Junior Year College Checklist

No room for slipping

Review first progress reports - no room for slipping now

Maintain grades through end

Maintain strong grades through end of year as final junior grades are important

Junior grades critical

Junior year grades are weighted most heavily by admissions officers

Maintain strong grades

Maintain strong grades

Avoid senioritis scheduling

Avoid senioritis scheduling as colleges rescind offers for dropped rigor

Verify A-G track

Verify you're on track to complete A-G requirements with 11 courses by end of junior year

Maintain rigorous course load

Maintain rigorous course load as colleges see second semester grades

Course registration begins

Course registration for senior year begins

Critical semester finish

Strong finish to first semester - final junior year first semester grades are critical

Review final transcript

Review final transcript for accuracy

Final exams preparation

Final exams preparation

Strong semester finish

Focus on strong semester finish as these grades appear on applications

Verify senior schedule rigor

Obtain senior year schedule and verify rigor maintained

Strong second semester start

Strong start to second semester

Continue challenging courseload

Continue challenging AP/IB/Honors courseload

Select senior year courses

Select senior year courses and maintain or increase rigor

Execute rigorous schedule

Execute your most rigorous academic schedule

Complete remaining A-G

Ensure any remaining A-G requirements will be completed

Document summer accomplishments

Document summer accomplishments

Update activities with junior achievements

Update activities list with all junior year achievements

Peak leadership year

Peak leadership year - hold significant positions

Execute passion projects

Execute passion projects with tangible outcomes

Update activities documentation

Update activities documentation

Continue meaningful summer activity

Continue meaningful summer activity like research job project or program

Continue leadership activities

Continue leadership activities

Document activities meticulously

Document all activities meticulously

UC Application opens

August 1: UC Application opens - create account and begin completing sections noting cannot submit until October 1

Common Application opens

August 1: Common Application opens - create account and begin filling out activities section and demographics

Coalition Application opens

Coalition Application opens if using

Request transcript sends

Request that school sends transcripts when applications open

Complete personal statement draft

Complete first draft of personal statement

Note supplemental requirements

Note supplemental essay requirements for each school

Begin UC PIQs

Begin drafting UC Personal Insight Questions choosing 4 of 8 prompts with 350 words maximum each being direct and specific

Plan essay writing schedule

Plan essay writing schedule for summer

Begin early school supplements

Begin supplemental essays for early schools as prompts are released in August

Research supplemental prompts

Research supplemental essay requirements as most schools post new prompts in August

Complete PIQ first drafts

Complete first drafts of 4 PIQs

Identify meaningful experiences

Identify 3-5 meaningful experiences that reveal your character

Review UC PIQ prompts

Review UC Personal Insight Question prompts covering leadership creativity talent educational opportunity challenge academic passion community contribution and uniqueness

Begin serious essay brainstorming

Begin serious brainstorming for personal essay

Begin Common App essay

Begin drafting Common App personal statement with 650 words max covering prompts about background obstacles questioning beliefs gratitude personal growth deep interest or topic of choice

Get essay feedback

Have 2-3 trusted readers review including teacher counselor family member

Use net price calculators

Use net price calculators for top schools

FAFSA opens

October 1: FAFSA typically opens - create FSA IDs if not done

CSS Profile opens

October 1: CSS Profile opens - research which schools require it

Cal Grant Priority Deadline

March 2 2026: Cal Grant Priority Deadline - FAFSA or California Dream Act Application must be submitted and GPA verification must be submitted by school

Confirm Cal Grant GPA submission

Confirm GPA will be submitted to California Student Aid Commission for Cal Grant

Review family finances

Review family finances and begin gathering tax documents needed for FAFSA/CSS Profile

Attend financial aid workshops

Attend financial aid workshops like Cash for College in California

Prepare selective summer apps

Prepare applications for selective summer programs

Ask for recommendations

CRITICAL: Ask 2 teachers for letters of recommendation choosing teachers who know you well with ideally one STEM and one humanities from junior year

