GRADE 11
Although the timeline below has many elements that can be considered by all students, it has been created with North American and UK admission timelines in mind and so if students are considering applying to universities on other continents they will need to do their research, plan for and adjust their schedules accordingly. It is intended for use by students who are self-starters and who may want to take responsibility for the admissions process, however, it should not take the place of the school-tailored timelines and schedules presented to them by their school and independent counsellors.
Throughout the year Grade 11 students (Juniors) should:
- Be actively involved in key areas of engagement: Academics, Writing, Supporting Others, Personal Development, In-depth Learning and Connecting with Colleges
- Stay consistent with their non-academic extracurricular activities. Continue to look for ways to explore and deepen their interests in these activities and try a leadership role if they haven’t already.
- Start their college search by attending local and virtual college fairs and if not already done so in earlier grades, create a preliminary “Long List” of colleges to visit using results of college match searches from online search platforms. Students should focus on understanding their best “fit” university; Where it is located? What size campus? What types of programs?
- Keep their grades up as Grade 11 grades are the last ones that some schools will see before making an admissions decision. They should continue to challenge themselves academically.
- Take an aptitude or career assessment to learn more about their interests and strengths keeping in mind that these may change as they grow and learn.
- Continue to learn more about occupations and education options whilst continuing to look at college websites.
- If considering a US college, consider when they might take the SAT or ACT.
AUGUST
Students should:
- Schedule a meeting with their school counsellor to discuss the colleges they are interested in. Tell them about their college preferences and ask for their suggestions of colleges that might be a good fit. Continue to develop their relationship with their counsellor as he/she may play a very important role in their college admissions journey and the success of their applications.
- Attend virtual and in-person college fairs and visits
- Review final year plans and graduation requirements
- Continue involvement in extracurricular activities and consider taking on a leadership role.
- If thinking about applying to the USA, bookmark www.collegeboard.com in their Favourites list to assist with research and virtual counselling.
SEPTEMBER
Students should:
- Study hard and get good grades! Their grades will help to determine selecting a proper range of colleges to which to apply
- Start thinking about college choices and search for schools
- Discuss different colleges and financial costs with parents
- Attend college fairs and presentations
- As they explore and research they will move colleges of particular interest from their “Long List” into a “Short List” closer to the end of the year.
- In Grade 12, they will move colleges to which they want to apply to their final “Applying List“
- Understand college testing where necessary: Oxbridge, SAT, ACT etc
- Review their results from any psychometric testing to help guide them in their future plans.
- Attend college fairs and college visits. The admissions officers who present want interested students at their university and will often be the reader of their applications.
- Get involved with the life of the school outside of the classroom. Colleges want students who balance their academics with a range of other activities.
OCTOBER
Students should:
- Concentrate on courses and improve grades
- Follow admissions offices on social media.
- Join monthly webinars on ANY part of the process.
- Look for reliable sources to do college research. There are also links to a range of search tools that may help students find hidden gems. Students should be prepared to look widely.
- Understand the College Admissions process in the countries in which they want to apply
- Discuss different colleges and financial costs with parents and get to know how much they are willing to invest in their post-secondary education. This discussion will help them find the college/s and universities that fit their budget. Remember that there are many ways to fund undergraduate studies without breaking the bank.
NOVEMBER
Students should:
- Concentrate on course and improve grades
- Explore college majors and vocational areas of interest
- Make a list of characteristics that are important in a college and consider those colleges on their Long List. Any that are a good fit for their personal goals should be moved to their Short List.
- Research the colleges by visiting college websites, checking out online virtual visits, and looking at the many reputable websites that can give an insight into the institutions of interest.
DECEMBER
Students should:
- Understand general college admission requirements
- If any of the schools in a student’s Long or Short Lists require testing, students should take time to read about the tests and set aside the time to prepare (ACT, SAT, English proficiency)
- Select testing dates. Most likely their first ACT or SAT will take place between December and May.
- Take any AP exams in May.
JANUARY
Students should:
- Attend any College Planning session given by school counsellors and understand the college admissions process and requirements for different countries
- Register for standardized tests as required.
- Make sure to actively continue research and participate in virtual events.
- Move colleges to their Short List, and when doing so try to categorize their selection based on acceptance likelihood categories such as “Reach, Target and Likely” (Students may also wish to consider using online predictive tools to assist):
- Reach = Their overall profile falls short of college requirements and/or the acceptance rate is extremely low therefore their chances of acceptance are a “reach” (0% – 25%)
- Target = Their overall profile matches college requirements and/or the acceptance rate is moderate therefore their chances of acceptance are on “target” (25% – 75%)
- Likely = Their overall profile exceeds college requirements and/or the acceptance rate is high therefore their chances of acceptance are “likely” (>75%)
FEBRUARY
Students should:
- Keep grades up!!
- Continue researching different colleges and universities
- If considering the US, students should develop an understanding of the different early decision programs and how they may be able to increase their admissions chances.
- Meet with the school counsellor to discuss Long and Short lists of colleges and whether they meet the criteria defined at the beginning of the search as well as the likelihood of admittance. Students should be realistic about their prospects and understand the likelihood of their applications being successful (Keep in mind that just because a college is a “reach” does not mean that it is “better”)
MARCH
Students should:
- Continue researching colleges, requesting information if they are unsure about any aspects of the majors in which they might be interested.
- Meet with the school counsellor to review progress and findings before the end of the school year.
- Start to think about summer plans
APRIL
Students should:
- Ensure that their college Short List is realistic and choices are according to an accurate self-assessment
- Start thinking about essays and supplements by keeping track of any essay prompts for their schools and beginning to brainstorm and write.
- Continue working with school counsellors, following their guidance, timelines and advice.
- Re-evaluate senior year courses and testing options.
MAY
Students should:
- Plan to do something productive during the summer and try to find something that relates to their career interests.
- Seek an internship and get involved in community service
- Prepare for and take any final exams
- Continue to refine their college Short List.
- Start researching financial aid and scholarship information.
- Set up a meeting with their school counsellor to ask questions about college choices, senior year schedule, testing, and anything else they are curious about especially in relation to recommendations etc.
JUNE AND JULY
Students should:
- Have an active summer and get involved in research, reading, internships, and travel, and don’t forget… have fun.
- Refine and finalise their college Short List ensuring that they have realistic chances of being accepted into the universities of their choice.
- Research the type of applications required for each school on their list, as these can vary.
- Start drafting any personal statements and essays if required. For tips on writing good application essays for US colleges, students should check out the College Board resources as well as Khan Academy
- Research the admission requirements and deadlines for the schools on their Short List and create a spreadsheet to organise information and plan backwards.
- Research to see if an interview is offered or required at each school.
- Consider whether they might want to apply to a college that has an early decision option and understand both the benefits as wel as the ramifications of such a decision.
- Create a scholarship list with deadlines and requirements.
- Complete recommendation requirements (Brag Sheet etc) as outlined by school counsellors.
- Start getting their portfolio or audition ready if they are planning to pursue a major in the arts.
