Educare, along with many educational researchers have noticed that there is a gap between high school students and college applicants where students and parents are confused as well as unprepared for the application process. It is also common that applicants are not well aware of what to expect from college. When it comes to college planning, it may seem like there are a million things to think about and as a result to all this, Educare designed a program to help the students create a timeline that will keep them on track. It is created to be helpful tool for students to use to achieve all the steps that they need from taking the right classes, preparing for standardized tests, making a list of colleges, to filling out college forms and applications on time.

Educare will guide you through the four years of High School and list things that you need to keep in mind. As a side note, each student is different and your timeline may be different from another student. Educare recommends that you reach out to them to set up an appointment and create your own timeline!

~Written by Hussein M Hachem, Educare’s Managing Director

• Maintain a bare minimum of a 3.0-3.4 GPA (Some colleges give Merit based scholarships based only on GPA and ACT/SAT the higher your numbers the more Money!) and don’t be afraid to ask for a tutor or help from the teacher!
• Keep your college and dream job in the back of your mind.
• Look for opportunities that make you look good, like extracurricular or learning opportunities outside the classroom. This will help you when writing your essays
• Have fun to an extent!

• Begin to think about your dream job (don’t worry if this changes later).
• Use Google or watch YouTube videos about different occupations until you find something you like.
• Asks friends and family where they went to college and for advice on picking a school.
• Start getting involved as it will be good for college and it also provides a great transition to high school from middle school.

• If your school offers them, consider taking AP or duel enrollment classes now (some schools do not allow student to take them before 10^th grade). Also consider taking just the exam without the course for AP classes by self-studying, it’s easier than you think!!
• Be a part of extracurricular activities like sports or volunteering.
• Ask your counselor about classes you should be taking to prepare for what you want to do in college.

• Take an ACT/SAT practice test two or three times throughout the year. (Recommended to start as early as 9^th grade! These tests are important) (also consider taking ACT/SAT courses)
• Aim for a 20-25 or more on the ACT and 1300-1600 or more on the SAT. (National testing is in March- Be Ready!!)
• Consider or continue taking AP or duel enrollment classes.
• Consider or continue participating in extracurricular activities.
• Choose what colleges you would like to apply to and plan college tours with your family.

• Take the ACT or SAT for a final time if necessary to better your score to have higher chances to be accepted into the college you want.
• Take as many college tours as you can.
• Apply for colleges (typically December – March for Fall enrollment, but check individual universities and programs). Consider early action (November is the deadline) as it will most likely improve your chances of getting accepted, but beware of any restrictions.

Again, this timeline is just a brief overview of what to expect, Educare will provide for you details to go along with each year that comes to your approach. In order to discuss a personalized and detailed plan, make sure you schedule an appointment with Educare Student Services so they can help you have a successful High School journey and a wonderful start at your college of choice!