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College & Career

The HHS counseling department is available to assist students with college and career planning. In addition to planned programming to help students identify their interests, research colleges, and plan their academic course to better prepare them for the college and career path, counselors are available to provide students with the following services directly related to the college application process:
  • Advising and information
  • Resources and expertise
  • Recommendations
  • Transcripts, school profile, secondary school report, etc.
  • Help with submissions

College & Career Preparation Timeline

9th Grade

  • Build strong academic, language, mathematics and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses.
  • Study hard and get excellent grades.
  • Strengthen your vocabulary by increasing your reading.
  • Become involved in co-curricular activities.
  • Meet your high school guidance counselor and discuss your plans for the next four years.
  • Browse through college literature or surf the Web to get an idea of what kinds of schools may be of interest to you.
  • Check out what high school courses colleges require.
  • Know NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) eligibility requirements if you want to play sports in college.
  • Keep an academic portfolio and co-curricular record.
  • Research career possibilities.
  • Begin saving money for college.

10th Grade

September
  • Consult your guidance counselor about taking the PSAT in October. The PSAT is a preliminary test that will prepare you for the SAT Reasoning Test.
  • Take NCAA-approved courses if you want to play sports in college.
October
  • Take the PSAT for practice. The results will not be used for college admission.
  • Sign up, if you have not done so already, for co-curricular activities that interest you. The level of involvement and accomplishment is most important, not the number of activities.
  • Keep a record of your co-curricular involvement, volunteer work, and employment (all year).
November
  • Make sure you are "on top" of your academic work. If necessary, meet with your teacher for additional help.
  • Save your best work in academic courses and the arts for your academic portfolio (all year).
December
  • Receive results of the PSAT. Read materials sent with your score report. Consult your guidance counselor to explore ways to improve on future standardized tests and courses to discuss which may be required or beneficial for your post-high school plans.
January
  • Keep studying!
  • Volunteer! A great way to identify your interests and to develop skills.
February
  • It is never too early to start researching colleges and universities. Visit the guidance office to browse through literature and guidebooks or surf the Web and check out college and university home pages.
March
  • NACAC has developed a list of on-line resources to help you in the college admission process called Web Resources for the College-Bound.
April
  • Register for June SAT Subject Test. These are one-hour exams testing you on academic subjects that you have already completed. Among the many to choose from are biology, chemistry, foreign languages and physics. Many colleges require or recommend one or more of the SAT Subject Tests for admission or placement. You can take SAT Subject Tests when you have successfully completed the corresponding course in high school study (B+ average or better). Talk to your teachers and counselor about which tests to take.
  • See your guidance counselor for advice.
  • Continue to research career options and consider possible college majors that will help you achieve your career goals.
May
  • Plan now for wise use of your summer. Consider taking a summer course or participating in a special program (e.g., for prospective engineers or journalists or for those interested in theatre or music) at a local college or community college. Consider working or volunteering.
June
  • Take any SAT Subject Tests that you registered for in April.
  • If you work, save some of your earnings for college.
July
  • During the summer, you may want to sign up for a PSAT/SAT prep course, use computer software, or do the practice tests in books designed to familiarize you with standardized tests.
August
  • Make your summer productive. Continue reading to increase your vocabulary.

Reprinted from NACAC's PACT Guide, 2000. Revised Online Only: March 2005

11th Grade

 

PLANNING CALENDAR

FOR JUNIORS AND THEIR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

 

 

JUNIOR YEAR

SEPTEMBER

  • College Visits: Approximately 130 colleges visit the Guidance office in the Fall. Sign up through Naviance or pop into the Counseling office to visit with a college representative. (You must get preapproval from your teacher to miss a class to attend a college visit.)
  • Naviance: Check the “Upcoming College Visits” under the colleges tab, and sign up to meet with a college representative (or just show up).

 

OCTOBER

PSAT is offered in October. Register in the Counseling Office. Fee is $20 cash or check payable to Hanover High School. 

NOVEMBER

  • Naviance: Begin to build your “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list. Think about the type of college, location, available majors, and social and cultural environments that you’re interested in.

 

DECEMBER

  • College Board: Students should create an account to receive their PSAT scores at collegeboard.org
  • PSAT: Scores will become available this month. Your school counselor will meet with you during an activity period to return and discuss your scores.
  • Naviance: PSAT results will be posted to your account. Use this information to further develop your list of colleges.
  • Parents & Students: Plan when you will visit college campuses in the coming months.
 

 

JANUARY

  • Naviance: Continue to gather information and refine your college list.
 

 

FEBRUARY

  • College Board: Check the SAT registration deadlines. Visit the College Board website and Khan Academy for test-taking tips for the SAT & SAT II.
  • ACT: Visit ACT.org. Talk to your counselor about whether the ACT is right for you.
  • Counselor Meeting: Schedule a meeting with your school counselor to discuss refining your college list. Gather information from your teachers, parents, and friends that will help you further refine your college list.
  • Naviance/College websites: Check the testing requirements of the colleges on your list.
  • School Counselors: Counselors will discuss the college process with juniors in social studies classes.

