11th grade college prep timeline

Check out these four low-cost and free tools designed to help middle-class families with the college admissions process. For high-need, low-income, minority, and first-to-college students, check out these five organizations helping kids find the right college (and the money to pay for it).

Learn more about the ACT vs. the SAT (and whether one may be a better fit for your teen than the other). Today’s ACT and SAT look very different from the tests parents remember. Here’s how they have changed.

Plan to meet with your child’s college counselor. Check your child’s regular and weighted GPA and class rank. If your child’s grades are already good, discuss strategies to help your teen stay on track. If your child’s grades aren’t 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 challenging classes.

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. Feel free to suggest schools, but experts caution not to omit schools your teen is interested in out of hand. (While finances are always a concern, many expensive schools have financial aid money to offer.)

Use this time to discuss your teen’s 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 pro.

If your child dreams of entering one of the 5 U.S. military academies that train future officers, then talk to your child’s guidance counselor because your teen needs to start the military academy admission process sooner rather than later.

Junior year grades speak volumes on your child’s college applications, so reinforce your teen’s good study habits, encourage him to get extra help and enough sleep, and don’t let him get overscheduled.

Help your child figure out which standardized tests — SAT vs. ACT, AP exams, etc., — they need to take and when they might take them. 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.

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.

A successful college graduate with ADHD shares how she and her parents worked together to plan for college.

There are lots of titles out there — and you don’t need to read them all. Check out our 5 favorite college admissions books.

Is your child planning to take the SAT, ACT, or any AP exams this year? If so, now’s the time to register to take the right tests this spring. It’s a good idea for teens to take the SAT and/or the ACT in the spring of junior year. They can (and probably should) retake these tests in the fall of senior year.

Decide which colleges your teen should visit — both locally and farther away — and sign up for official tours when possible because 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.)

What has your child learned about the colleges on her list since she made it last fall? Encourage your child to evaluate her list again. Are these really places she wants to study and live for four years?

Chances are, your teen will ask one or two of their current teachers to write a letter of recommendation for college. Talk to your child about cultivating positive relationships. Tips for getting to know teachers better: participate in class discussions, join a club a teacher mentors, stay after class to ask questions, ask for extra credit projects.

Make sure your teen has a “professional” email address to use on college applications. Go through your child’s many accounts together and make sure to deal with any information that might ruin your child’s chances at a top school if an admissions counselor were to find it (and yes, about 40% do check social media accounts when evaluating applications).

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:

1. Read our high school parent’s guide to saving for college.
2. Use the College Board’s net cost calculator to look up three schools on your child’s list for an estimate of what they’ll cost.
3. Use the Dept. of Education’s net cost calculator to find out how much need-based funding your child may qualify for.

Applying for early admission gives students better chances of getting in, but it’s important to understand what teens get — and maybe lose.

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.