There are a lot of important decisions for high school juniors to make. We did the research and consulted with experts to create this timeline. Our timeline offers 11th grade college prep information, tips, and insights, month-by-month, to help parents and their high school juniors navigate the admissions tests, AP and IB tests that can earn college credit, class choices, and academic skills necessary for college admission, without missing a single step.
For example, our timelines help students and parents understand how and when to study for college admissions test, when to register and take them, why students should take them more than once, how to help students start thinking about college and make an initial college list, the pros and cons of applying early, and more.
For juniors, our timelines go deeper into how to help students develop a college mentality, become stronger readers and writers, and help students consider their personal learning and career goals and the different routes they might take to achieve their dreams.
11th grade college prep timeline
Jump to:
September 鈥� October 鈥� November 鈥� December 鈥� January 鈥� February 鈥� March 鈥� April 鈥� May 鈥� June
August college prep to-do’s
Get organized for the college search
There will be a ton of college info coming your teen鈥檚 way this year. Get ready with labeled folders, a notebook for jotting down notes and impressions, and a space to keep all the info close at hand.
Check out a book on college admission
There are lots of titles out there — and you don’t need to read them all. Check out our 5 favorite college admissions books.
Many schools won’t require the SAT or ACT!
Many colleges and universities do not require the SAT or ACT for admission. Keep your eye out for news about the schools your child is interested in and whether or not they’ll require these college admissions tests.
Consider affordable, online help
Check out these 4 low-cost and free tools designed to help middle-class families with the college admissions process. For students from low-income households, first-to-college students, and students of color, check out these 5 organizations helping kids find the right college (and the money to pay for it).
Start a reading list
A college counselor shares this forward-thinking tip: Have your teen keep a list of all the books they read with a title and a short description of key themes. It鈥檒l come in handy for essays and college applications. For inspiration, see our list of 101 books for college-bound teens.
September college prep to-do’s
Sign up for the October PSAT?
Talk to the guidance counselor about the pros and cons of your child taking the PSAT. If it’s a good idea, sign your teen up for the PSAT through the school. If your child’s school isn’t offering the PSAT, to find a school near you that will offer the PSAT. This is a low-stakes way to see how your child may do on the SAT. Teens who take the PSAT in October of their junior year may qualify for the program, a great way to earn free money for college. Keep in mind, though, that .
Help your teen understand the SAT and ACT
Learn more about the ACT vs. the SAT and whether one of these college admission tests may be a better fit for your teen than the other. Today鈥檚 ACT and SAT look very different from the tests parents remember. Here鈥檚 a great overview of these two tests. And here’s how you can help your teen prepare for the SAT or ACT.
If college sports are in your child鈥檚 future…
If your child may play Division I or II sports in college, . It鈥檚 also a good time to meet with your child鈥檚 college counselor to learn more about what鈥檚 required and to make sure your teen is taking a core curriculum that meets college and NCAA requirements.
Do you know your child鈥檚 Social Security number?
If not, now is the time to make sure your child has one — they鈥檒l need it on their college applications and financial aid forms.
Together, think about grades
Plan to meet with your child鈥檚 college counselor. Check your child鈥檚 regular and weighted GPA and class rank. If your child鈥檚 grades are already good, discuss strategies to help your teen stay on track. If your child鈥檚 grades aren鈥檛 so great, discuss strategies to improve. Colleges like to see an upward trend, so your child may want to think about the best ways to show improvement this year and next — through grades, class rank, and taking challenging classes.
October college prep to-do’s
Help your teen make an initial college list
To find schools that will suit your teen, start by making a list of the most important things your child is looking for in terms of location, size, cost, majors and courses of study, special programs, etc. Then, have your teen start making an initial college list. Here’s how to make a college list. Feel free to suggest schools, but experts caution not to omit schools your teen is interested in out of hand. (Finances are always a consideration, but remember that the most expensive schools often have lots of financial aid money.)
Meet with a college counselor
Use this time to discuss your teen鈥檚 grades, courses taken and planned, testing strategies (like when to take the PSAT, SAT, ACT, etc.) and, of course, to get guidance on finding the right college for your child. If your child’s school doesn’t have a counselor, consider getting help from one of these organizations, an online advisor or a private admissions professional.
Take the PSAT?
Teens who take the PSAT in October of their junior year may qualify for the National Merit Scholarships program, a great way to earn free money for college.
