Samuel Wolfson School for Advanced Studies

College Prep Checklist: Grade 9

• Study, study, study! Your grades now contribute to your overall GPA used for college admissions. 
• Practice strong time management and organizational skills to help be successful in the classroom
• Get involved! Participate in extracurricular activities: sports, clubs and community service (required for Bright Futures Scholarships). Be sure to log service and work hours and turn into the School Counseling Office.   
• Visit the Wolfson College Resource Center.
• Explore career and college opportunities on www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org 
• Start building your high school resume of your accomplishments, activities and work experience.
• Become familiar with Florida scholarship and grant opportunities including Bright Futures. 
• Students with 504/IEP requiring accommodation need to check in with the school counselor. 
• Take the PSAT in October. 
• Review your PSAT score report with your parents (Dec/Jan) and synch the results with Khan Academy for an individualized practice schedule to improve scores. 
• Sign on to My College Quick Start for personalized college and career planning based on PSAT scores.   
• Meet with your counselor to develop next year’s schedule, review your 4-year academic plan and talk about your college goals.    
• Look for summer job, internship or volunteer position to help you learn about your field of interest. 
• Put aside money for college or other post-secondary plans. 
• Take advantage of summer vacations as an opportunity to tour college campuses.
• own records. 
• Look for summer job, internship or volunteer position to help you learn about your field of interest. 
• Put aside money for college or other post-secondary plans. 
• Take advantage of summer vacations as an opportunity to tour college campuses.

College Prep Checklist: Grade 10

• Study, study, study! Your grades now contribute to your overall GPA used for college admissions. 
• Practice strong time management and organizational skills to help be successful in the classroom
• Get involved! Participate in extracurricular activities: sports, clubs and community service (required for Bright Futures Scholarships). Be sure to log service and work hours and turn into School Counseling Office.   
• Visit the Wolfson College Resource Center.
• Explore career and college opportunities on www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org 
• Start building your high school resume of your accomplishments, activities and work experience.
• Pursue leadership positions in your extracurricular activities-find a passion.  
• Take the PSAT in October. 
• Review your PSAT score report with your parents (Dec/Jan) and synch the results with Khan Academy for an individualized practice schedule to improve scores. 
• Prepare to take the SAT and ACT during the fall of junior year. Research available test prep for ACT/SAT. There are lots of FREE options available including Khan Academy on-line and Saturday classes at UNF and Keiser University.   
• Become familiar with Florida scholarship and grant opportunities including Bright Futures. 
• Students with 504/IEP requiring accommodation need to check in with the school counselor. 
• Sign on to My College Quick Start for personalized college and career planning based on PSAT scores.   
• Meet with your counselor to develop next year’s schedule, review your 4-year academic plan and talk about your college goals.    
• Attend the Jacksonville Preparatory College Fair at UNF in February as well as other college and career fairs in the area.     
• Use Scoir to begin researching colleges. Visit college websites to review programs, admissions requirements, freshman profile and costs. Visit college campuses in person.   
• Meet with your counselor to develop an academically rigorous junior schedule and discuss your college goals.   
• Begin to think about your college major. Talk to college students who are currently in your desired major and people who work in the fields that interest you. Check out the O*net profiler survey 
• Look for summer job, internship or volunteer position to help you learn about your field of interest. 
• Put aside money for college or other post-secondary plans. 
• Take advantage of summer vacations as an opportunity to tour college campuses.

The College Resume

Understand why it matters to have a strong college resume, learn how to put one together, and see a sample resume.

Where to Start

Get your college planning started with a brief overview presentation.

College Parent Night

This is a parent presentation that goes over “all things college”.

College Campus Visits

In addition to attending visits from college representatives when they come on campus, you should make a short list of colleges you want to tour throughout your junior year at Wolfson.

College Prep Checklist: Grade 11

FALL

• Visit the Wolfson College Resource office in the School Counseling office often.
• Continue to study, study, study! You are halfway there! Protect your GPA to give yourself the most options!
• Sign up to attend college admission counselor visits at Wolfson to learn about the many different college options available to you.
• Start to think about your abilities, social/cultural preferences and personal qualities that may affect your college choices. Complete college planning questionnaire to begin to define and narrow college search
• Continue to participate in and track extracurricular activities: sports, clubs and community service (required for Bright Futures Scholarships). Pursue leadership opportunities in these activities and organizations. Update your high school resume.
• Explore career and college opportunities on www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org
• Students with disabilities need to check in with their guidance counselor.
• Take the PSAT in October. Junior year scores determine National Merit Finalists designation.
• Attend the Jacksonville Preparatory Schools College Fair at UNF in February as well as other college and career fairs in the area.
• Attend Financial Aid Night in October. 
• Test prep and take ACT/SAT. There are lots of FREE options available including Khan Academy on-line and Saturday classes at UNF and Keiser University. Determine ACT/SAT testing plan