Provide recommender materials

Provide all requested materials to recommenders

Collect awards documentation

Collect any awards recognition or documentation

Confirm summer plans

Confirm summer plans as this is the last summer before applications

Develop recommender relationships

Develop strong relationships with 2-3 teachers who will be future recommenders

Identify counselor process

Identify counselor recommendation process at your school

Provide final recommender updates

Provide any final updates to teachers

Thank recommenders

Thank recommenders before school ends

Prepare brag sheet

Prepare brag sheet with resume activity list college list intended majors specific class contribution examples and talking points

Note application requirements

Note application requirements for each school

Confirm recommendation agreements

Confirm teachers have agreed to write recommendations

Identify ED/EA schools

Identify schools with Early Decision/Early Action you might use

Meet counselor on timeline

Meet with counselor to review application timeline

Last summer before apps

This is your LAST summer before applications - make it count

Submit RSI application

Submit RSI application typically due early January

Identify recommender teachers

Identify teachers who will write strong recommendation letters

Submit TASS and other apps

Submit applications for TASS Telluride mid-January Governor's Schools pre-college programs and research positions

Refine college list

Refine college list based on visits and research

Meet admissions reps

Meet with college admissions representatives visiting your school

Finalize junior college list

Finalize junior year college list

Take notes on visits

Take notes photos and record impressions for essays

Explore demonstrated interest

Begin exploring demonstrated interest requirements for each school

Research UC campus programs

Research specific UC campus programs and cultures

Plan spring break visits

Plan spring break college visits

Check demonstrated interest

Check if schools track demonstrated interest

Cold-email professors

Begin cold-emailing professors for research opportunities

Sit in on classes

Sit in on classes and talk to current students if possible

Attend college presentations

Begin attending college presentations at your school

Attend college fairs

Attend college fairs

Categorize schools

Categorize schools: Reach 6-8 Target 4-6 Safety 2-4

Create structured college list

Create structured college list with school counselor

Deep dive research

Deep dive research on top choice schools

Research ED vs EA

Research Early Decision binding vs Early Action non-binding options

Visit colleges spring break

Visit colleges during spring break

Schedule spring visits

Schedule spring college visits during school breaks

Narrow college list

Narrow college list to 10-15 schools

Research competitive summer programs

Research most competitive summer programs with December-March deadlines like RSI Telluride and Governor's Schools

Register for tours

Register for campus tours and information sessions

Continue intensive prep

Continue intensive preparation

Register for March SAT

Register for SAT March 14 2026 or ACT February 14 2026

Take March SAT

Take SAT March 14 2026 - most important SAT date for juniors

SAT December option

SAT offered December 6 2025

National Merit notification

National Merit Semifinalists notified if applicable

Take PSAT/NMSQT

Take PSAT/NMSQT mid-October - qualifies for National Merit Scholarship

Continue SAT/ACT prep

Continue SAT/ACT preparation

ACT February option

ACT offered February 14 2026

Register for PSAT/NMSQT

Register for PSAT/NMSQT in October as THIS ONE COUNTS for National Merit Scholarship

Plan testing calendar

Plan testing calendar including PSAT in October SAT in March May or June ACT in February April June and AP Exams in May

Complete testing goal

Goal: Complete testing by end of junior year

Finish testing before senior year

Ideally finish testing by August before senior year

AP registration due

AP registration typically due mid-November for May exams

Take AP practice exams

Take AP practice exams to prepare for May

Begin intensive AP review

Begin intensive AP exam review

Analyze National Merit status

Analyze PSAT scores and National Merit status with Commended around 208 and Semifinalist state-specific around 221 for California

Register for spring SAT

Register for spring SAT March or ACT February/April

Take April ACT

Take ACT if preferred April 4 2026

SAT November option

SAT November 8 2025 date available if ready

Final SAT attempt

Take final SAT August 23 2025 or ACT if needed

Take June ACT if needed

Take ACT June 13 2026 if needed

Analyze PSAT results

Analyze PSAT results released late December/early January and adjust prep accordingly

Intensive test prep begins

Intensive SAT/ACT prep begins now if not already done

Take AP Exams

Take AP Exams May 4-15 2026

Retake SAT if needed

Take SAT May 2 2026 if retaking

Continue SAT/ACT prep - February focus

Continue SAT/ACT prep if needed

Take June SAT if needed

Take SAT June 6 2026 if needed