Start visiting colleges
Now is a great time to plan a few low-pressure, low-key college visits. When you 5 U.S. military academies that train future officers, then talk to your child鈥檚 guidance counselor because your teen needs to start the military academy admission process sooner rather than later.
November college prep to-do’s
Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize!
Your junior may feel overwhelmed by the many things on their plate. You can help by talking through your child’s priorities. Skip debate club to hang out? Maybe not. Study for a math test instead of going to preseason track practice? Most likely. When time is limited, it all comes down to what’s most important.
Keep those grades up!
Junior year grades speak volumes on your child鈥檚 college applications, so reinforce your teen’s good study habits, encourage them to get extra help if they need it, to get enough sleep, and don鈥檛 let them get overscheduled.
3 keys to a strong high school presentation
Is your teen comfortable giving a presentation? Like it or not, teens need to be. Here鈥檚 how parents can help teens with this skill.
Think about letters of recommendation
Chances are, your teen will be asking one or two of their current teachers to write letters of recommendation for college. Now is a good time to talk to your child about relationships with their teachers. Is your teen a smart ass in class? Too shy to be noticed? Talk to your child about how their teachers will need to know enough about them to write something meaningful. A few tips for getting to know teachers better: participating in class discussions, joining a club a teacher mentors, staying after class to ask questions, and asking for extra credit projects.
December college prep to-do’s
Encourage your teen to stay involved
Kids who participate in extracurriculars have higher self-esteem and get better grades. Sticking with extracurriculars shows colleges that your child can keep a commitment, plus kids who stick with the same activity for one year are more likely to graduate from college — and sticking with the same activity for two years is associated with getting a job soon after college.
Plan for standardized tests
Help your child figure out which standardized tests — SAT vs. ACT, IB exams, AP exams, etc., — they want and/or need to take and when they might take them. First, find out what’s required by the schools on your teen’s college list. Second, evaluate which tests may benefit your child in terms of admission or college credit. Then, look up when these test are offered and put registration and test dates on your calendar. Learn how to get an SAT or ACT fee waiver.
Make a test prep plan
Work backward from the dates when your child will be taking the SAT and/or ACT and decide on a test prep plan together. Read more about how you can help your child get ready for these tests.
College planning for teens with ADHD
A successful college graduate with ADHD shares how she and her parents worked together to plan for college.
Visit a college (or two)
Wherever you are during winter break, try to tour a college or two. Great if you can visit a school your teen may apply to, but all college visits are informative. Help your teen visualize their college life by eating on campus, attending an event, or visiting the library. Here鈥檚 how to prepare for college visits.
January college prep to-do’s
If your child plans to take the SAT or ACT this spring, sign up now
. However, if your child plans to take one or both of these tests, then the spring of junior year is a good time to take them. In the fall of senior year, your child can take one or both again (because it’s almost always a good idea to take these tests twice). Not sure which test your child should take? Read this primer on the differences between the ACT and SAT.
Help your teen get ready for college reading
Most high school students can still become stronger readers. Now is a great time to work on these skills. Here’s expert advice on how you can help your teen improve now — and avoid remediation down the line.
13 surprising tips for applying to college
From the lowdown on leadership and the “grandparent test” to free colleges (yes, free!), here are 13 tidbits all parents should know as your child heads into the college applications process.
February college prep to-do’s
Make the most of this summer
How will your child spend this summer? Will they get a job, an internship, enroll in extra courses, or participate in a selective summer program? These options all look good on college applications — and may be fodder for an excellent college essay. Help your teen start their summer planning research (and, in most cases, applications) now.
Start planning next year’s schedule
Senior year is no time to slack off — especially not first semester. Encourage your child to choose a core course (or a few) that are a strong suit and encourage your teen to challenge themself by taking an AP or honors class. Remember that first semester next year will be busy with college applications, but colleges will consider your teen’s ongoing course load as a factor in those applications.
Don’t forget to register!
Is your child planning to take the SAT, ACT, or any AP exams or IB exams this year? If so, now’s the time to register to take the right tests this spring. It鈥檚 a good idea for teens to take the SAT and/or the ACT in the spring of junior year. They can (and should) retake these tests in the fall of senior year.
Visit (more) colleges on your teen’s list
Decide which colleges your teen should visit — both locally and farther away — and sign up for official tours. Visiting shows the school your student is serious about attending. Upcoming spring and summer breaks can be excellent times for college tours. Here’s how you can help your teen get the most out of a campus visit. Can’t make it in person? Many schools offer official virtual tours.
