Juniors

For both students and parents, it’s crucial to stay on top of college preparation during the 11th-grade year and the following summer.

Here’s what you should be doing—including looking into careers, searching for scholarships, and keeping the savings account on track.

11th Grade Checklist Preparing For College

Learn More Indiana Grade 11 Checklist

First In The Family Grade 11 Planning Checklist
 

Parents

To Do:

• Take a look at your financial situation, and be sure you’re on the right track to pay for college.
• Talk to your child about the schools he or she is considering. Ask why those schools appeal to your child, and help him or her clarify goals and priorities.
• Attend college fairs with your child, but don’t take over the conversation with the college representatives. Just listen, and let your child do the talking.
• Take your child to visit college campuses, preferably when classes are in session.
• Make sure your child is looking into or already has applied for scholarships.
• Ask your employer whether scholarships are available for employees’ children.

To Explore:

• Get in-depth information on the federal student aid programs.
• Learn about student and parent loans in Your Federal Student Loans: Learn the Basics and Manage Your Debt.
• Find out how the federal student aid application process works.

Students

To Do:

All Year

• Explore careers and their earning potential in the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Or, for a fun interactive tool, try the U.S. Department of Labor’s career search.
• Learn about choosing a college and find a link to our free college search tool.
• Go to college fairs and college-preparation presentations by college representatives.

Fall

• Take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). You must take the test in 11th grade to qualify for scholarships and programs associated with the National Merit Scholarship Program.

Spring

• Register for and take exams for college admission. The standardized tests that many colleges require are the SAT, the SAT Subject Tests, and the ACT. Check with the colleges you are interested in to see what tests they require.
• Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s scholarship search to find scholarships for which you might want to apply. Some deadlines fall as early as the summer between 11th and 12th grades, so prepare now to submit applications soon.

Summer Before 12th Grade

• Narrow down the list of colleges you are considering attending. If you can, visit the schools that interest you.
• Contact colleges to request information and applications for admission. Ask about financial aid, admission requirements, and deadlines.
• Decide whether you are going to apply under a particular college’s early decision or early action program. Be sure to learn about the program deadlines and requirements.
• Use the FAFSA4caster financial aid estimator, and compare the results to the actual costs at the colleges to which you will apply. To supplement any aid FAFSA4caster estimates you might receive, be sure to apply for scholarships. Your goal is to minimize the amount of loan funds you borrow.

To Explore:

• Find out what government financial aid you can apply for, and how, in Do You Need Money for College—Federal Student Aid at a Glance.
• Learn how to avoid scholarship scams and identity theft as you look for financial aid and then attend college.

REMEMBER: Register for all tests in advance and be sure to give yourself time to prepare appropriately! If you have difficulty paying a registration fee, see your school counselor about getting a fee waiver.

Sample To-Do List IU

Just for Juniors

College is getting closer. Get ready for IU!

A year from now (or even less) you'll be deciding where to spend the next four years of your life. It's a big decision. You need to find a college or university that's the right fit and offers the best of what you are currently looking for--and great opportunities to try things that you haven't even thought of yet! Keep reading to learn more about the opportunities that await you at IU and how to prepare for admission. Then, take the next steps to learn more about the IU experience!

Start Exploring

• Top academic programs. IU offers 150+ majors, many of which are nationally ranked such as the Kelley School or Business, the Jacobs School of Music, and the School of Education.
• Amazing campus traditions. Homecoming, the Little 500, basketball in Assembly Hall, Culture Fest, Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, and more.
• Overseas study. See the world through IU's 100+ overseas study programs.
• Campus and community involvement. Check out our 750+ student organizations. Get involved with sustainability efforts or dance 36 hours striaght to raise money for Riley Children's Hospital.
• Real world experiences. Try out careers by interning in the nation’s capitol through the Washington Leadership Program, teaching on American Indian reservations, or helping non-profit organizations with their technology needs.
• Get-to-IU-early experiences. If you want to get to campus early, enroll in an Intensive Freshman Seminar and learn about zombies, medical miracles, or free speech. Or, take part in an IUBeginnings trip and go white water rafting or do some networking in Chicago.

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earn credit for AP courses
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check out B-town, Indiana	read our Hoosier stories see why IU feels like home

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Get Ready for Admission

• Make sure you know what courses are required for admission. IU, for example, requires seven semesters of math, one of which MUST be pre-calculus, trigonometry, or calculus.
• Take the PSAT or PLAN. Talk to your high school counselor about how to continue to improve your scores and prepare for future tests.
• Visit the colleges that interest you. Make sure you visit before making a final decision!
• Take the SAT and/or ACT. Plan to test early and often. IU super scores, so make sure you send us all your test scores. For the SAT, we'll consider your highest math and critical reading scores. For the ACT, we'll consider the highest scores for each sub test.
• If you are taking AP or college courses, see how these courses may translate into college credit.
• Start talking with your parents about financial aid and costs. Use the net price calculator to estimate your eligibility for financial aid.
• Attend any college fairs that take place in your area. Collect materials and ask questions.
• Get on the mailing lists for schools that interest you. At IU, you just need to sign up for a personalized Be IU VIP page.
• Know how and when to apply for admission. Make sure you know what information to send and pay attention to priority dates and deadlines.
• Maintain a list of your honors and activities.