11th Grade
11th Grade
This is a big year for college planning!
This is a big year for college planning!
Follow these action steps below to stay on track to achieving your post-secondary goals!
Follow these action steps below to stay on track to achieving your post-secondary goals!
Fall
Fall
(August - December)
(August - December)
Action Item #1: Keep up with extracurricular activities
Action Item #1: Keep up with extracurricular activities
Try a leadership role if you haven’t.
Try a leadership role if you haven’t.
Action Item #2: Continue updating your activity logs
Action Item #2: Continue updating your activity logs
Action Item #3: Start your college search
Action Item #3: Start your college search
Click on the youtube video for more information on how to use Scoir to start your college search.
Click on the youtube video for more information on how to use Scoir to start your college search.
Action Item #4: Visit college campuses!
Action Item #4: Visit college campuses!
Check them out in person if you can and if not, you can find virtual campus tours in your Scoir account!
Check them out in person if you can and if not, you can find virtual campus tours in your Scoir account!
Action Item #5: Keep your grades up
Action Item #5: Keep your grades up
The grades you get junior year will, in some cases, be the last ones included in your GPA before colleges see your transcripts, so they’re very important!
The grades you get junior year will, in some cases, be the last ones included in your GPA before colleges see your transcripts, so they’re very important!
Action Item #6: Meet with your counselor
Action Item #6: Meet with your counselor
Use this meeting to make sure that you have taken all of the courses that are required for graduation.
Use this meeting to make sure that you have taken all of the courses that are required for graduation.
If you have not, make sure you enroll in those classes to stay on track. If there’s room in your schedule, it’s also a good idea to take some advanced courses or career specific courses to ensure that you are showing colleges that you are challenging yourself and performing well.
If you have not, make sure you enroll in those classes to stay on track. If there’s room in your schedule, it’s also a good idea to take some advanced courses or career specific courses to ensure that you are showing colleges that you are challenging yourself and performing well.
*Note: Make sure you take on enough advanced courses to challenge yourself to work hard and show that you are college-course-ready, but talk with your counselor to make sure that you find the balance so you won’t overload yourself in a way that will negatively affect your GPA.
*Note: Make sure you take on enough advanced courses to challenge yourself to work hard and show that you are college-course-ready, but talk with your counselor to make sure that you find the balance so you won’t overload yourself in a way that will negatively affect your GPA.
Action Item #7: Review your YouScience Career Assessment
Action Item #7: Review your YouScience Career Assessment
To make sure that your classes and extracurricular activities are still aligned to your goals and interests.
To make sure that your classes and extracurricular activities are still aligned to your goals and interests.
Action Item #8: Meet with your CAP Advisor
Action Item #8: Meet with your CAP Advisor
To get some feedback on your Scoir “My Colleges” “Following” list. See if they have any suggestions about specific colleges or programs that you might want to check out or add to your “Applying” list.
To get some feedback on your Scoir “My Colleges” “Following” list. See if they have any suggestions about specific colleges or programs that you might want to check out or add to your “Applying” list.
Action Item #9: Take the PSAT/ NMSQT
Action Item #9: Take the PSAT/ NMSQT
*If your school offers it.
*If your school offers it.
In the Fall of your Junior year not only as an additional practice opportunity for the upcoming SAT, but also to see if you qualify for the National Merit Scholarship-a scholarship opportunity award based on scores from this exam.
In the Fall of your Junior year not only as an additional practice opportunity for the upcoming SAT, but also to see if you qualify for the National Merit Scholarship-a scholarship opportunity award based on scores from this exam.
Action Item #10: Meet with your teacher, counselot, and/or CAP advisor to develop a testing plan
Action Item #10: Meet with your teacher, counselot, and/or CAP advisor to develop a testing plan
- Which exam(s) should you take? Do you need to sign up for the SAT and the ACT? Do you need to take one of them more times than the other?