 

MARCH

  • State Testing: Juniors will be taking the SAT for the state test.
  • Naviance: Try to refine your college list to ten semifinalists. These colleges should be colleges you will actively pursue by visiting the campus and/or scheduling an interview. Your list should include schools of varying selectivity.
  • College Board/ACT: Check registration deadlines for the May/June SAT I or II/ACT. If you plan to apply Early Decision or Early Action, you should take all tests required in March, May or June.

 

APRIL

  • Counselor Meeting: Discuss your Naviance “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list. Ask your counselor any questions you have about the college application process and Naviance, testing, and Common App. Ask about how the teacher recommendation process works.
  • College Board/ACT: Check deadlines and register for the May/June SAT I or SAT II/ACT. If you plan to apply Early Decision or Early Action, you should take all tests required in March, May or June.

 

MAY

  • Recommendations: Identify the teachers whom you will ask to write a recommendation for you.
  • Naviance: Next year you will use Naviance to electronically invite your teachers to upload their recommendation letter to your account. You must have a face to face conversation before this electronic invite can happen.
  • College Board/ACT: Check your college list for each college's test requirements. Take SAT/ACT in May and/or register for the June SAT or SAT II/ACT. Check deadlines.
 

 

JUNE, JULY and AUGUST

  • College Board/ACT: Take June SAT or SAT II and/or ACT, if applicable. 
  • College Selection: Continue to show interest. Visit campuses and schedule interviews if available. Try an overnight stay in a dorm, visit classes, and eat a meal in the dining hall.
  • Common Application: Create an account at www.commonapp.org. Students MUST remember their username and password, the Guidance office does not have access to these accounts.
  • Recommendations: If your counselor offers a “recommendation survey”, complete this over the summer.

12th Grade

September
  • Meet with your Guidance Counselor.
  • Narrow your college list down to the “finalists” that you will apply to. The typical list consists of around six schools and includes at least one “reach” and one “safety” that you would be happy to attend, and the rest “probables”.
  • Begin organizing your applications. Make a checklist of all the upcoming deadlines: test registrations, test dates, application deadlines, financial aid form deadlines, etc.
  • Begin to work on your college essays. Read through your applications, pick the essays that you will write, and start to develop outlines for them.
  • If you plan to retake the SAT I or SAT II, register for the October or November test date.
October
  • Retake the SAT I or SAT II (if you pre registered for the October test date).
  • Decide who you want to write recommendations for you and ask them now if you have not already done so. Provide them with stamped, addressed envelopes and the appropriate forms. Always ask them at least three weeks prior to the earliest deadline.
  • If you want to revisit colleges that were not in session when you visited them earlier do this between now and December. A call to the admissions office can usually arrange overnight hosting, meal tickets, classroom visits, etc.
  • If you plan to retake the SAT I or II test, register for the December test date.
  • Meet with your counselor to discuss your recommendation that he/she will write.
  • Attend the financial aid night held at HHS.
November
  • Retake the SAT I or SAT II (if you pre registered for the November test date).
  • Application deadlines for most early decision and early action plans fall between Nov. 1st and Dec. 1st.
  • Complete the first drafts of college essays and begin final revisions.
  • Start perusing scholarship opportunities via the scholarship list put out by the guidance office and/or by doing your own scholarship search.
December
  • Retake the SAT I or II (if you pre registered for the December test date).
  • Complete all college essays and application forms with a January 1 deadline and mail before Christmas break.
  • Transcript request forms should be turned in to the Registrar by early December if you have not done so previously. These forms need to be turned in at least three weeks prior to the deadline.
  • Parents should begin completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and any other student aid applications required by the college (CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and other forms are required by some private colleges). You need not wait to receive W-2 statements from employers in order to complete your FAFSA as long as you can make a reasonable estimate of your income. The FAFSA should be mailed or sent electronically as soon as possible after Jan. 1st.
  • If you plan to retake either the SAT I or SAT II test (this is the last chance), register for the January test date.
January
  • Retake the SAT I or SAT II test (Remember: this is the last chance).
  • Complete any remaining application forms and mail before the end of the month.
  • Be sure FAFSA and any other financial aid application forms are mailed as soon as possible after Jan. 1st.
February & March
  • WAIT!!!!
April
  • Most colleges will announce their decisions this month. If you are admitted by more than one college weigh all the options carefully before making a decision. If financial aid is an issue, don’t hesitate to call the financial aid office if you have questions about their award or wish to discuss it further.
  • If a college accepts you and requires a deposit while you are still waiting to hear from other colleges, discuss this with your counselor. Most colleges will extend their deadlines until you have heard from others.
  • Applications for local scholarships are available at the end of March. Pick up an application from the Counseling Receptionist. Applications are due toward the end of the month.
May
  • May 1st is the “Candidate’s Reply Date” to which most colleges subscribe. This is the date by which students are required to submit an admissions deposit to the college they plan to attend.
  • As soon as you have decided which college to attend, notify your counselor of your plans. It is also good practice to notify all other colleges that accepted you that you will not be coming.
  • If you were placed on the “wait list” at a college that you would want to attend if offered the chance, write or call that college to let them know of your interest. Talk with your counselor about any “new evidence” that might be submitted to strengthen your credentials.
June
  • Arrange to have the Registrar send a final copy of your transcript to the college your have decided to attend.