The road to college can be confusing, but the PTSA is here to help! Here are suggestions on what to be aware of as you are thinking about college. Please email issaquahhighptsa@gmail.com if you have suggestions for this webpage.
Summer between 8th and 9th grades
After 8th grade promotion, start recording any volunteer work. If you earn more than 100+ hours and report it before May 1 of your senior year to PTSA, you will be recognized in the graduation brochure and receive a graduation honor cord. Volunteer hours are optional at IHS. More info about the PTSA "Big Heart" Community Service Recognition HERE.
If you plan on participating in fall sports, contact the coach/team. There is often summer practice.
As time goes on, your summers will become busier. Take a Driver Education course during the summer (instead of the school year).
Take the summer health class (if you want to create more room in your regular yearlong schedule). One semester of health is required to graduate.
Take summer PE, if you want to create space in your yearlong schedule. Three semesters of PE are required to graduate.
Volunteer and record your hours for the 100+ Community Service Graduation Honor Cord. More info HERE . KidVantage (formerly Eastside Babycorner) will take volunteers ages 12+ Sign-up on the KidVantage website. .
10th graders (Second-years/Sophomores):
Start to specialize in whatever club/activity that you are interested in. It is better to be involved deeply with 1 or 2 activities than shallowly with 5 activities.
Spring - For college credit in high school, decide if you will go the Advanced Placement (AP) or Running Startroute for your junior/senior years. AP classes are held at IHS while Running Start is often at Bellevue College; here is avideo on Running Start. Running Start credit may not transfer to out-of-state private colleges, but is recognized by all Washington State public colleges. AP scores are recognized nation-wide.
Summer between 10th and 11th grades:
As time goes on, your summers will become busier. Take a Driver Education course during the summer (instead of the school year).
Take the summer health class (if you want to create more room in your regular yearlong schedule). One semester of health is required to graduate.
Take summer PE, if you want to create space in your yearlong schedule. Three semesters of PE are required to graduate.
Volunteer and record your hours for the 100+ Community Service Graduation Honor Cord. More info HERE . KidVantage (formerly Eastside Babycorner) will take volunteers ages 12+ Sign-up on the KidVantage website. .
11th graders (Third-years/Juniors):
Begin taking leadership roles in your activities.
Fall/Winter/Spring - Take the real SAT or real ACT, if preferred. Many colleges are test-optional. You do not have to send your scores to colleges. IHS may host an SAT session at the school in the spring.
Fall - Visit the College and Career Counseling Websiteto see when college representatives are visiting IHS. Some colleges will record when a student has attended an information session. The elite private colleges will not.
Spring - Start visiting colleges to see what style you like (large, small, urban, rural, public, private).
Spring - Review your grades. Request with IHS Counseling if you need to adjust your high school transcript (e.g. add/delete 8th grade classes). This can only be done once.
May/June - Ask a current teacher for a letter of recommendation to college. Some teachers limit the number of recommendations they write (e.g. AP Lang Arts teacher). Some colleges will require one letter from a Math/Science teacher and one from a Language Arts/Social Studies teacher.
Summer between 11th and 12th grades:
Visit colleges to see what style you like (large, small, urban, rural, public, private).
Start on your Common App/Coalition essays. The essay topics do not change much year to year. These essays are separate from the essays required by the individual colleges.
Volunteer and record your hours for the 100+ Community Service Graduation Honor Cord. More info HERE . KidVantage (formerly Eastside Babycorner) will take volunteers ages 12+ Sign-up on the KidVantage website. .
Sept - Request teachers' Letters of Recommendation. Many require that you fill out a form. Some limit the number they will do. Be sure to send a thank you note.
Fall - Visit colleges to see what style you like (large, small, urban, rural, public, private).
Fall - Narrow down your list of colleges. Have a conversation on what the family can afford.
Fall - Visit the College and Career Counseling Website to see when college representatives are visiting IHS. Some colleges will record when a student has attended an information session. The elite private colleges will not.
Sept/Oct - Work on your college applications. Many require multiple essays.
Oct - Review your transcript to make sure it is accurate.
Oct - Request a transcript sent to the Common App through Parchment. This takes a couple of days.
Oct - Request a Counselor Letter of Recommendation, if required by your college. IHS Counselors require a 2-page form and 10 school days to send a letter of recommendation. This requires that your transcript has been ordered and that you have a rough draft of your main college essay.
Oct 1 -FAFSA andWASFA open. FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid while WASFA is the Washington Application for State Financial Aid for undocumented students. There are limited funds, so apply early. FAFSA is required for some academic scholarships even if you can afford to pay for the college in full. Here is information on how to fill out the FAFSA.
Nov 1 - deadline for many early action/decision colleges
Nov 15 - deadline for University of Washington (UW)
Nov 30 - deadline for University of California (UC) schools
Jan 1 - deadline for many regular action colleges
mid-March/April - colleges will respond on acceptance. Let colleges know if you will not attend as soon as possible so they can give the spot to someone else.
May 1 - response deadline to colleges. Some students wear their new college T-shirt on this day.
