As the school year winds down, you’re probably juggling exams, final projects, performances, prom and end-of-year celebrations. Before school shuts down and your family’s pace (hopefully) slows for summer, you’ll want to take some key steps to make sure your teen’s college planning stays on track.
Whether your student is a rising junior eager to explore college options or a senior gearing up for applications, tackling these steps this spring will make next year far smoother and less stressful. These steps will also save you time later.
1. Logistics & School Support
- Request your teen’s end-of-year transcript. Connect with your school counselor or use your high school’s online portal to ensure you have an updated and accessible transcript. This will be critical for summer program applications, college list building and early application prep.
- Confirm access to college research tools. Log into Scoir, Naviance, or any other online portal your school district uses to facilitate the college admissions process. And don’t forget to save your login credentials.
- Map out standardized test plans. Check SAT and ACT dates, identify which test your teen plans to take, and mark registration deadlines now. Note: summer before junior year tends to be an ideal time for test prep.
2. College Application Preparation
Laying the groundwork this spring makes the hectic fall season more manageable.
- Build a balanced college list. Encourage your teen to consider likely, target, and reach schools by focusing on fit. Key considerations for fit include location, cost, size, academic offerings, career preparation and campus culture (aka more than just prestige).
- For Rising Seniors Only
- Ask two teachers for recommendation letters early. Good teachers get flooded with requests, so asking them now helps secure thoughtful, personalized references. Plus, it will help you in meeting early fall application deadlines.
- Start brainstorming or drafting the personal statement. Summer is the perfect time to reflect and write without academic distractions.
3. Exploration & Fit
Finding the right college “fit” means understanding where your teen will thrive.
- Visit college campuses (in person or virtually). Encourage your student to explore a mix of environments, from bustling city campuses to quieter settings. At first, encourage them to recognize how campus communities differ from one another. Then, help them build an understanding of how these differences pertain to their college preferences and dreams.
4. Student Positioning
Assess how your teen is progressing toward presenting themselves for college admissions.
- Help your teen create a resume. A well-organized activities list helps track leadership roles, volunteering, and achievements. This resume will later prove helpful as an application resource.
- Review academic performance together. Celebrate academic strengths and pinpoint areas to improve next year, whether in course selection, study habits, or time management.
- Identify Constructive Summer Activities. Strategically identify summer activities that will advance and highlight your teen’s strengths and interests.
5. Financial Planning
Understanding college finances early builds confidence and clarity for both you and your teen.
- Start (or continue) open conversations about college costs. Discuss what your family can reasonably afford and make sure your student understands how finances will influence their college choices.
- Focus on anticipated out-of-pocket costs. Sticker prices can be very deceiving, so avoid limiting college options before you learn your family’s actual costs.
- Use net price calculators on college websites. These tools estimate potential costs after scholarships and aid, giving you a clearer picture of actual expenses at different schools.
Wrapping Up
Completing this end-of-year checklist will help your family head into summer well-prepared for completing a successful college search. With these steps completed, you’ll feel more confident, and your teen will have a clearer sense of what comes next. A little foresight and planning now will help you level the playing field in a highly competitive process.
Fitz has dedicated the entirety of his 28 year career to encouraging higher education opportunities. He worked in the Vanderbilt, Duke Law and St. Lawrence admissions offices prior to serving as an enrollment management consultant for 200+ selective colleges around the country. He created Find The Right College to make trustworthy college counseling more accessible. Fitz is also the father of two teens so he also understands first-hand the challenges associated with a college search.
