Grade by Grade

Grade 12

Meet with your guidance counselor in September or October to discuss your plans for next year. Be sure to review any application deadlines to schools or other programs you are considering. Also check in with your counselor every term to review your course load and grades.
Be sure to see the college-planning calendar for seniors . Even if you’re not sure that college is right for you, prepare as if you were. You can always change your mind later.
Register to retake the SAT for a chance to improve your score; most seniors retake the SAT in October, November, or December. (If your guidance counselor recommends it, take the ACT instead.) If you are a non-native English speaker, consider retaking the TOEFL in the fall.
Although going to college is an excellent goal, it’s not the right choice for everyone. Consider other alternatives, such as trade school, military service, apprenticeships, internships, or volunteer work.
Get more involved with your extracurricular activities as a way to discover your interests and possible career paths.
Ask your guidance counselor to help you compile a list of your extracurricular activities, honors, leadership positions, and jobs. This résumé will be a key part of your application for whatever you decide to do after high school.
Send in your application materials by their deadlines. Most college application deadlines are in December. (Deadlines for early decision and early action are much sooner.) Send in your financial aid forms between January 1 and April 1.
If you haven’t yet passed the 10th-grade MCAS exam, you have two final chances this year to take it. Passing this exam is a graduation requirement for public high school students in Massachusetts.
To get a handle on your busy schedule, learn tips for managing your time, making decisions, and dealing with stress.
This spring you will have to make your final decision about where you’ll go next year. Think carefully about your career interests and what will make you happy.
In April, review all of your acceptance materials and reply by their deadlines. Pay special attention to due dates for any financial aid forms.
Look for a great summer opportunity, such as a job, volunteer work, summer school, or exchange program.