Home > Guidance > College Planning > Time Line

Please use this timeline to help guide you through the college preparation/selection process.  Be sure to refer to the more detailed college selection materials that are available from the guidance office, and to tap into your counselor's knowledge/experience with this process.

Ninth Grade

• Take as rigorous an academic program as you can handle.
• Your GPA (grade point average) and class rank begin with your ninth grade classes. Resolve to get the best grades possible.
• Create a list of all the activities, clubs and community services in which you are involved.  Add to this   "Brag List" throughout high school.
• Start exploring your career interests.
• Take the career inventory in the Career Center using the Discover Software Program.
• Attend Career Day presentations of interest to you held in the high school in the spring.
• Discuss your career/college intentions and interests with your parents and counselor.
• Make a list of reasons why you should go to college.
• Be sure to map out a plan for four years of course work in high school.  Remember to include a minimum of 16 academic units necessary for college placement.
• Begin to visit some college campuses for exploration and to get a "feel" for the college life.
• Your counselor has career and college information of value to you.  These include catalogs, videos, and computer software.

Tenth Grade

• Take as rigorous an academic program as you can handle.
• Resolve to get the best grades possible.
• Develop a schedule of when you plan on taking the college admissions tests - PSAT, SAT, SAT-II and AP exams.  (Check your handbook for a copy of the guidelines for college admissions tests). We strongly recommend the PSAT for sophomores who are planning to attend a 4-year college.
• Continue to discuss your career and college interests with your parents and counselor.
• Begin to send for information from colleges and other post-secondary programs of interest to you.
• Complete the Computer College Search with your counselor in the high school career center.
• Visit more college campuses.
• Talk with others - family, friends, counselors, teachers who have gone to college to gather ideas about the college experience.
• Ocean County College hosts a college fair in the fall.  Attend this and/or other college fairs to gather information about a variety of colleges and to meet college admission representatives.
• Attend Career Day presentations at the high school that are of interest to you.
  

Eleventh Grade: Fall/Winter

• Take as rigorous an academic program as you can handle.
• Resolve to earn the best grades possible.
• Prepare for, register, and take the PSAT’s.  The PSAT’s will assist you in preparing for the SAT’s.  Qualifying scores of juniors are eligible for National Merit Scholarships and many other national scholarships.
• Start looking through the college guides for information about colleges.  College guides, as well as a computer college search program are available in the guidance office.
• Attend college conferences with college admissions representatives that are scheduled at Southern. (Remember that you are accountable for the class time missed.)
• Ocean County College hosts a college fair in the fall.   Be sure to attend in grades 11 and 12.
• Continue to talk with family, friends, counselors and teachers about college experiences and what college might be right for you.
• Be sure to check the guidelines for college admission testing in your handbook to be sure that you take the college admission test at the right time.
• If you are applying for early decision, you must complete all college admission testing by June of your junior year.   Check with the college.

Eleventh Grade: Spring

• The Guidance office will sponsor a field trip to a college fair. 
• Take advantage of this and similar programs where you can meet college representatives and gain additional information about colleges.
• Your guidance counselor will be arranging a junior conference with you.  Prepare for this meeting by having discussions with your parents and your guidance counselor beforehand about your college placement opportunities/interests.
• Prepare for and take the SAT-I.  You can take the SAT-I here at Southern in May and June.
• Try to obtain summer employment that relates to your intended major.
• Narrow the list of colleges that you are interested in attending to five, but certainly not more than ten.  
• If you have completed an advance level course, plan to take the SAT-II test in that subject area.
• If you are considering early admissions, be sure to:
  • Check the criteria needed in that school
  • Discuss your decisions with your counselor and parents.
  • Send for applications and necessary materials as soon as possible.
• Write the colleges requesting applications, catalogs and other descriptive admissions information. 
• Check this college information for deadlines and to find out if any SAT-II tests are required. Many colleges require these tests.  Create a "to do" schedule to meet your school's deadline requirements.

Eleventh Grade: Summer

• If an essay is required in the applications that you receive, begin writing and outlining that essay for further refinement during the early part of your senior year.
• Continue to refine your list of colleges.
• Try to take advantage of special summer school programs for high school students (i.e., Governor's School, college classes).
• Try to visit some of the colleges you are considering.  Many colleges offer informational tours during the summer.   Seeing a college is one of the most important factors in deciding which college to attend.
• Begin to explore scholarship opportunities.

Twelfth Grade: Fall

• Schedule the most academically rigorous program that you can handle for your senior year.  Your senior year is just as important as your previous years.   Continued success in a rigorously academic program is necessary for colleges to make a final admissions decision about a student.
• Attend college meetings with college admissions representatives that are of interest to you.
• Try to visit some college campuses while they are in session.   This will help you get a better "feel" for the school.
• Prepare for, register, and take the SAT's in November and the ACT's or SAT II as needed.
• If any SAT-II tests are required at the schools you are interested in, register for those tests.
• Develop your final list of schools.
• Gather letters of recommendation, if required, and complete the essays required with your applications.
• Application deadlines vary from college to college. Check with the college you are interested in to be sure. As a guideline,   the following applies:
• Early decision candidates must submit before November 1.
• Military academy applicants and R.O.T.C. applicants must submit before December 1st.   Mid- December at the latest for all others (see your counselor for procedures on submitting applications).   All applicants should observe the deadline for filing at that particular school  (remem­ber the adage “first come, first served” is often true in the admissions process).
• All males turning 18 years old must register with the Selective Service at www.sss.gov.

Twelfth Grade: Winter

• File a Financial Aid Application (available in the guidance office after January 1).
• You and/or your parents should attend a financial aid workshop offered by the guidance office to assist you in completing the Financial Aid forms (held in January).
• Search out other sources of financial aid. Check the guidance list of scholarships on our website (www.srsd.org) or see your counselor.  The guidance office has books and computer searches available for locating financial aid, as well.
• Fill out the Southern Regional local scholarship application, which is mailed to all seniors. 
• Update college applications that have been submitted.
• Consider going to the college of your choice for an interview with the admissions officer.

Twelfth Grade: Spring

• Continue to search for and apply for other sources of financial aid, (i.e., aid available from your par­ent's employer or from service clubs of which they are members).
• By mid-April, most colleges will have sent acceptance or rejection letters.
• Take Advanced Placement tests, if applicable.
• As soon as you have decided which college's offer of admission to accept, let that college know.
• Advise the other colleges that accepted you of your decision.
• If you are wait-listed at a college you are eager to attend, call or write the director of admissions and ask how to strengthen your application. (See your counselor for advice).
• If you are denied admission, see your counselor at once about alternatives.  Your counselor may suggest steps you can take to alter a college's decision.
• Be sure to send your acceptance deposit by the deadline specified.
• Notify your counselor which college you have selected so that Southern can submit final grades, class rank and proof of graduation to that institution.
• Lastly, enjoy your graduation and good luck in all your future endeavors. The Southern Regional guidance offices are always open to you!