The 9th-grade year is about establishing a solid foundation for academic and extracurricular success. Therefore, it is important for students to select courses that will help them meet their goals and for students and families to understand the importance of performing well academically. Our advisors and college counselors are readily available to assist students in choosing the right courses and obtaining academic support if needed. Additionally, students and families participate in our College Night and regular student meetings each semester to become familiar with the college application process.

To help 10th-grade students prepare for the admissions process, our college counseling office hosts required informational meetings for students throughout the year. We encourage students to consult with their academic advisors to select courses that will challenge them and make them strong candidates for college admission. This year is a time for students to narrow down and actively pursue their interests, demonstrating well-rounded, consistent commitments.

In the 11th grade, students are assigned a dedicated college counselor who works closely with them and their families individually. Our junior-year college counseling programming provides students and families with a wealth of information about the college admission process, which includes a thorough exploration of different colleges. This year is an ideal time for students to visit campuses in person, so we allow each student five excused absences for this purpose. It is also important for students to attend on-campus college visits to learn more about institutions they are interested in and to meet college representatives.

As students enter their senior year, they will participate in App Fest, a one-day, hands-on workshop held before the start of school. This workshop offers tips on finalizing the common application, writing and editing college essays, requesting letters of recommendation letters, and preparing for college interviews. Together with their college counselor and families, students will narrow their college choices and create a well-balanced list of colleges to which they plan to apply.

While over 2,000 colleges are test-optional, it’s important to note that many colleges still require test scores as part of the application process. Therefore, we encourage all students to prepare for and take the ACT and/or SAT, to ensure they have scores available if required by an institution they are interested in. Our college counselors will help each student determine if and where to submit scores. Typically, students first take the SAT or ACT during their junior year and take it for the last time during the fall of their senior year.

We recommend the following testing timeline:

• 8th Grade: Pre-ACT 
• 9th Grade: Test Free Year
• 10th Grade: PSAT (fall), Pre-ACT (Spring)
• 11th Grade: PSAT (fall), ACT or SAT
• 12th Grade: Final SAT or ACT Exam