SEPTEMBER

• Continue to take courses that are required for graduation and/or prepare you for the college search process.  Admissions officers will pay close attention to Junior year courses and grades.
   
• Request any schedule changes no later than the second Friday of school.
   
• Begin to plan extracurricular and community service activities for this year.  What do you have to include on a resume?  Do you have as many activities as you would like a prospective college or employer to see?
   
• Become familiar with college reference books in the Guidance Office.
   
• Meet with Admissions Representatives from schools you are interested in.
   
• Begin preparing for the PSAT exam in October.  Register in the Guidance Office.
   
• Interested in playing for Division I or II sports in the future?  Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and make sure you are on-track with courses.
   

OCTOBER:

• Consult with your English and Math teachers about PSAT questions that may be confusing.  (10^th periods are great for extra help!)      
   
• Considering the military in your future?  Take time to start meeting with recruiters.
   
•  College Nights:  Attend the regional college fairs at Clinton Community College or at SUNY Adirondack.  Meet with representatives from colleges of interest.
   
• Attend the Parent to Parent panel:  Hear from other LPHS who have been through the college admissions process. 
   
• Continue tomeet with Admissions Representatives from schools you are interested in.
   

NOVEMBER:

• Individual Junior Meetings:  Meet with your guidance counselor to talk about college and career interests.  Review your transcript, co-curricular records and progress towards graduation.
   
• Review grades and make sure you are making positive progress in all classes.
   
• Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).  This skill-based inventory offers individualized assessment of your talents and strengths.  Results will not be shared with the military unless you approve.
   

DECEMBER:

• Using your PSAT results and scores, begin to develop a more specific list of colleges 
   
• Speak with graduates who are home from college regarding schools in which you are interested.
   
• Make plans to take the American College Testing program (ACT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT I) and SAT II subject area tests if appropriate, in the spring.  Watch deadlines for registration!!  Information booklets and registration forms are in the Guidance Office.
   
• Attend the Financial Aid Workshop to learn more about this important process.  Even though college is still a long way off, this is a great opportunity to learn more about financing your college education.
   
• Don’t miss the Young Alumni Panels.  Hear first-hand from recent LPHS grads about the transitions into life after high school.
   

JANUARY

• Keep working in your classes!  Grades and courses continue to count throughout the year.
   
• Prepare for any upcoming Regents exams.  January is a great time to improve a test score on your transcript.
   

FEBRUARY:

• Continue the college search process.  Do you have any schools of interest yet?
   
• Attend the New Visions:  Health Occupations Information Session.
   
• Begin to research interesting and challenging summer courses, activities or employment.
   
• Register for any spring ACT or SAT exams.  May and June test dates are very popular so request your test sites now before they get booked.
   

MARCH:

• Attend the Advanced Placement Courses Information Session.  Course eligibility requirements, summer work and more will be discussed.  Attendance is required if you want to pursue AP classes next year.
   
• Meet with your guidance counselor to request courses for next year.
   
•  Complete career and college interest forms for the Guidance Office.  These are especially important if you would like to be considered for any Junior year college scholarship programs.
   
•  Attend the College Planning for Non-Seniors workshop.
   
• Consider taking the SAT II tests in the spring for courses you are finishing this year.
   

APRIL:

• Continue to research colleges of interest
   
• April is a popular month for Open House programs at colleges. Start to make plans to visit colleges in the spring and summer.
   
• See your counselor if you are interested in Service Academies like West Point or the Naval Academy.
   
• Begin review for any Advanced Placement examinations you have this year.
   
• Think about how you would like to spend your summer.  Internship? Work? Summer School? Travel?  Choose something important to you – rather than just something you think “will look good” on your resume or college application.
   

MAY:

• Review senior schedule to make sure it is challenging and appropriate for the course of study you wish to pursue in the future
   
• College Nights:  Attend the regional college fairs at SUNY Adirondack during the first week of May.  Meet with representatives from colleges of interest.
   
• Take any Advanced Placement examinations for courses you are currently enrolled in.
   

JUNE:

• Continue narrowing down potential colleges.  Make specific arrangements to visit colleges and schedule interviews over the summer
   
• Prepare for any Regents exams you will take this month.
   
• Register for summer school OR summer Regents exams.  (IF these are offered in summer 2012 – subject to change.)
   
• Have a great summer vacation!!!!
  
   

Overall -- Things to Remember

• Keep a calendar of all of your deadlines and test dates.
   
• Do you have to take the SAT or ACT your junior year? No, but if you wait until your senior year, you are limiting yourself and adding more to your already busy senior year. Better to take them in the spring and retake them your senior year if you are not happy with the results.
   
• Make sure you’re taking all the required courses you need for college. Many top four-year colleges prefer your high school education to include classes in English, math, science, social studies and foreign language all four years.
   
• Evaluate your extra-curricular activities – sports, jobs, clubs, community service and more.  Keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity. In addition to your transcript, schools look at how you spend your free time.  Have you made a difference along the way?
   
• Keep up your list of your awards and extracurricular activities, along with the dates you participated and the names and contact information of people who could be references.