There are so many things to do during high school.  The KEY to success is working ahead.  Please do not procrastinate!

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Freshman Year

• Plan challenging high school courses

• Make good grades in your classes (A's and B's)

• Attend school each day and prepare daily for your classes so that your grades are the best they can be.  GPA and class rank are calculated beginning in grade 9.  

• Become familiar with college entrance requirements

• Join/continue extracurricular activities (consider clubs you will be a part of for all four years of high school and keep a record of your activities)

• Attend summer camp at a college to experience a college-like atmosphere

• Research college costs

• Continue/start saving for college

• Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year

• Create a CFNC account

• Explore personality and interests on CFNC.org and other internet sites

• Attend the NACAC National College fair

• If you do not do well on standardized tests, start preparing for the SAT and ACT now

Sophomore Year
 

• Continue to take and plan challenging high school courses (register for AP and Honors courses)

• Make good grades in your classes (A's and B's)

• Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year

• Explore careers on CFNC.org

• Think about what kind of education/training different careers require

• Take the PreACT and review results with your parents and school counselor

• Take the PSAT and review results with your parents and school counselor

• ACT and SAT prep – use free online study tools by Khan Academy, Collegeboard, and CFNC

• Start collecting college information

• Continue/start saving for college

• Join/continue extracurricular activities

• Talk to family and friends about their educational choices

• Attend the NACAC National College Fair

Junior Year

• Continue to take and plan challenging courses (register for AP and Honors courses).  If you have not yet taken a second language, it is now time to begin one.  Most colleges require two years of the same language and recommend that one be taken in the senior year.

• Keep your grades up (A's and B's)

• Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year

• Continue / Join an academic club

• Take the PSAT, which is the qualifying test for the National Merit and National Achievement Scholarships and for the National Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program.  You can qualify for these only by taking the PSAT in your junior year.

• Talk with your parents and high school counselor about colleges and majors that interest you

• Research at least six or seven colleges that interest you

• Visit colleges and talk with college students

• Sign up at school to speak with college representatives as they visit your school

• Prepare a list of questions to ask on campus visits

• List, compare, and visit colleges

• Start or update an academic resume

• Begin filling out the college comparison worksheet

• Consider putting together a portfolio that highlights your special skills and talent.

• Investigate scholarship opportunities

• Volunteer for activities and clubs related to career interests

• Maintain good relationships with teachers and counselor, they will be writing your recommendations

• Register for the SAT and ACT. You should be academically ready to take it by spring. If not, take it early in your senior year.

• Get a part-time job, apprenticeship, or internship; or job shadow in a job that interests you

• Attend  the NACAC National College Fair

• If you plan to participate in athletics in college, you will need to register for through the NCAA Clearinghouse

• Narrow down school choices to your top five.

• Continue to make college visits during the Summer before your Senior year.

Senior Year
August – December

• Sign up for and take the SAT / ACT

• Visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements

• Consider taking courses at a local university or community college

• Keep working hard all year and keep your grades up; second semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility

• Make a master calendar of all deadlines for applications and scholarships

• Ask for references from teachers, school counselors, or employers early in the year or at least two weeks before application deadlines.

• Visit with admissions counselors who come to your high school

• Attend a college fair

• Begin your college essay(s)

• Apply for admission at the colleges you've chosen and confirm that the universities or colleges have received all application materials

• Use CFNC.org to send transcripts to North Carolina colleges and universities (including community colleges) and to register with the Residency Determination Service

• Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college you have applied to

• Start the financial aid application process

• See your school counselor for help finding financial aid and scholarships

January – May
 

• If you need it, get help completing the FAFSA (must have tax forms to complete)

• Use CFNC.org to send transcripts to North Carolina colleges and universities (including community colleges)

• Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll

• Decide which college to attend, and notify the school of your decision

• Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork

• Notify schools you will not attend of your decision

• Continue to look for scholarship opportunities

• Keep track of important financial aid and scholarship deadlines

• Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR)—it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed

• Compare financial aid packages from different schools

• Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money

• Notify your college about any outside scholarships you received