Here’s what to do month-by-month, year-by-year, to get your high school student prepped for and successfully through the college application process.
Getting into college involves so much more than filling out an application. Our college prep timelines begin in 9th grade and continue, month by month, through the end of 12th grade.
The road to college can be complicated and confusing for students and parents alike. We’ve collected unbiased and comprehensive input from multiple expert sources and organized it into interactive timelines to help all aspiring college students — and their families — organize their college prep efforts.
For most students, the road to college begins in 9th grade with pivotal choices about which courses and extracurricular activities will set them up for success. Our interactive 9th grade college prep timeline helps parents and students understand concepts like the important distinction between classes that count toward high school graduation but not for college admission, the importance of taking on academic and extracurricular challenges, the best strategies for communicating with teachers and college counselors, and the nuts and bolts of helping 9th graders learn to manage their schedules and their time, practice effective study habits, and see themselves as future college students.
For juniors and seniors, our timeline goes deeper into the details of helping students and parents navigate the college applications process as well as helping students consider their personal learning and career goals and the different routes they might take to achieve their dreams.
There are a lot of important decision points for high school freshmen, many of which students, parents, and even counselors can miss. Our interactive timeline offers 9th grade college prep information, tips, and insights to help parents help their high school students navigate the road to college without missing a single step.
Want more? Check out our articles about college prep, being the first in the family to go to college, and saving for college.