Table of Contents
Preface ix
How to Use this Book xi
My Organizer on collegeboard.org xii
Chapter 1 The Big Calendar 1
Junior Year Month-by-Month 2
Senior Year Month-by-Month 13
Chapter 2 Make Sure You're on Track 25
What Colleges Are Looking For 26
Ninth-and Tenth-Grade Planner 28
Recommended High School Classes 29
High School Planning Worksheet 30
20 Questions to Ask Your School Counselor 32
What to Know About AP® 33
Extracurricular Tips 34
Extracurricular Archive 35
Top 10 Time-Management Tips 36
Your Personal Time-Making Machine 37
Summer Reading List 38
Notes Pages 40
Chapter 3 If You Want to Play Sports 43
Tips for the Student-Athlete 44
What to Include in a Sports Résumé 45
Sample Student-Athlete Résumé 46
Sample Student-Athlete Letter of interest 47
Notes Pages 48
Chapter 4 Finding Colleges You Like 51
Quick Start College Search Tips 52
10 Tips for Surfing College Websites 54
10 Tips for Using Social Media 56
Basic Choices to Make 58
Accreditation: Must Knows 60
Community College Fact Sheet 62
Your College Major 64
Matching Careers to Degrees 65
Step-by-Step Career Worksheet 66
Four "Top 10" Career Charts 68
ROTC FAQs 70
College Fair Tip Sheet 71
20 Questions to Ask College Reps 72
College Fair Journal 73
What You Want Checklist 78
Your Short List of Colleges 80
Notes Pages 82
Chapter 5 Visiting Colleges 85
When to Visit Colleges 86
Campus Visit Checklist 87
Questions to Ask During the Visit 88
Sizing Up a Dorm Checklist 90
Campus Visit Journal 91
Chapter 6 Taking Tests 99
FAQs About the PSAT/NMSQT® 100
FAQs About AP Exams 101
FAQs About the Redesigned SAT® 102
The SAT at a Glance 104
Practice for Free 105
Multiple-Choice Strategies 106
More Practice Tips 107
Tips for Taking the SAT Subject Tests™ 108
SAT Test Day Tips/What to Bring 110
If You Need Accommodations 112
Test-Taking Timeline 114
Test-Taking Tracker 116
Notes Pages 118
Chapter 7 Completing the Applications 121
Application Basics 122
College Application Timeline 124
College Application Tracker 126
College Application FAQs 128
Online Application Dos and Don'ts 129
About the Common Application 130
What to Know About Applying Early 131
Guidelines for Getting Recommendations 132
Sample Recommendation Request Letter 133
Recommendation Cheat Sheet 134
Art Portfolio Prep Tips 138
Tips for a Winning Music School Audition 140
Home Schooled? 142
Notes Pages 143
Chapter 8 No-Sweat Application Essays 145
Three Steps to a Great College Essay 146
Topic Brainstorming Worksheet 148
Essay Writing Dos and Don'ts 150
First Draft Checklist 151
10 Sample Essay Questions 152
Notes Pages 153
Chapter 9 No-Sweat College Interviews 159
You Have to Interview 160
20 Interview Questions You Might Be Asked 162
20 Questions for You to Ask Your Interviewer 163
Interview Checklist 164
Notes Pages 165
Chapter 10 The Money Part 167
Senior Year Financial Aid Timeline 168
Financial Aid Application Tracker 170
10 Questions for the Financial Aid Office 172
Fill Out the EAFSA Step-by-Step 173
Fill Out the CSS Profile Step-by-Step 178
Compare Your Awards Worksheet 182
Questions to Ask About Your Financial Aid Award 183
Your College Loan Options 184
10 Essential Borrowing Tips 186
Finding Scholarships 187
Scholarship Matchmaker 188
How to Spot a Scholarship Scam 189
Scholarship Application Tracker 190
Notes Pages 192
Chapter 11 After the Letters Arrive 195
Next Steps After You're Accepted 196
Sample Thanks, But No Thanks Letter 198
What to Do If You're Wait-Listed 199
What to Do If You Don't Get in Anywhere 200
Choose Your Housing Options 201
Thinking of Living Off Campus? 202
Off-to-College Checklist 204
Shopping and Packing Tips 206
College Survival Tips 207
Notes Pages 208
Glossary 209
Contact List 217