- When you should take each exam. It’s recommended for most students to start taking these exams in the Spring of your Junior year of high school, but you will need to register for those test dates early to meet the deadline and to save your spot since some testing locations fill up quickly.
- Make sure that you access college application fee waivers.
Winter
Winter
(December - January)
(December - January)
Action Item #1: Look into summer experiences
Action Item #1: Look into summer experiences
Make sure that you plan to do something productive this summer that will not only help you grow and develop professionally, but also that will allow you to explore your interests and build your list of activities/resume with experiences that align with your career goals and college plans
Make sure that you plan to do something productive this summer that will not only help you grow and develop professionally, but also that will allow you to explore your interests and build your list of activities/resume with experiences that align with your career goals and college plans
Action Item #2: Explore and visit colleges
Action Item #2: Explore and visit colleges
Action Item #3: Finalize college list, and make sure it's a "Strong List"
Action Item #3: Finalize college list, and make sure it's a "Strong List"
Meet with your CAP Advisor to start moving colleges from your “Following” and “Suggested” list on Scoir, into your “Applying” list so you can start figuring out which deadlines you will be applying by and where you will need to submit your applications.
Meet with your CAP Advisor to start moving colleges from your “Following” and “Suggested” list on Scoir, into your “Applying” list so you can start figuring out which deadlines you will be applying by and where you will need to submit your applications.
Take a look at the slideshows below to learn more about building a "Strong List" of schools and what different types of application deadlines mean.
Take a look at the slideshows below to learn more about building a "Strong List" of schools and what different types of application deadlines mean.
Action Item #4: Once your list of schools is finalized
Action Item #4: Once your list of schools is finalized
You should continue attending events being hosted for those schools whether they are in person or virtual, so you can continue to learn what those schools are looking for in their applications.
You should continue attending events being hosted for those schools whether they are in person or virtual, so you can continue to learn what those schools are looking for in their applications.
See if you can learn about any application tips, or even be connected to a current student who might be able to share some insight into what it’s like being a student at that school.
See if you can learn about any application tips, or even be connected to a current student who might be able to share some insight into what it’s like being a student at that school.
Action Item #5: Start looking into scholarship opportunities
Action Item #5: Start looking into scholarship opportunities
Particularly those that will require you to apply early but have great benefits such as the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship, the QuestBridge College Prep program, and the Posse Scholarship, Head to the scholarship page.
Particularly those that will require you to apply early but have great benefits such as the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship, the QuestBridge College Prep program, and the Posse Scholarship, Head to the scholarship page.
Action Item #6: Complete a letter of recommendation questionnaire
Action Item #6: Complete a letter of recommendation questionnaire
Such as this one created by the College Essay Guy, so you can share this information with the teachers and or counselors that you ask for letters of recommendation.
Such as this one created by the College Essay Guy, so you can share this information with the teachers and or counselors that you ask for letters of recommendation.
Action Item #7: Study!
Action Item #7: Study!
Continue studying and preparing for your college entrance exams that you will be taking in the spring.
Continue studying and preparing for your college entrance exams that you will be taking in the spring.
Spring
Spring
(February - May)
(February - May)
Action Item #1: Testing
Action Item #1: Testing
You’ve been preparing, practicing, and studying since sophomore year!
You’ve been preparing, practicing, and studying since sophomore year!
It’s time to take your college entrance exams. You’ve got this! Your test dates will take place between December and May and you may be taking multiple, so make sure to secure rides to the testing location and clear your schedules for that day.
It’s time to take your college entrance exams. You’ve got this! Your test dates will take place between December and May and you may be taking multiple, so make sure to secure rides to the testing location and clear your schedules for that day.
Action Item #2: Work on your college application essay
Action Item #2: Work on your college application essay
Often called the Personal Statement and check out the slides below for more help and guidance on starting, editing, and perfecting this important essay!
Often called the Personal Statement and check out the slides below for more help and guidance on starting, editing, and perfecting this important essay!
