College Planning

Catalogue Sections

If you are planning to continue your education after high school, following the graduation requirements for the Future Ready Core course of study will prepare you for community college or four-year college/university admission. To be the very best-prepared high school graduate, keep these goals in mind:

Courses

Take the most challenging classes possible that will prepare you for educational and career opportunities after high school. Take sequential courses that will deepen your knowledge and understanding in that subject. Select courses in Career and Technical Education Clusters to explore and prepare you for the workplace. These classes will be excellent preparation for both university and community college.

Remember that you may be able to earn college credit, save college costs, and possibly graduate college early by taking Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Career and Technical Education courses listed on the Community College Articulation Agreement list.

Grades

SAT or ACT Scores

Taking classes that challenge you and reading every day will help you score higher on the SAT or ACT. Talk with your school counselor about test preparation programs available at your high school and on CFNC.org. The SAT and the ACT are both college admissions tests but have different formats. Consider taking both to maximize your scores. The ACT will be administered to all high school juniors in March by your high school at no cost.

Class Rank

Community Activities

Extracurricular activities, hobbies, and community involvement through volunteerism and work will be considered during the college admission process. Most colleges prefer activities that show long-term interest and commitment rather than a flurry of things that you do in your junior or senior year. Become involved in clubs, sports, and the arts early in high school. College admissions officers also look for evidence of leadership and well-rounded interests.

Build strong academic, language, mathematics, and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses
Study hard and get excellent grades
Strengthen your vocabulary by increasing your reading
Become involved in co-curricular activities
Meet your high school counselor and discuss your plans for the next four years
Browse through college literature or surf the web to get an idea of types of schools may be of interest to you
Check out what high school courses colleges require
Know NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requirements if you want to play sports in college
Keep an academic portfolio and extracurricular record
Research career possibilities
Continue saving money for college

Sophomore

Keep a record of your extracurricular involvement, volunteer work, and employment (all year)
Make sure you are on top of your academic work. If necessary, meet with your teacher for additional help
Volunteer: this is a great way to identify your interests and to develop skills
It is never too early to start researching college and universities. Visit your counseling office to browse literature and guidebooks. Use the internet to check out college and university websites. Sites like www.cfnc.org, www.ACT.org, and www.collegeboard.com allow you to review and compare both North Carolina and out-of-state institutions. Attend the GCS College Night in October to meet admissions representatives.
Plan now for wise use of your summers. Consider taking a summer course or participating in a special program (e.g. prospective engineers, writing seminars, or music/theater camps) at a college or community college. Work a summer job or volunteer in your community
During the summer, you may want to sign up for a PSAT/SAT/ACT prep course, use computer software, or do the practice tests designed to familiarize you with standardized tests
Make your summer productive. Continue reading to increase your vocabulary

Junior

Junior year PSAT scores are used to qualify a student for the National Merit Scholarship Competition, the National Achievement Program, and the National Hispanic Scholars Program
You will be administered an ACT test in the spring by your high school at no cost to you
Register for the spring administration of the SAT. Register early at www.collegeboard.com to ensure you have a seat. Check with your school counselor before registering to see whether you qualify for a fee waiver
Actively research colleges and universities an plan campus visits both during your junior year and the summer after
Attend the GCS College Night to meet admissions representatives and to ask questions about the colleges and universities

Senior

Check on application and financial aid deadlines for the schools to which you plan to apply. They may vary, and it is essential to meet all deadlines!
Meet with your counselor to be sure you list includes colleges appropriate to your academic and personal record. Review your transcript and co-curricular records with your school counselor to ensure their accuracy
Attend the GCS college night to get your questions answered by admissions representatives
If you need financial aid, talk to your counselor about the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process. Check to see whether the colleges to which you are applying require any other financial aid form. Register for the CSS Profile if required and obtain the college's own financial aid forms, if available
Complete scholarship applications. You may be eligible for more scholarships than you think, so apply for as many as you can
Request that your counselor send your final transcript to the college you will attend. Notify the college of any private scholarships or grants you will be receiving

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

Specialty Schools

In This Section...

College Planning

Catalogue Sections

Courses

Grades

SAT or ACT Scores

Class Rank

Community Activities

Recommendations

Essays and Interviews

It is never too late to plan for the future

Year by year readiness checklists

Freshman

Sophomore

Junior

Senior

Course Planning Worksheets

Popular Links