WHRHS College Planning Timetable
Freshmen Year
- Choose a schedule with some academic rigor
- Check Infinite Campus regularly to keep on top of your grades
- Seek extra help with teachers if needed
- Start to build your transcript.Remember that the grades you earn as freshmen will be part of your high school transcript.All grades are important!
- Meet and get to know your school counselor
- Start to explore clubs/activities/sports
- Think about what you’d like your resume and transcript to look like as a senior applying to college and start to make a plan
Sophomore Year
- Choose a schedule of courses as rigorous as you can handle.Maybe try an honors or AP class if suggested by your teacher
- Continue to check Infinite Campus and work hard to earn to good grades
- Continue building a transcript that you can be proud of
- Meet with your school counselor
- Get involved in clubs/activities/sports
- Take the PSATs in October
- Start to think about a plan for after high school by exploring your Naviance Family Connection
- Think about using February or April school vacations to start to look at colleges
Junior Year
- Start junior year off strong.Choose challenging courses as long as you can handle them.
- Take the PSAT in October
- Attend the annual Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake College Fair held in the fall
- If you haven’t already, start your college research using Naviance
- Attend the College Admissions Seminar held in January – students and parents are invited
- As a follow-up to the College Admissions Seminar, parents are invited to attend Junior Parent Coffee with Counselors to discuss timely junior college planning tips and information in an informal setting.
- As an additional follow up, we invite parents to attend our annual Naviance Night
- Communicate openly and honestly about college plans and finances.
- Attend open house days and spring college fairs.
- Make a "long list" of 10 - 12 colleges including a couple of "long shots", some "sure bets", and some "strong possibilities".Call or e-mail colleges to request admissions information.
- Start the application process immediately for ROTC Scholarships and/or Service Academy Appointments.
- Discuss "Early Decision" with your school counselor.
- Use February and April vacation for visiting colleges.
- Plan to attend the Boston National College Fair Field Trip with the school counseling staff.
- Take the March or May SAT.Speak to your counselor to see if the ACT test might be a good choice for you.
- Take the May or June SAT Subject Tests if the colleges you are considering require them.
- Choose rigorous academic classes for senior year and finish your junior year with the very best grades possible!
- Review college materials and make college visits.
- Be ready to return to school in late August with some concrete ideas of schools to which you want to apply.
Senior Year
- Finish your college essay
- Sign up for the October or November SAT
- Sign up for the SAT Subject Tests if the colleges to which you are applying require them
- Be sure to send you official SAT/ACT score reports to colleges
- Meet with your school counselor regarding college planning
- Refine your college list to a manageable number
- Ask several teachers who know you well, from junior or senior year, to write letters of recommendation.Don’t forget to give a hand written thank you note to teachers that wrote for you.
- Turn in your pink transcript request sheet to school counseling two weeks in advance of your college application deadlines
- Complete your college applications in time to meet Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Decision deadlines
- Attend the annual Financial Aid Seminar
- File for financial aid.Everyone should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1
- Complete the CSS Profile if your colleges need that.
- Notify your counselor of college acceptances
- Attend the annual scholarship assembly in March
- Complete and submit Dollars for Scholars applications by March 15th
- Complete and submit Local and Community Scholarship Applications by the deadline in early April
- Celebrate! It’s graduation!
- Send hand written thank you notes to scholarship donors
- Congratulations and good luck from the school counseling department