Your Journey to College: What to Do in Each Year of High School

You might think that it’s just what you do in your last year or two of high school that matters for getting into the college of your dreams. But admission counselors say that all four years of high school help tell your full story.

    • Take classes that challenge you. College admission counselors want to see that you pushed yourself. Taking honors, AP, or other advanced classes is one way to demonstrate this. If your school doesn’t offer those courses, continuing to pursue a subject after you’ve completed the minimum requirements is a good way to show your commitment to learning.
    • Participate in clubs and organizations that matter to you. Submitting a long list of activities as part of your college application isn’t as impressive as you might think. Instead, be an active, dedicated member of a few clubs that you’re passionate about. That can really highlight your sense of commitment and the skills you’ve developed outside of the classroom.
    • Take on extra responsibilities and leadership roles where you can. It’s great to serve on your school’s student council, but there are many other ways you can show your sense of responsibility and your leadership skills too, such as by organizing a volunteer effort in your school or community.
    • Start researching colleges to find out which programs interest you. Sophomore year is a good time to start thinking about classes and subject areas you like and might want to pursue further. Do you like math and problem solving? Business schools could show you how to put some of those skills to use. Is writing and reading more your style? Explore schools with a strong liberal arts curriculum and a variety of subject areas, such as communications and political science. Are you fascinated by the latest in technology and science? Think about schools with strong STEM programs.
    • Get on schools’ mailing lists. One of the best ways you can learn more about schools you might be interested in attending is to sign up to get more information about their campus culture and what they have to offer. Setting up a dedicated email account for this purpose will help you stay organized!
    • Think about preparing for the PSAT. Some schools are test optional, some are not. Start thinking about if you want to take a standardized test, such as the SAT or ACT after looking at the requirements of schools you're interested in. This is also a great time to consider taking pretests, some of which also may help you qualify for certain scholarships. Visit collegeboard.org to learn more.
    • Pay attention to your academic courses. While first-year and sophomore courses are important, junior year is when you may have more opportunities to challenge yourself academically, such as by taking AP or honors classes. These classes might require more time and effort, so factor that in as you build your schedule.
    • Schedule meetings with your high school college counselor. Junior year is a great time to get to know your high school’s college counselor and develop a relationship with the person who will be helping you through the college search and application process.
    • Visit colleges. Junior year is also a good time to start visiting colleges and universities—in person, virtually, or both. Visiting schools can help you gain a sense of what the school is like, academically and socially. It can help you picture yourself on campus and decide if a school could be the right choice for you.
    • Narrow down your list of schools. Think about which schools have the programs you want and the campus life you’re looking for. Think about their requirements. And finally, think about the schools’ costs. If you and your family can’t afford the full price, learn more about the financial aid options the school offers. Make sure you have a variety of schools on your list including some with academic requirements you might not meet 100% as well as those with requirements that you meet or exceed.
    • Learn about a school’s testing policies and decide if you want to take a standardized test. While many schools are moving away from requiring SAT and/or ACT test scores, often called “going test optional,” these scores are still mandatory at other institutions. For schools that don’t require you to submit test scores, think about what is best for you. College admission counselors encourage students to submit test scores if they think they’re going to improve their application and highlight their abilities. If you think your test scores won’t be a positive addition to your application and the school is test-optional, don’t submit scores. Most students who are taking the SAT or ACT do so in the fall of their senior year, but some take those exams in the spring of or summer after their junior year.
    • Start working on parts of your application. If you have time over the summer, getting a head start on your college essay or other parts of your application could ease your burden senior year.
    • Be mindful of your course selections heading into senior year. As you choose courses for your senior year, you'll probably have more choice than you ever have before. What will the courses you choose say about you? Besides keeping in mind academic rigor, make sure you’ve met the requirements for the schools and programs you’re applying to.
    • Ask for your recommendation letters. This can also be done at the end of junior year if you want to get a head start on it. If not, make sure to ask any faculty members or extracurricular advisers to write a letter of recommendation for you early in your senior year, so you’re not scrambling to get one and they have plenty of time.
    • Take any remaining tests, if you plan on submitting scores. If you need to take or want to retake the SAT or ACT for your application, fall of senior year is usually the last chance for you to take these tests or try to improve your scores.
    • Finish gathering what you need to apply. If you haven’t finished your college essay, put the finishing touches on that early in your senior year. Find out if you need to gather items to put together a portfolio of your work or if you need to schedule an in-person or virtual audition if you’re applying to a specific program that requires one.
    • Decide which schools on your list you’re going to apply to. Narrow down your list to schools that are right for you in terms of what they offer academically and which ones make you feel the most at home. Leave off those you’ve realized don’t work for you or that you’re feeling pressured into applying to by friends or family.
    • Figure out when you want to apply to each of those schools. If you have your heart set on one school in particular and you meet most of the criteria for it, consider applying Early Decision, which requires you to submit materials early and commit if you get in. If you’re confident in your application and have all your materials together but don’t have a clear first choice, think about applying Early Action, which is non-binding. For any schools you don’t apply early to, make sure you have everything together for the Regular Decision deadlines.
    • Fill out your college applications. Make a list of the deadlines you need to meet and the application pieces that are required. Usually schools require a transcript, recommendation letters, an essay, and a resume or list of your extracurricular activities. Some schools require test scores; if they don’t, you may still choose to submit yours.
    • Don’t forget to fill out financial aid forms. Many schools require you to complete separate forms to be eligible to receive financial aid, so make sure you fill them out or you could miss out on opportunities for assistance. Fordham requires the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
    • Wait to receive your decisions. If you applied Early Decision or Early Action, you’ll probably hear back from those schools in January. If you applied Regular Decision, schools often release their decisions in March or April. Most schools will ask you to make your final decision by May 1.
    • Visit your top schools, if possible. Narrowing down your top schools once you’ve been accepted can seem challenging—you liked them all enough to apply, after all. But visits in the spring of your senior year can help you get a sense of which school feels best for you. If it isn’t possible to go in person, a virtual visit can help remind you of what you liked about the school and give you a taste of what your life there could be like.
    • Decide on a school. This part can be exciting and nerve-racking, joyous and overwhelming. But you have until the spring to decide where you’re going (unless, of course, you were admitted somewhere through Early Decision). Think back on the materials you’ve received from each school, the visits you took, the people you may have met, and the notes you made. Think about the amount of financial aid you might have been offered from each school you’re considering, and think about how you might feel at each school—academically and socially. Where do you feel most at home, and where do you feel you can be your true self and become your best self? All of these questions can help you decide which school will be best for you.