Sophomore Year:
Getting to Know You
Tenth grade is a good year for self-reflection. Students can
take personality tests and the PSAT to figure out their strengths
and weaknesses. They can also start thinking about the kind and
size of school they want to attend.
Understanding what they are good at will help high school
students be realistic about the school that is the best fit for them.
Junior Year:
Balancing Grades & Activities
Grades are crucial during the junior year. Junior year also
involves a more challenging track of classes and leadership
roles in clubs and activities. It’s hard to do it all, so how impor-
tant are the extracurricular activities? It depends on the student
and the college.
“At one of my children’s colleges, extracurricular activities
were really important,” Fain said. “At the other one, they didn’t
matter as much.”
Clark says one out of every four students who apply to the
school where he works are accepted. “Most students that apply
have good test scores, good grades, and good courses. Then the
review committee asks ‘Is this kid a good fit for us?’”
Clark says they look for students who are innovative or
who are entrepreneurs, and they ask, “How does this student
use their time?”
“If they are a good student who goes home and plays video
games, what will they contribute to the school?” Clark says. But
it stands out if students are responsible, if they work a job, or if
they make an impact some way.
Senior Year:
Find Your Fit
Clark says the most important thing about making a college
decision is finding a good fit. “Fit doesn’t really mean can the
student do the work, but are they aligned well to the school?”
For example, Clark says two universities can look the same on
paper. A student will apply to each with the same grades and
same test scores and get accepted to one and not the other.
“That is what fit is,” Clark says. “How a student fits with a
school, not just from an academic standpoint.”
If you and your child do not agree on the same school, Clark
says how you approach the topic may resolve a lot of conflict
over the situation. “Continue to tell your kids you love them,
and that no matter where they go to college, it will be great.”
The good news is that there are many schools across the
country and probably more than one of them will match your
student’s personality and academic standing. “If you or your
child feels overwhelmed, take a deep breath and remember
there is a school for every student,” says Fain.
Janeen Lewis is a writer, teacher, and mom to Andrew and Gra-
cie. She has been published in several parenting publications
across the country.
Countdown to College Checklist:
A Timeline That Will Take You Places
Preparing for college can be overwhelming for
high school students and their parents because of the
many steps it takes to get an acceptance letter. But
breaking the college to-do list into manageable steps
for each year of high school makes the process less
stressful and teaches students responsibility, the very
thing they will need for what they want to achieve — a
college education. Follow this step-by-step guide for a
smoother countdown to college.
Freshman Year
Talk to your parents and guidance counselor at
the beginning of the year to set goals.
Take the most challenging courses available to you.
Make good grades.
Try a variety of activities.
Take advantage of opportunities to visit college
campuses when you travel.
Sophomore Year
Visit college and career fairs.
Build your resume. Make a list of awards, accom-
plishments, and activities.
Take the PSAT for practice (you can take it your
sophomore and junior year, but it won’t count
until you are a junior).
Start studying for the ACT and SAT. There are
many test prep guides available online and in
book form.
Assess your strengths and weaknesses and take a
personality inventory.
Research possible careers.
During the summer begin researching colleges
that might be a good fit.
Junior Year
Take the PSAT.
Accept leadership roles in the activities that suit
you best.
Narrow your list of possible careers.
Narrow your list of possible colleges.
Take the ACT and SAT.
During the summer, volunteer or find an intern-
ship or job related to your future career.
Write a college entrance essay draft. Have it cri-
tiqued by a guidance counselor or teacher.
Senior Year
Narrow your college search to six to eight schools.
Post all important deadline dates on a wall calendar.
Retake the ACT or SAT if needed.
Polish your resume.
Ask for teacher recommendations.
Visit the colleges you are applying to.
Send out all your college applications.
After you receive your acceptance letters, com-
pare scholarship and financial aid packages and
make your final decision.
Notify all the schools you were accepted to of
your decision.
Celebrate the beginning of a new timeline at college!
December 2018 WNY Family 43