| Keep talking. Continue
conversations with guidance counselors, teachers, family members
and other trusted adults about your plans after high school. Ask
family and friends about their educational choices. |
|
| Show me the money. Talk
to your parents and loved ones about your future college expenses.
If financial aid and scholarships don't cover the costs, who will?
Speak to your guidance counselor or the financial aid department at
the college you're considering attending to gather some
information. |
Financial Aid 101 Resume
Builder |
| Take it to the next
level. Enroll in AP and other honors-level classes, if
possible. |
Advanced Placement |
| Enroll now. Discuss
concurrent enrollment (college credit courses offered in high
school) with your counselor. |
Concurrent Enrollment |
| See for yourself. Attend
a college fair in your area. These events offer families a chance
to talk with representatives from different colleges. Ask your
guidance counselor for dates and times of fairs close to you, then
visit UCanGo2.org to find the College Fair Worksheet
to help you make the most of this event. |
UCanGo2.org |
| Do a thorough review.
Visit with your guidance counselor to make sure you're on track to
graduate in another year. You can begin to plan your class schedule
through your junior and senior years and include electives that
might be applicable to careers that interest you. Keep working on
your Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP) to explore your skills,
interests and values. |
Graduation Checklists |
| Choose an exam. ACT or
SAT? Contact the college you plan to attend and ask which test they
prefer. Once you decide which exam to take, sign up and prepare for
it by using the free Test Prep section found at OKcollegestart.org.
Ask your counselor about fee waivers to help cover the cost and
visit ACT.org or
SAT.org to find
upcoming test dates. These exams are important college preparation
steps. |
ACT SAT |
| Get in. Investigate
admission requirements and costs for your chosen college(s). |
College
Admission Requirements |
| Pssst... remember the
PSAT. Register and take the PSAT. This score is required
for several national scholarships, including the National Merit
Scholarship. |
|
| Pick your top five.
Narrow your list of possible colleges or career technology centers
based on research you've already completed. Your list will probably
include three to five institutions. |
|
| Apply for Oklahoma's
Promise! If you didn't apply in eighth, ninth, or tenth
grade, visit OKpromise.org to sign up for this scholarship
program. |
Oklahoma's Promise |
| Start the process. You
and your parent(s) or guardian(s) may want to schedule campus
visits in the spring or summer. Check with your counselor to see if
your high school offers free days to take campus visits. You can
also check out the Making the Most of Campus Visits guide at UCanGo2.org. |
UCanGo2.org |
| Test. Register for the
spring ACT and/or SAT tests. You may also want to take the exam
again over the summer and/or in the fall of your senior year to
boost your score. Visit OKcollegestart.org to find free ACT and SAT test
prep resources. |
ACT SAT |
| Select special classes.
Consider taking Advanced Placement or concurrent enrollment courses
next year. Talk to your counselor now about your options. These
classes are worth checking out because some offer college credit,
which could save you time and money in the long run. |
Advanced Placement
Concurrent Enrollment |
| Find some money for
college. Continue researching financial aid options and
review the Are You Looking for Money? booklet at UCanGo2.org to find
helpful websites and learn tips for earning scholarship awards. We
encourage juniors to apply for 1-2 scholarships a week! Don't
forget, complete the FAFSA as soon as it becomes available during
your senior year, and every year you might need money for
college. |
UCanGo2.org |
| Let it add up. Continue
to contribute to your Oklahoma 529 college savings plan (oklahoma529.com) or another savings account.
It's generally best to keep most savings in your parent(s)' or
guardian(s)' name(s). |
Oklahoma 529 College Savings Plan |
| Set up your account.
Summer is a great time to get a head start on your FAFSA. You'll
complete this form to apply for federal and state financial aid for
college. You and your parent can create your StudentAid.gov
account to access and electronically sign your FAFSA. Visit FAFSA.gov to
apply. |
Federal Student Aid FAFSA.gov |
| Recruit some ambassadors.
Ask teachers or other community members to write letters of
recommendation for your college admission and scholarship
applications. Think about what you'd like to include in these
letters and politely ask those you respect if they'll help. |
|
| Extend your stay. You may
have already toured some campuses, but use the summer months to
visit friends and family currently attending the school(s) you're
interested in. Consider sitting in on classes or staying in the
dorms with your pals. Also, call ahead to set appointments with
financial aid, admission and academic advisors. All these
experiences will help you get a feel for the campus to see if it's
a good fit for you. |
Explore
Schools |
| Be courteous. If you go
on interviews or visits, don't forget to send thank-you notes to
those who helped you. |
|
| Test again. You may want
to take the ACT and/or SAT test more than one time to boost your
score.. |
ACT SAT |
| Practice and evaluate.
Practice completing college admission applications and preparing
essay answers. Visit OKcollegestart.org and click on the College
Planning tab to fill out a sample college application and practice
your writing skills. |
Practice Application |
| Decide what you like.
Explore careers by taking a summer job or internship in your field
of interest. Remember to set some money aside from your paycheck to
pay future expenses. |
Summer STEM Academies |
| Check your email and
snail-mail. Read your college mail carefully and be sure
to send responses by listed deadlines. |
|