Start Here: Your College-Planning Roadmap

Many decisions that play a role in determining your college options happen well before your senior year. This roadmap below helps you and your family recognize opportunities early enough to act on them.

Parents, guardians and other supporting adults can use this roadmap with you. You can read the same guidance in English or Hmong.

Middle School

Explore what you enjoy and build the reading, writing and math skills you will use in high school.

Make time to read about a subject you like. When schoolwork is confusing, bring a specific question or problem to your teacher.
Try an activity that interests you, such as music, sports, a library program or a community project.
As high school approaches, look at the available courses and how your first choices affect classes you can take later.

A supporting adult can help you explore activities and look through high-school course choices with you.

Begin with Plan Your High-School Courses & Academics and Activities, Leadership & Experiences. For early assessments such as PSAT 8/9 or PreACT 8/9, SAT, ACT & Testing Decisions explains school availability and what results can help you learn.

Grade 9

A student raises his hand beside his notebook.

Build a workable high-school routine and begin a course plan that leaves room for your interests to develop.

Create an initial plan for your courses across Grades 9–12, including graduation requirements and courses that must come before others. Review the plan with your counselor before course selection closes.
Keep assignments and deadlines in one place. If you are falling behind, use a teacher’s help session or school tutoring where available.
Join an activity you can attend regularly, and begin recording what you do, including paid work or responsibilities at home.
If you take a school assessment, use the results to identify areas of strength and areas where more practice is needed.
For any Advanced Placement (AP) exams you plan to take, check school registration instructions early in the year.

Your family can help you make room for homework, activities, home responsibilities and sleep. Discuss the weekly schedule together before adding a commitment.

Use Plan Your High-School Courses & Academics, Activities, Leadership & Experiences and SAT, ACT & Testing Decisions.

Grade 10

Look more closely at the subjects and activities you want to continue. Begin connecting them with possible careers and education after high school.

Review next year’s courses and the preparation needed for later classes. Choose a suitable level of challenge.
Help lead a project or teach newer members in an activity you know.
Choose a summer job, project or program that develops an interest of yours. Check program deadlines during the school year.
Explore a few careers and the education they require. Compare routes such as technical training, community college and four-year study.
Use any PSAT 10 or PreACT results to guide practice. Before Grade 11 begins, check school arrangements for the fall PSAT/NMSQT, which gives eligible students a chance to compete for National Merit recognition and scholarships.

Talk with your family about education options and what support they could provide. These conversations should begin before you start building a college list.

Continue using Plan Your High-School Courses & Academics, Activities, Leadership & Experiences and SAT, ACT & Testing Decisions. Add Explore Careers, Colleges & Fit to compare possible paths.

Grade 11

A student reviews written guidance with an adviser.

Turn your interests into a realistic college list while keeping your courses and activities going.

Early in fall, confirm PSAT/NMSQT arrangements if you plan to participate. Plan an SAT or ACT attempt, leaving time to prepare and consider retesting.
Choose Grade 12 courses that complete graduation requirements and prepare you for the paths you are considering.
Research colleges and programs, visit in person or online, and compare estimated costs. Include options where admission looks likely, the cost appears workable and you would want to attend.
As applications approach, note required essays and recommendation letters. Late in the school year, ask teachers who know your work well if they would be your recommender, and begin collecting ideas for your writing.

An adult who knows your family’s finances can help you use colleges’ net price calculators, which estimate cost after grants and scholarships. Discuss the estimates before settling on an application list.

Use Explore Careers, Colleges & Fit, Understand College Costs & Scholarships and Essays & Recommendations, alongside Plan Your High-School Courses & Academics and SAT, ACT & Testing Decisions.

Grade 12

A student studies at a desk by a window.

Organize applications and financial aid, then compare your offers and complete the steps to enroll.

Check each college’s application options and deadlines early in the year. Request school records and recommendations, draft and revise required essays, and submit the materials each college needs.
Complete the FAFSA, the free application for federal student aid, and any other required aid forms by your earliest applicable school or state deadline. Track scholarship deadlines too.
After submitting, read emails from colleges and check their online application checklists for missing materials or follow-up requests.
Keep up with the courses listed in your application and complete your graduation requirements.
When offers arrive, compare costs and fit with your family. After choosing, follow the college’s enrollment checklist for final records, payments, housing where needed and summer deadlines.

Agree with your family on who will gather financial records, complete required adult aid information and handle shared travel or payment arrangements. Take the lead in comparing your college options, with a clear understanding of what your family can support.

Begin with Essays & Recommendations, Working on Your College Applications, FAFSA & Other Financial-Aid Applications and Understand College Costs & Scholarships. Use SAT, ACT & Testing Decisions for remaining testing plans. When you have offers, move to Compare Offers, Choose a College & Finish Senior Year.