Junior Precollege Calendar
August:
* Review your high school course work and activity plans.
* Keep in mind that colleges look for the following:
*Challenging course work
*GPA (Grade Point Average)
*How you spend your free time:
-sports and other extracurricular activities
-volunteer work
-church and/or community involvement
-employment
September:
* Identify the sources of college and career information in school. Start looking at college and scholarship websites.
* Put together a list of 10-15 colleges you are interested in. Plan to apply to 3-5 schools.
* Talk to your parents, along with your high school counselor, and other adults, about where you want to go to school.
* Study for and register to take, the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT).
October:
* Take the PSAT/NMSQT. (Remember to take your calculator and #2 pencils)
* Visit college representatives in the High School Counseling Office.
November:
* Continue to research colleges and careers.
December:
* PSAT results arrive. Look at the SAT requirements of different schools and compare them to your PSAT results.
* Attend Financial Aid Night with your parents.
January:
* Retake any Regents exams, if necessary.
February:
* Meet with your counselor to discuss 12th grade schedule and future plans.
March:
* Register for the required College Admission Examinations (SAT or ACT).
* Identify colleges you are considering that require the SAT II’ s. Register for the May or June test (keep in mind the June test usually falls on Pageant of the Bands weekend) .
* Know what financial aid is available from private programs.
April:
* Visit the colleges on your list and do an overnight visit if available.
* Narrow your college list down to the ones you are most interested in.
May:
* Take the SAT or ACT exam.
* Take the AP exams you registered for.
* Be aware of SATI/SAT II and ACT test deadlines and the dates colleges want these tests completed.
June:
* If possible obtain a summer job. Save the money for college costs.
* Plan to visit colleges over the summer
Alphabet Soup of College Admissions:
ACT--American College Test. College entrance examination. Tests Math, Social Studies, English, and Science.
ASVAB--Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. This exam is required in order to enlist in the military. Also a good tool for helping students decide what kind of career they would be good at based on their interests, skills and values.
CEEB Code--School code number. Sherburne-Earlville’s is 335-180.
Early Action--Similar to Early Decision but is not a binding contract and a student does not need to withdraw other applications if accepted.
Early Admissions--A student is accepted and attends college instead of attending their senior year of high school.
Early Decision--A college will decide to accept a student early (usually in December). The student must withdraw any other applications. This is a binding contract.
FAFSA--Free Application Federal Student Aid. This is the required application for most financial aid.
PROFILE--Financial Aid form required by some private colleges. A list of these colleges is available in the guidance office.
GPA--Grade Point Average. A numeric average of all of a students’ high school grades.
PSAT/NMSQT--Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. A practice SAT exam taken in October of a students Junior year. High scores may qualify students for National Merit Scholarships.
SAT I--Scholastic Aptitude Test. College entrance examination, math and verbal questions only.
SAT II-- College entrance examination. Subject specific. Student needs to research which colleges require these exams.
TAP--Tuition Assistance Program. New York State financial aid program for New York residents attending a New York State college.
| 