March college prep to-do’s
Test prep!
Is your teen taking the SAT and/or ACT this May or June? If so, time to put your test prep plan into action.
Do a social media audit
Make sure your teen has a 鈥減rofessional鈥� email address to use on college applications. Go through your child鈥檚 many accounts together and make sure to deal with any information that might ruin your child鈥檚 chances at a top school if an admissions counselor were to find it (and yes, about 40 percent do check social media accounts when evaluating applications).
Let the scholarship search begin!
Now is the prime time for teens to start applying for scholarships. Start with this list of scholarships and check out this list of scholarships for first-generation college students, too. Bonus: In addition to free money, your child may get valuable essay-writing practice that鈥檒l help with college apps next year. Learn more secrets of searching for college money. Note: beware these 13 common scholarship scams.
Revisit that college list
What has your child learned about the colleges on their list since they made it last fall? Encourage your child to evaluate their college list again. Are these really places they want to study and live for four years?
Is college right for your child?
College is expensive. If your child doesn’t have a clue about a career path, is it really worth it? Read on to help you decide.
April college prep to-do’s
Think about your family鈥檚 financial plan
Now is a good time to look into what college will cost and make an informed plan about how you (and your child) might pay for it. Here are 3 steps to get started:
- Read our high school parent鈥檚 guide to saving for college.
- Use the to look up three schools on your child’s list for an estimate of what they’ll cost.
- Use the to find out how much need-based funding your child may qualify for.
Can your high schooler think logically?
It鈥檚 all about whether your teen can build logical arguments with solid reasoning.
It鈥檚 almost IB and AP exam time
If your child is taking an IB or AP class this year, encourage them to register for and take the related IB or AP exam next month. A score of 4 or 5 on an AP exam qualifies for college credit at most schools. Colleges typically award credit for high scores on IB exams, too, but the way colleges award credit for IB exam scores varies by the school and the program students are following (individual classes versus the full IB Diploma.)
May college prep to-do’s
Help your teen show interest in a few colleges
In the admissions process, private colleges value signs of interest from applicants — like visiting the campus (in person or virtually), doing an interview with an alum, and reaching out the admissions office to express interest and ask thoughtful, sincere questions.
Track accomplishments!
It鈥檚 been a busy year. Have your teen take the time to write down the details of any awards, recognition, or other accomplishments that help them stand out. This will be helpful when filling out college applications.
Consider applying early decision and early action
Applying for early admission gives students better chances of getting in, but it’s important to understand what teens get — and maybe lose.
Getting a great letter of recommendation
There’s an art to getting letters of recommendation. Here’s the lowdown on whom your teen should ask, when to ask them, and how to make it work for all parties.
Improving teens鈥� reading speed and comprehension
High school students can still become stronger readers — and the summer between junior and senior year is a great time to work on these skills. Here’s expert advice on how you can help.
Test prep
Does your child still need to take (or retake) the ACT or SAT? Check what the colleges on your child鈥檚 list require, check test dates, and make a testing (and test prep) plan. (Here’s a .)
Summer homework: essay planning
Encourage your child to start thinking about what they鈥檒l write about in their college essays. Have your child look up , think about topics they might write about, create outlines, and write rough drafts.
June college prep to-do’s
Extra credit: Start applications this summer!
The more your child gets done this summer, the less stressful fall will be. Challenge your child to finish as many parts of their applications as they can, so there’s less to do next year.
Summer homework: Essay writing
Encourage your child to brainstorm college essay topics. Have your child look up a few , choose topics to write about, create outlines, and write rough drafts. Extra credit for getting feedback from at least one person (especially a strong writer, teacher, or tutor). It’ll reduce the pressure next fall.
Summer homework: Read, read, read
This summer, encourage your teen to read two long-form articles each week and 10 books from this list. The more teens read, the better they write.
Summer homework: Scholarships
Can your teen apply to one, two, or even three of these scholarships each month this summer? It sounds like a lot, but those awards could add up (and the essay-writing practice can only help). Note: check this list of scholarships for first-generation college students, too, and be sure your child’s too smart for these common scholarship scams.
Go visit!
What are the top 5 schools on your child鈥檚 college list? Encourage your teen to do a little online research and networking. If you have relatives or friends in college, encourage your teen to talk to them about what they like and don鈥檛 like about where they go (or went). Also, see if you and your teen can visit any of the schools on their list. Walking around campus, maybe even sitting in on a class, can help teens get a feel for whether or not they’d like to go there.
