An Educational Planning Timeline:
My philosophy is that high school students need to be high school students first before they start worrying about college. That being said, it is never too soon to start planning for the future. It is all about taking baby steps. While college planning kicks into high gear in the fall of junior year, I can begin meeting with your family whenever you are ready to start the conversation. We will modify the timeline to align with your goals.
FRESHMAN &
SOPHMORE YEAR ROADMAP
COURSE PLANNING
Rather than look at just what courses to take now, map out a plan for all of high school. This will ensure that you not only meet your high school graduation requirements, but that you allow yourself to explore electives that appeal to you and you appropriately plan for courses that may be recommended
for college.
EXTRACURRICULAR INVOLVEMENT
Look for ways to get involved in activities, clubs, sports, volunteer work, jobs, and hobbies that reflect your interests and strengths.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
Take a full-length diagnostic ACT and SAT before you ever register for an official test. This will give you a baseline score and help you determine which test might be a better fit for you. Then you can focus your energy on one test rather than two.
“ME” WORK
I always tell students that before they can begin to understand which colleges to consider, they have to understand themselves. Take the time to do some introspection and self-reflection. Do you know your natural talents and abilities? How do you learn best? What is it that you love to do in your free time? Answer these kinds of questions
before you begin to research schools, because once you do, you will know what information to look for to help
you decide if the school might be right for you.
FINANCIAL AID PLANNING
Have a conversation with your student about the budget for college and set realistic expectations about what is possible. Familiarize yourself with the cost of college and the resources out there to estimate your potential costs over four years (or longer!). Save your student the trouble of researching and falling in love with colleges that will never meet your family’s budget by doing this work sooner rather than later.
JUNIOR YEAR
ROADMAP
PERSONALITY AND CAREER ASSESSMENTS
Your success in college is contingent upon you finding the right fit. Learn about yourself to determine what you need to succeed.
RESEARCH AND PREPARATION
Common Application, Coalition, SAT, ACT, Naviance, and more. Learn the lingo and explore the tools and resources you will need to stay on track.
BRAINSTORM AND PLAN
Register for tests, brainstorm essays, plan campus visits. Do the research now so you will be prepared for the application process later.
CURATE THECOLLEGE LIST
Look at your qualifications and interests to identify a list of "best-fit" schools.
SENIOR YEAR ROADMAP