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Students need to adjust to their surroundings during the freshman
year. The switch from middle school to high school is challenging.
Students should begin to develop good study habits as they settle
into their classes. They should be encouraged to get involved
and experiment with different sports and activities.
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By the beginning the of the sophomore
year, students should have found some activities that they enjoy.
These may include a sport, club, organization, or a combination
of activities. Students should be encouraged to stay involved.
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October PSAT: Students may choose to take
the PSAT in the tenth-grade year as practice; however, it is
not required at The Pennington School until the junior year.
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Junior year course selection: Many consider
this to be the "first step" towards college planning.
It is during the junior and senior years that the courses begin
to become increasingly difficult and more specialized.
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Post-sophomore summer: Several colleges
and universities offer enrichment programs for students. These
experiences are great opportunities to begin exposing students
to various colleges and universities. Some of these programs
even allow students to earn college credit if they perform well.
Families may use the resources in the College Guidance Office
to investigate these opportunities.
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With the correct courses selected and
a new school year beginning, it is imperative that students
get off to a solid start and continue to push themselves all
year.
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PSAT and NMSQT: During the fall, juniors
are exposed to their first required PSAT/NMSQT. (PSAT stands
for Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, and NMSQT stands for
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
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The months of September, October, and
November: Students should begin to meet with the various college
and university representatives scheduled to visit Pennington.
These representatives are a great resource for students, and
these meetings allow students to begin adding schools to and
eliminating schools from their lists.
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The month of December in the Junior Year:
The PSAT/NMSQT results will arrive in the mail. Using these
results, students should be able to determine their weaknesses
and strengths with regard to the SAT.
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The months of January through May: The
college admission process begins in earnest during these months.
Students should consider taking the SATs and a few SAT IIs.
Taking these tests now avoids the stress of taking numerous
standardized tests in the senior year. Some students will also
take the ACT and the TOEFL. Students should schedule an appointment
to meet with their college guidance counselor to create a list
of schools to visit over the summer. At this point in the process,
students should be beginning to get a feel for where they may
want to apply. It is important to make sure that the student's
list contains a wide variety of schools suited to their interests,
academic strengths, financial concerns, geographic interests,
and size.
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Post-junior summer: This is an important
time to visit prospective colleges. Many experts agree that
students really begin to change during the "College Road
Trip." Students actually begin visualizing themselves as
college students, standing on campus, taking classes. Some students
will fall in love with a college as soon as they set foot on
the campus. According to the National Association of the College
Admission Counselors, the number one reason students choose
to enroll at a specific school after they have been accepted
is the "feel" of the campus. The "College Road
Trip" is also a great time to schedule interviews.
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September through January 1: Students
should complete the application checklist as they apply to the
colleges of their choice.
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The months of January and February: W-2s
should be arriving home at the end of January, and it's time
to think about financial aid. For those applying for financial
aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA)
must be completed as soon as possible. The FAFSA and 1040s should
be completed and submitted by February 15. Some schools take
the Profile; this form should also be completed by February
15.
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March, April and May: Decision letters
begin to arrive home. Other than early decision and rolling
admission, most colleges and universities typically begin mailing
out regular decision letters around March 15. They will mail
out all their acceptances first, followed by their wait-listed
decisions, and conclude with their denial letters. The letters
will arrive at home typically between March 15 and April 15.
For waitlisted students, it is important to keep in touch with
those schools the student is still interested in attending.
Students should work with their college guidance counselor to
submit additional supporting materials.
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May and June: Most colleges expect a deposit
before or on May 1. Enrollment deposits should be mailed in
as soon as possible.
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