Junior year is the busiest year for college planning. You can take control of the process by staying on schedule. Use this 
timeline to meet your deadlines. Remember to check this document at least once a month.
September 
 Meet with your school counselor to make sure you 
are enrolled in the most challenging academic 
courses available to you (p. 9).
 If you have not taken the PSAT, ask your school 
counselor for information about PSAT scheduling  
at your school; visit www.psat.org.
 Stay involved in extracurricular activities and take 
on leadership roles, if possible (p. 9).
October/November
 Attend virtual or in-person information sessions  
with college representatives who visit your  
high school (p. 24).
 Attend free virtual or in-person college fairs, 
throughout the year (p. 23).
 Continue talking with your parents or guardians  
and your success network about your college  
plans (p. 6).
 Attend a workshop or take a virtual class with  
your parents or guardians to learn about the  
financial aid process (p. 42).
December/January/February 
 Meet with your school counselor to identify  
colleges that may be a good fit for you (pp. 14-27).
 Begin your fit research (pp. 26-27).
 Choose your 12th grade classes with your school 
counselor, carefully making sure you will have 
enough credits to graduate and that they meet  
college admissions requirements (p. 9).
 Start preparing for the SAT or ACT (p. 32).
March/April
 Register for the May or June SAT, or June ACT 
(pp. 29-31).
 Talk with your school counselor about fly-in program 
opportunities, which are free visits to college campuses.
Activity   11th Grade Checklist
Checklists
65
May/June
 Take the SAT or ACT (pp. 29-32).
 Ask the 11th grade teachers with whom you have 
good relationships to write college recommendation  
letters on your behalf (p. 36).
 Before the school year ends, review the Step Up to 
College Rising Senior Edition summer supplement.  
Visit www.stepuptocollege.org.
July/August
 Prepare to take the SAT or ACT (p. 32).
 Understand your admissions options for college (p. 33).
 Do college fit research (pp. 26-27).
 Visit colleges (pp. 24-25).
 Begin the application process (pp. 35-36).
 Start to draft your college application essay  
(pp. 37-39).
 Research options for paying for college (pp. 41-58).
 Look at the net price calculators for your top three 
to five schools (p. 44).
University of Pennsylvania

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.