP Courses or make sure that you are planning to take them in the near future.

  • Expand your extracurricular activities. Volunteer afterschool, join a club, group, or sport team.

  • Complete  high school planner on CaliforniaColleges.edu

  • Attend a College Fair/virtual College Fair

  • Attend college presentations offered at SDHS

  • Learn about scholarship opportunities

Junior Planning

  • Take the PSAT if you have not done so already

  • Select 15-20 colleges that interest you and get application materials

  • Determine estimated costs for your colleges

  • Complete or update high school planner on CaliforniaColleges.edu

  • Schedule and take your ACT and/or SAT in the Spring

  • Complete the EAP (Early Assessment Program) during State testing

  • Take AP Exams

  • Attend college presentations offered at SDHS

  • Get or stay involved in extracurricular Activities. Consider playing a leadership role.

  • Attend College Fair/virtual college Fair

  • Attend preview days and visit colleges over the summer

Senior Planning

  • Narrow your college choices to 5-10

  • Make a list of the following:

    • Test dates, fees, and deadlines

    • College application due dates

    • Required financial aid applications and their deadlines

    • Recommendations, transcripts, and other necessary materials

    • Your high school's deadlines for application requests, such as your transcript

  • Complete or update high school planner on CaliforniaColleges.edu

  • Submit your applications, many applications are due November 30 

  • Have your high school send your transcript to colleges if required

  • Colleges will communicate with you via email so check it often

  • Submit your FAFSA as soon after October 1st as possible

  • Explore other financial aid and loan options. Many other types of aid have deadlines.

  • You should get acceptance letters and financial aid offers by mid-April and you must tell every college of your acceptance or rejection of offers of admission or financial aid by May 1

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