Timelines

Sophomore Year Timeline – Engage in Self-Discovery and Exploration

  • Informational interview to establish relational expectations including a signed commitment from the student to meet deadlines and expectations.
  • Intake interview to schedule diagnostic testing with both the SAT and ACT to determine testing styles. Schedule PSAT.
  • Help coordinate college tours and information sessions during long weekends and school breaks. Take in-depth survey to gauge college culture preferences. Interview parents regarding financial philosophy and budget-driven college searches. Review FAFSA and CSS basics.
  • Student takes personality inventory and career alignment test to explore strengths, interests, and purpose. Results are reviewed for relevance to college majors and right fit colleges.
  • Meeting to discuss future team players including building relationships with recommenders, influencers, coaches, teachers, mentors, community leaders, and entrepreneurs. Plan for service, leadership, and employment opportunities. College camps and research opportunities explored for summer months. Explore relationships with college faculty for research and technological advancements.

Junior Year Timeline – Optimize Advantages for Peak Performance

  • Discuss building relationships with opinion leaders in school. Design plans to expand upon leadership roles in class, employment, and after-school activities.
  • Explore opportunities to earn awards, press coverage, conduct research, get published, and/or raise awareness or funds for worthwhile causes.
  • Prepare for meeting with school guidance counselor to offer resume, parent brag sheet, and list of colleges and request rank, transcripts, and scholarship opportunities.
  • Monitor progress of testing modules and choose three test dates to sit for chosen standardized test. Review results of each prior test to target improvement areas.
  • Schedule college tours/interviews and attendance at college fairs, update college lists, and send e-mails of introduction and thanks throughout year to admissions officers and college professors.
  • Plan requests for two teacher recommendations, one extra recommendation, and provide resume and public relations kit to help recommenders portray outstanding student qualities. Meet with teacher and guidance counselor before summer to follow up on requests before break.
  • Finalize college list with timelines, deadlines, application requirements, testing demands, interview availability and specific strategies to convey demonstrated interest, including web page visits, virtual tours, FB groups, and mailing lists.

Senior Year Timeline – Launch Plan with Poise and Precision

  • Revise, edit, and proofread all components of college applications, meet with guidance counselor to make sure recommendations are in and transcripts sent. Review and update Naviance if applicable.
  • Examine final list of colleges, court them individually with respect to majors, hooks, connections, and Early application angles.
  • Plan ahead for contingency campaigns for deferral and waitlist options.
  • Take the SAT/ACT one last time in the fall to meet early application deadlines.
  • Send out rolling admissions applications first, Common Application goes live August 1st.
  • Interpret Early Decision, Early Decision II, Single Choice Early Action, and Early Action criteria as well as SAT subject test averages and SuperScore policies and timelines. Consider quirks of University of California schools.
  • Supervise FAFSA form and CSS form completion to be eligible for need-based and merit-based aid on the release date of October 1.
  • Schedule and prepare for alumni and campus interviews, update resume as needed.
  • Follow pre-planned schedule of submissions, prepare to follow pre-planned strategies of admission or deferral/ waitlisted options, organize password information for college portal easy access.

The Countdown

  • Discuss college preferences and place deposit on school by May 1, unless Early Decision option.
  • Discuss considerations for trips to accepted student days. Revisit campuses that are top of list.
  • Prepare to negotiate packages among contenders.
  • Reminder to notify schools that are no longer in the running, immediate withdrawal if admitted to ED school, early enrollment deposit due January 1st.
  • Approve plan for thanking recommenders and guidance counselors with notes and gifts.