WINTER

• Use Scoir to develop a “following” list of 10-15 colleges that interest you and request information from those colleges about their academic programs that you are interested in. Make a file to manage your college searches and application deadline information.
• Register to take the ACT and/or SAT for the spring. Contact your school counselor about fee waivers. Register for SAT Subject Area Tests if required by your desired colleges. Continue test prep for ACT/SAT.
• Sign on to My College Quick Start for personalized college and career planning based on PSAT scores.
• Update college resume with extracurriculars, honors/awards

SPRING

• Take the SAT and/or ACT.
• Check your eligibility for Florida Scholarships and Grants including Bright Futures in March and July.
• Turn community service hours form into your school counseling office to be entered into the system and keep a copy for your own records.
•  If you are an athlete planning to play sports in college, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center .
•  Meet with your counselor to review your 2-year plan, develop senior year class schedule, and discuss your college goals.
• Attend college workshops in College Resource Center on resume, Common app, and college essay

SUMMER

• Take the SAT and/or ACT again and/or register to take in the Fall. Most colleges super score your results.
• Talk to college students who are currently in your desired major and people who work in the fields that interest you.
• Look for summer job, internship or volunteer position to help you learn about your field of interest.
• Earn community service hours to meet the Bright Futures requirements.
• Put aside money for college or other post-secondary plans.
• Visit college campuses during summer travel. Go on admission office tours for perspective students. Ask a current student that attends the college to share their experience and answer questions
• Make a list of application deadlines for all colleges that you will be applying to. Large universities may have early dates or rolling admissions. Start researching college essay techniques. Ensure list of colleges have your intended major.
• Start researching and applying for scholarship opportunities. Visit www.fastweb.com for a listing of many scholarships.

College Prep Checklist: Grade 12

August/September/October

• Continue to study, study, study! You are in the home stretch! Protect your GPA to give yourself the most options!
• Come to Wolfson College Resource Center for help with applications, financial aid, scholarships.
• Attend college admission counselor visits to Wolfson.
• Narrow down your list to 7-10 colleges. Include 2-3 reach (you fall below their academic profile), 3-4 target (you fit their academic profile), and 1-2 likely (you are above their academic profile).
• Create a master list or calendar that include: tests you need to take with registration deadlines and fees, college application due dates, financial aid deadlines, high school transcript requirements and letters of recommendation.
• Ask for letters of recommendation well in advance of your deadline. Make sure to provide a “brag sheet”about you, your goals, interests and accomplishment for the recommendation writer. (Think about who you will ask to write the recommendation-preferably someone who knows and likes you.)
• Continue to hold leadership positions and participate in and track extracurricular activities: sports, clubs and community service (required for Bright Futures Scholarships). Update your high school resume as needed.
• Finalize application essay and supplemental college specific essays
• Submit applications by college deadline that best fits your application plan
• Apply for scholarships. Research local scholarship opportunities especially within organizations and clubs that you participate. Check the scholarship dashboard in XELLO, which you can find through One View.
• Fill out FAFSA with your parents (opens October 1) regardless of financial need. 
• Attend Financial Aid Night at Wolfson. 
• Take the SAT and/or ACT again if necessary.
• Monitor application status check portals to ensure receipt of transcripts, SAT/ACT test scores, SSAR, letters of recommendation.

November/December/January

• Continue to submit applications. Many colleges have a November 1 deadline for priority deadlines or early action.
• Complete the online Florida Financial Aid Application for Bright Futures. Complete and submit college applications. 
• Continue to apply for scholarship opportunities.
• Turn in community service or paid work hour forms to school counseling office to be sure they are in the system for the 7th semester Bright Futures evaluation. You cannot be awarded Bright Futures without meeting community service requirements. Hours must be entered into your Student FOCUS account to receive credit.
• Meet with your guidance counselor for final check of high school graduation requirements.

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SPRING

• Check your Bright Futures eligibility online in March.
• Review financial aid package generated by your FAFSA and admitted colleges.
• Complete application for Seal of Biliteracy with DCPS if you qualify.
• If you are an athlete planning to play sports in college, make sure you have submitted the fees and final transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

SUMMER

• Have your final transcript sent to college and NCAA (if applicable).
• Check 8th semester Bright Futures evaluation. Make sure the college you plan to attend is listed on your application.
• Check your Bright Futures eligibility online in July.