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11th Grade: Make College Planning a Priority

In 11th grade, the college planning process kicks into high gear. 

 

Fall:

  • Take Challenging Upper-Level Courses

        - Develop an upper-level independent project

        - Take a class of particular interest through Michigan Virtual

        - Dual Enroll at a local college   

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  • Focus on Grades
       - As always, aim for that 4.0!

         - Junior year is the most important time to earn high marks in                    challenging classes

         - If you had some struggles in 9th or 10th grade, colleges will be                happy to see an upward trend in your grades

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  • Work on your Educational Development Plan (EDP)

          ​- You will continue to develop your academic and career goals

 

  • Take the Practice SAT

​          - All FlexTech juniors take the practice SAT in the fall to                

            help prepare them for the real deal in April

          - You can choose to sign up for the ACT if you feel more

            comfortable with that test (Colleges will take either one)

 

  • Take On a Leadership Role

          - If you haven't yet, now is the perfect time to step into that                        leadership role!

 

  • Attend College Fairs and College Representative Visits

​          - Take advantage of the college fair and representative visits at                 FlexTech

          - Attend some of the larger community college fairs

          - Ask questions and gather information to help you narrow down               the list of schools you would like to consider  

 

Winter:

  • Research and Request Information From Colleges

​         - Take full advantage of the college search engines

         - Make note of which colleges match your criteria

         - Visit these colleges' websites and request additional information

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  • Visit Colleges Campuses

          ​- See the box on the left for advice on how to make the most of

             your college visits

 

  • Brush Up On Your SAT Skills

​           - Review the testing practices and procedures

 

Spring:

  • Take the SAT

​           - All juniors take the SAT as part of the MME in April

           - Now is the time to apply what you've learned and all the                          practice you have had

           - Most colleges require SAT or ACT scores as part of their

             applications

 

  • Meet with Your Counselor

​           - Talk about your college search experiences

           - Discuss what you should be doing over the summer to                            prepare for the application process

           - Draft a list of colleges you wish to apply to in the fall and                          finalize this list over the summer

 

  • Select a Challenging Senior Schedule
         - Colleges will request information on your senior year schedule          and grades

           - It is important to continue to challenge yourself and receive                      high marks senior year

           - Sign up for a 4th year of science, dual enroll, take academic                    electives, and find other ways to challenge yourself

 

Summer:

  • Finalize a list of colleges you will apply to

​           - Continue researching and visiting campuses until you finalize                your list

           - For more information on what this list should look like, visit the                Applying to College page

            

  • Look at Application Deadlines and Requirements

​           - Familiarize yourself with the deadlines and requirements for                    the schools on your list

           - Make a Calendar to help you keep track of these important                      dates

 

  • Begin Thinking About Essays

​            - Visit websites for the colleges you plan to apply to and/or the                   Common Application and look at the essays they require

            - Begin to think about these essays and outline or begin your                     responses

            - Be aware that most colleges do not release their new                               applications until August 1st and essay prompts could change

 

Resources:

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/admissionstimeline/tp/12th-grade-timeline.htm

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

College Is Yours 2.0 by Patrick J. O'Connor

 


 

​College visits are an essential piece of the college selection process. Students should not attend a college they have never visited in person.

 

Here are some tips to make the most of your college visits:

 

  • Do some research on colleges before you visit

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  • Arrange an official college tour ahead of time

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  • Visit no more than 2 colleges in one day

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  • Visit a variety of colleges --private/public, rural/suburban/city, large/small, close to home/farther away, high cost/more affordable

 

  • Try to visit at a time when classes are in session (so you get a more accurate feel for what it's like to be a student at this school)

 

  • ASK QUESTIONS on your visit

 

  • Arrange to sit in on a class

 

  • If possible, arrange to see a dorm and eat at a cafeteria

 

  • If possible, speak with students who attend the school to get their perspective on the student experience at each school

 

  • Use your college journal to make notes on your impressions of each college immediately after leaving

            - This will be very helpful when it comes time to                     compare colleges and create your final list!

 

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Make the Most of Your College Visit


 

Here are some sample questions to ask your tour guide on a campus visit:

 

  • What is the average class size?

 

  • What is orientation like?

 

  • What is the anticipated cost of attendance?

 

  • What types of scholarships and financial aid packages do you offer?

 

  • How many student organizations are there?

 

  • What kind of campus housing is available?

 

  • What is the average high school GPA and SAT/ACT of the freshman class?

 

  • What factors does your school consider most important when looking at a student's application?

 

  • What are your school's academic strengths?

 

  • What is the student-faculty relationship like

 

  • What is unique about your college?

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Questions To Ask On A Campus Visit

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