Course selection, grades, and academic planning
Confirm junior schedule
Confirm junior year schedule
Final exam preparation
Final exam preparation
Submit junior course requests
Submit course requests for junior year
Advocate for course placement
Advocate for yourself if not initially placed in desired courses
Consider junior AP classes
Consider which AP classes to take junior year
Confirm rigorous courses
Confirm enrollment in increasingly rigorous courses
Verify A-G compliance
Verify continued A-G compliance as 11 of 15 A-G courses must be complete by end of junior year
Explore dual enrollment (California community college courses, free under AB 288)
California law lets high school students take community college courses tuition-free. Counts for A-G credit, shows rigor, and transfers to UCs. Underused by families who don't know it exists.
Extracurriculars, leadership, and community involvement
Run for leadership positions
Run for leadership positions as elections are often held in spring for following year
Plan passion project execution
Plan passion project execution for summer
Document sophomore activities
Document all sophomore year activities and achievements
Narrow to meaningful activities
Narrow focus to 3-5 meaningful activities emphasizing depth over breadth
Pursue meaningful summer experience
Pursue meaningful summer experience in your area of focus such as research internship passion project or leadership
FAFSA, CSS Profile, and scholarships
Family financial conversation: define the budget ceiling
The single most important college planning conversation. Parents: determine the maximum you can contribute annually, with or without loans. This shapes every other decision.
Learn financial aid basics
Begin understanding financial aid basics including creating FSA IDs researching EFC and understanding FAFSA vs CSS Profile
College research, visits, and strategic planning
Submit selective summer apps
Submit applications for selective summer programs with December-January deadlines like SSP COSMOS and pre-college programs
Apply to March deadline programs
Apply to March deadline programs like RSI MITES Boys/Girls State and Governor's Schools
Discuss summer plans as family
Discuss summer plans as a family balancing academics activities and rest
Plan junior year courses
Meet with counselor to plan junior year courses as this is the most critical year
Finalize summer plans
Finalize summer plans
SAT, ACT, PSAT, and AP exam preparation