Action Item #3: Continue finalizing your list of schools
Action Item #3: Continue finalizing your list of schools
Research them, and visiting them either in person or virtually.
Research them, and visiting them either in person or virtually.
Action Item #4: Research the admissions requirements
Action Item #4: Research the admissions requirements
Deadlines for each of the schools on your list and keep all of this important information organized in one place so you can stay on top of the many tasks you will have to complete
Deadlines for each of the schools on your list and keep all of this important information organized in one place so you can stay on top of the many tasks you will have to complete
Action Item #5: Pay attention to scholarship lists
Action Item #5: Pay attention to scholarship lists
Bulletins emailed out or shared by your CAP Advisors, counselors, teachers, place of worship, and/or other community organizations.
Bulletins emailed out or shared by your CAP Advisors, counselors, teachers, place of worship, and/or other community organizations.
Summer
Summer
(June - July)
(June - July)
Action Item #1: Continue studying for your SATs and ACTs
Action Item #1: Continue studying for your SATs and ACTs
Remember that any new SAT scores that you have in your College Board account will import to your Khan Academy account if you’d previously linked them and then recommend new, personalized practice questions based on your imported information.
Remember that any new SAT scores that you have in your College Board account will import to your Khan Academy account if you’d previously linked them and then recommend new, personalized practice questions based on your imported information.
If you have not yet linked your College Board and Khan Academy accounts yet, you can still do so by following these links:
If you have not yet linked your College Board and Khan Academy accounts yet, you can still do so by following these links:
Action Item #2: Review and edit your college application essay/ personal statement
Action Item #2: Review and edit your college application essay/ personal statement
Here’s a great activity from the College Essay Guy to help you edit and refine your essay.
Here’s a great activity from the College Essay Guy to help you edit and refine your essay.
Action Item #3: Research
Action Item #3: Research
What supplemental or additional essays or short answer questions your college applications might require you to complete so you can maybe get a headstart on completing at least a first draft of these items.
What supplemental or additional essays or short answer questions your college applications might require you to complete so you can maybe get a headstart on completing at least a first draft of these items.
Action Item #4: Research applications
Action Item #4: Research applications
Research when applications open for the colleges you have on your lists. Some of them might open during the summer so you can get a head start on the process.
Research when applications open for the colleges you have on your lists. Some of them might open during the summer so you can get a head start on the process.
Action Item #5: Remember to create and save account info
Action Item #5: Remember to create and save account info
For all of the websites you might need to use for college application completion and submission. These might include:
For all of the websites you might need to use for college application completion and submission. These might include:
And/or the individual school websites of the colleges you plan to apply to.
And/or the individual school websites of the colleges you plan to apply to.
Is an American nonprofit organization that runs the Coalition Application, a U.S. college application platform.
Is an American nonprofit organization that runs the Coalition Application, a U.S. college application platform.
Action Item #6: Build a close relationship
Action Item #6: Build a close relationship
Building a relationship with your co-workers, managers, supervisors, bosses, organizational leaders from your summer experiences in case you need to ask them for a letter of recommendation for college applications during your senior year.
Building a relationship with your co-workers, managers, supervisors, bosses, organizational leaders from your summer experiences in case you need to ask them for a letter of recommendation for college applications during your senior year.
Special Opportunities
Special Opportunities
U Dreamers Program
The U Dreamers Program is intended to meet 100 percent of an admitted student’s demonstrated financial need. Depending on the amount of the award, it could potentially cover tuition and mandatory fees, on-campus housing, a meal plan, and University health insurance.
The American Dream Scholarship
Qualifying students can get two years of tuition-free attendance at Miami Dade College. This money will be applied to cover additional costs after any other scholarships have been applied and depleted.
The Dream.US Scholarship
Scholarship opportunity for undocumented students in Florida. Recipients can receive up to $37,000 annually to cover tuition costs, housing costs, and more at one of their Florida partner colleges!