Koniag Education Foundation

Most students don’t start thinking about college until they enter high school. If you start planning now, you’ll be a step ahead of the crowd.

1. Tell your parents you want to attend college.
2. Take Algebra and a Foreign Language this year, if possible.
3. Study and strive for A’s. Though colleges won’t see your pre-high school grades, studying hard now will prepare you for the years to come.
4. Visit college web sites for information on their requirements. You’ll find links to many selective colleges and universities in your PFC Planner
5. Plan a high school class schedule that follows a college preparatory track.
6. Develop skills that are valuable in high school and essential in college: word processing, online research, speed reading.

Now that you’re in high school, the job of preparing for college begins in earnest. Colleges will look at everything you do for the next four years, so consider it your opportunity to impress.

1. Tell your high school counselor you want to attend college, and schedule college preparatory classes. Ask about local, national, and school scholarships to help you set your goals. Start creating a checklist of important dates and deadlines in your PFC Planner.
2. Strive for straight A’s. While that may go without saying, keep in mind that top grades require at least one hour of studying each night.
3. Partake in extracurricular activities: sports, arts, publications, science fairs. At the same time, don’t overextend yourself — excelling at a few pursuits is more impressive (and personally rewarding) than dabbling in too many interests.
4. If you fall behind in a class, get after-school help or tutoring.
5. Create your achievement file: report cards, recommendations, and lists of awards, honors, activities (school and community), jobs (volunteer or paid), and offices you held in organizations. Update this file every semester. Track your achievements in your PFC Planner.
6. Start requesting recommendations now if you perform well in a class and have a good relationship with a teacher. Teachers often move to other schools, and you should get recommendations when your performance is fresh in their minds. Recommendations can also come from coaches, bosses, play directors, etc. Send thank you cards to everyone who writes one for you.
7. Participate in enrichment programs, workshops, or camps on weekends or during the summer. If you didn’t do well in a particular class, try to retake it at summer school or elsewhere.

It’s a busy year. You may be learning to drive or working at your first “real” job. It’s also the year you start narrowing your collegiate interests, and step up your academic efforts.

1. Check with your counselor to make sure you’re on the right track toward a selective college.
2. Study hard to keep your grades up.
3. Take the SAT II if you complete qualifying courses. Ask your counselor when you should take the tests. Normally, you register in March for May tests, and April for June tests. You can find links to test sites in your PFC Planner.
4. Continue to follow recommendations for ninth grade, such as forming study groups and gathering recommendations.
5. Participate in summer programs for the sciences, arts, etc. Many take place on college campuses, and some offer scholarships. Consider taking a community college class to enhance your record, give you a taste of college, and earn possible transfer credit to your prospective college. In addition, volunteer for charity work.
6. Start focusing on types of schools you might want to attend: large state universities, small liberal arts colleges, tech institutions, military academies, performing arts schools, etc. Your PFC Planner includes tests that will help you gauge your interests. Don’t let cost dictate where you apply — financial aid enables modest and low-income students to attend even expensive schools.

This is the year you face standardized tests, tour college campuses, and make important choices. Your PFC Planner offers links and guides to colleges and testing.

1. Ask your counselor if you’re taking the right courses for your target colleges.
2. Study and earn A’s. Your junior year grades are usually the last grades colleges see before they decide on your application.
3. Take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), a practice exam for the SAT. The PSAT can qualify you for the National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholarships. In addition, some colleges recruit top PSAT scorers.
4. Take the SAT II if you complete qualifying courses. Normally, you register in March for May tests, and April for June tests.
5. Take Advanced Placement courses and sign up for the spring exams (always take the tests when the material is fresh in your mind). Top AP scores can earn you college credit.
6. Take the SAT I or ACT in the spring or summer. Taking the test now affords you the opportunity to test again in the fall if you’re not happy with your score. Various workshops and books can help you prepare — ask your counselor which are the most useful.
7. Assume leadership roles in your extracurricular activities. Find coaches and others who can improve your non-academic skills. Look for ways to express your talent creatively and charitably.
8. Continue to follow relevant recommendations for ninth and tenth grade.
9. Polish your work. If you’re applying to art colleges or programs, complete your audition tapes, portfolios, and other special requirements over the summer.
10. Research colleges in person and online. Attend college fairs and presentations by college representatives. Read your counselor’s catalogues and directories. Create a list of target colleges, and request literature about admission, financial aid, and your prospective major. Create a file for each school.
11. Explore the student perspective. Ask college students what they like and dislike about their school, and for suggestions on your application. Read the student newspaper and other publications. Call ahead to schedule tours, and possibly meet with staff, faculty, athletic departments, and student groups. Remember to bring your high school transcript with you on all campus visits.

The final year of high school is also the beginning of your collegiate experience, from application to acceptance to planning ahead.

Apply for Scholarships:

Determine what scholarships you are eligible for and request all required paperwork, or download forms off the internet. File for funding through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and then contact your Native Corporation and/or Tribal government or local agencies. Go for grants and scholarships FIRST, and then look at student loans.

1. Register for the SAT I or ACT in early September, and start preparing. Ideally, you’ve already taken the test in the spring or summer, and are now retaking it in hopes of improving your score.
2. Make a final list of target colleges in your PFC Planner. Ask your counselor if you’re applying to a suitable range of schools. Also ask about college application fee waivers.
3. Request applications from colleges in October. If you don’t receive an application after a few weeks, call the school, since mail does get lost. Some schools offer forms online. Photocopy or print out all forms.
4. Check deadlines for applications and scholarships. Some schools offer “early consideration” with an earlier application date — ask your counselor if that is a good option for you. Make a note of all due dates.
5. Make a checklist of admission requirements for each school: transcripts, fees, recommendations, essays, test scores, rank, etc. Start assembling your applications now, especially recommendations. Teachers are overwhelmed by seniors requesting recommendations at the last minute.
6. Work on application essays immediately by practicing on a photocopy of the application. You’ll want time for your parents, teachers, and counselor to read your essays, and for you to rewrite them.
7. Make sure you’ve assembled all the application requirements and proofread them. Photocopy your finished application and send the original in according to each college’s instructions. Do this at least one week before deadline, in case you encounter problems.
8. Apply online, if possible. Practice on printed forms first, and ask your parents to proofread your application before you submit.
9. Arrange required interviews.

• If possible, go on campus a few days before and find the office where you will interview.
• On the appointed day, relax, be yourself, come well dressed and groomed, and prepare to discuss your achievements.
• Know the college thoroughly before you go, and bring any questions you might have.
• Arrive early, since parking on college campuses is notoriously difficult.
• Parents or friends can go with you to the campus, but politely tell your parents and friends you need to attend the interview alone — interviewers want to see you as an independent student who can handle college on your own.
• After the interview, request a business card from your interviewer, and send a thank you card when you get home.