Skip to ContentGo to accessibility page
OpenStax Logo
Preparing for College Success

Checking In: Your College Readiness Checklist

Preparing for College SuccessChecking In: Your College Readiness Checklist

Checking In: Your College Readiness Checklist

Winter

9th Grade
Prep for finals. This may be your first experience with final exams, so create a study plan and prepare early. It’s important to learn how to be a good student, to try your best, and to establish good study routines for high school and beyond.
Document your accomplishments. Get in the habit of doing this at the end of every semester. Add awards, activities, books read, and service hours to your college binder.
Learn the difference between honors, AP, dual credit, and IB courses. These higher-level courses will challenge you, but they’re not all the same. Find out which your school offers and which (if any) would make sense for you to take. You might even earn college credit from some of them!
Ask for help when you need it. Having trouble with assignments or in classes? Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher for help, attend afterschool office hours, get an outside tutor, or form a study group.
Table 4.5
10th Grade
Download (and take) practice SATs and ACTs. Students usually prefer one test over the other, so download free practice tests and find study tips online.
Use the Net Price Calculator to understand college costs. Your net price is the “sticker price” for tuition and fees at a college — less grants, scholarships, and tax incentives you and your family may qualify for. This number may help you narrow your college list.
Identify potential majors and careers. In your college binder, write down what interests and motivates you. Then go to a career search site like O*NET OnLine to see what careers connect with those interests. It’s a great way to think about future courses and activities.
Use your summer to pursue your goals and interests. If you’re thinking of participating in an academic or research program, start looking for them now. These programs fill up fast and are a great addition to your resume and college application. Otherwise, think of service opportunities, summer classes, or jobs that will develop your interests.
Table 4.6
11th Grade
Sign up for an ACT that offers the TIR. This report lists the questions you get right/wrong — and it’s offered with the December, April, and June tests. This add-on costs $30, and the answers can help you make a plan to raise your score.
Document all your extracurriculars in your college binder. You’ll have documented the obvious extracurriculars you’ve participated in — like sports and clubs — but don’t forget hobbies, home responsibilities (e.g., taking care of siblings, working in the family business), or being an unpaid volunteer.
Look at a school’s Common Data Set to help you submit a strong application. To learn more about how many students applied to a school (and how many were accepted and eventually attended), the factors they consider in an application, average test scores and GPAs, and more, Google “[school name] Common Data Set” and look through the report.
Demonstrate your interest in colleges. From emailing admission reps to visiting campus to interacting with a college’s emails to applying Early Decision, you can show your interest in many ways.
Table 4.7
12th Grade
Finalize your Regular Decision (RD) applications. Many RD applications are due at the beginning of the new year, and with the holidays and finals coming up, you don’t want to be overwhelmed or rushing at the last minute. Get your applications done in early December (or over Thanksgiving Break). You’ll be glad you did.
Review your Student Aid Report. This report lists your Expected Family Contribution, your estimated eligibility for federal grants and student loans, and more. Read through the report with your parents to make sure it sounds right.
Deferred? Boost your chances by following the school’s instructions. Some schools will ask for a Letter of Continued Interest, some will ask for updated materials (test scores, transcripts, etc.), and some don’t want you to do anything.
See if you’re eligible for college-specific scholarships. Once you apply to a school, you may be eligible to apply for their scholarships, too. Don’t miss out on the opportunity!
Table 4.8
PreviousNext
Order a print copy
Citation/Attribution
Reuse and redistribution of this content in digital or print format:
  • This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's prior written permission.
  • This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License, which means that you can reuse and modify the material only for noncommercial purposes, must attribute OpenStax, and must distribute any derivative works under the same license.
  • Any commercial printing of this textbook, including using a local or custom printer, must be approved by OpenStax, and proper citation provided.
  • OpenStax-copyrighted images, activities, assessments, and similar components of this book are subject to the same licensing – CC-BY-NC-SA. They can be used for noncommercial purposes with attribution. Commercial use requires permission.
  • Permission requests: Anyone who intends to incorporate this content (including text, images, and other components) into large language models, use it in AI offerings, use it commercially (including in print), and/or has questions about another use case is welcome to complete our reuse request form.
Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/preparing-for-college-success/pages/1-introduction

  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a noncommercial digital format, then for every page that includes OpenStax content, you must license the derivative work under the same CC-BY-NC-SA license as the original, and include on every digital page view the following attribution:

    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/preparing-for-college-success/pages/1-introduction

Citation information

The information below includes the information needed to generate citations in most major styles (APA, MLA, etc.); you must reformat and organize the information as needed to fit the requirements of the style. Use the information below to generate a citation. We recommend using a citation tool such as this one.

© Apr 23, 2026 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License. The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo, and Rice University name, and Rice University logo trademarks, or wordmarks are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.