11th Grade Timeline

Fall

• Review your transcript in your Sapphire portal to make sure you have all your courses you need for graduation. If you have questions, see your counselor!
• If you didn’t do so in 10th grade, sign up for and take the PSAT/NMSQT. In addition to National Merit Scholarships, this is the qualifying test for the National Scholarship Service and National Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program
• If you are college-bound or considering college, attend CV’s College Fair in November! Almost 200 colleges/universities/technical schools will be represented
• Attend the CTC Assembly regarding CTC senior year programs – if you are interested in going to the CTC, make sure to sign up for a tour!
• If you want to participate in Division I or Division II sports in college, college-bound athletes should file their registration online with the NCAA Eligibility Center website for initial academic eligibility review (www.eligibilitycenter.org). Transcripts will be sent to NCAA at the end of your Junior year
• If you are interested in one of the military academies, familiarize yourself with the requirements.

 

Winter

• Complete the CTC application and turn it in to the Counseling Office! Make sure that you are meeting the deadline, as you will likely not be accepted into your preferred program if you miss the application deadline.
• Register for the SAT (collegeboard.org) or the ACT (www.actstudent.org) Our school code is 392105. Pick up a practice book for either test in the Counseling Office. Additionally, free study materials can be found on either website.
• Collect information about college application procedures, entrance requirements, tuition and fees, room and board costs, student activities, course offerings, faculty composition, accreditation, and financial aid. College Board’s Big Future has an excellent search tool (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search?navId=www-cs) Begin comparing the schools by the factors that you consider to be most important (see below for ideas)

• Keystone re-takes. Students who score Basic or Below Basic on their Algebra 1, Literature, or Biology Keystone exams will need to re-take the exam(s) to demonstrate proficiency.

• Course selection (one last time!) for senior year begins. Make sure to consider and re-consider your choice of senior year classes based on your post-secondary plan. If college-bound, talk to college admissions counselors. They are going to be the best and most accurate source regarding what is needed for acceptance.

 

Spring

• Meet with your counselor to review senior-year course selection and graduation requirements.
• Stay involved with your extracurricular activities. Post-secondary institutions and/or employers look for consistency and quality of extracurricular commitments (not necessarily quantity)
• Consider whom you will ask to write your recommendations. Think about asking teachers who know you well and who will write positive letters about you. Letters from a coach, activity leader, or an adult who knows you well outside of school (e.g., volunteer work contact) are also valuable.
• Meet with admissions counselors and/or take college campus tours
• AP Exam Administration - May

 

Summer

• Get a summer job in a career-field that may be like a job you are considering in the future
• Participate in a summer internship
• Volunteer in the community
• Continue to read books, magazines, and newspapers
• Finalize your high school resume with all your interests/activities (both school and non-school related), volunteer experiences, honors and awards, employment, and travel experiences
• Begin scholarship searches (scholarships are available for more than just for students attending college)

 

College-bound students:

• If you did not do well on the SAT or ACT, consider re-taking either exam over the summer or in the fall of your senior year
• Visit the campuses of your top college choices
• Talk to people you know who have attended the colleges in which you are interested.
• Practice filling out college applications
• Compose rough drafts of your college essays. Have a trusted teacher read and discuss them with you. Proofread and prepare final drafts
• Develop a financial aid application plan, including a list of the aid sources, requirements for each application, and a timetable for meeting the filing deadlines
• Begin scholarship searches to get an idea of what is available (see Scholarship folder in Schoology for helpful links)

 

Choosing A College, Technical, Or Specialty School

• Location: Factors to consider: distance away from home, suburban vs. urban vs. rural, climate, etc.
• Size: Are you looking for a large university or a small college? Also, check out the size of the individual classes at the college.
• Cost: How much does this college cost (fees, board, tuition, other costs)? How much will you pay for transportation to and from the school? Do they offer assistantships or work study?
• Academic Programs: If you know your major, choose a school that is strong in that program. Otherwise, pick an academically balanced school that will offer a range of majors and programs.
• Campus Life/Diversity: Consider extracurricular activities, athletics, and special interest groups that may interest you. Is this a “suitcase” college or are there activities on weekends for students to engage? Check out the community that surrounds the college. What activities, services, and cultural events are offered?
• Retention/Graduation Rates: Ask the college whether students are returning after their freshman year? What is the average years of attendance? What is their graduation percentage?
• Job Placement: Are graduating students getting the help they need to find jobs or go to grad school in their chosen field? Is there are Career Center that assists current students and alumni? What is the percentage of students who find jobs in their major and how quickly after they graduate?
• Housing: Are dorms available for all students? Do you like the set-up of the dorms?
• Research Facilities: Does the college offer opportunities for undergrads or graduate students to engage in “hands-on” research for sponsoring corporations?
• Who Is Teaching the Class? Is the professor or the teaching assistant in charge of the bulk of nstruction? Ask to schedule an appointment with a professor in your chosen field.
• Safety: Ask about campus police/crime rate/etc.