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Sign up in the career / counseling center to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) in October.

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Join CSF (California Scholarship Federation), if eligible.

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Develop strong study skills.

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Participate in extracurricular activities, clubs, or learning opportunities. These can give evidence of your talents and leadership.

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Contact counseling center for date(s) of College Night(s).

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Check your course schedule to ensure that you are taking challenging courses and making progress toward graduation and admission requirements for CSU, UC, or private universities.

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Be aware of your "a-g" UC course requirements. Make sure you will get UC credit for your Electives.

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Plan on working hard as this is your last year to impress colleges with your grades.

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Visit local colleges with friends to get a feeling for the campuses. Check out the libraries.

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Visit campuses that are high on your list. If possible, visit them when school is in session. Talk to students, professors, and admissions people. If you will need financial aid, speak with someone in the financial aid office.

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Visit campuses from the web (www.campustours.com) or order college tour videos from www.collegiatechoice.com

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Get involved in community service.

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Check in your college counseling office for materials on tests of aptitude or skills assessment.

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Continue to review for October's PSAT exam.

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Go to college websites to view colleges.

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Begin to look at college catalogs and college materials including financial aid.

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Start demonstrating your interest to colleges by communicating and requesting information from them by e-mailing and calling.

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Meet with your high school guidance counselor.

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Start reducing your college list down to 10-12 colleges.

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Read The Fiske Guide to Colleges and The Insider's Guide to the Colleges.

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Meet with your high school college counselor to evaluate your colleges in light of your 10^th and 11^th year GPA and SAT / ACT scores.

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Check with your school to make sure your transcript and other records are up to date.

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Verify if the private colleges you are applying to need the CSS Profile Financial Aid Form at www.collegeboard.com

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Attend college fairs to meet with representatives who come to your school.

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Order Introducing the University of California at (510) 987-9716.

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Order your UC application at (510) 987-9716 or by e-mail at ucpubs@ucop.edu.

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Request admissions applications and financial aid forms from schools to which you intend to apply, if you have not done so.

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If requesting college admission on early admission / early action, be sure your applications and materials are submitted by the deadline.

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Devote time, energy, and thought to writing and rewriting any required college application essays.

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If portfolios, audition tapes, writing samples, or other evidence of talent is required for admissions or for scholarships, finalize them.

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Continue to seek and apply for scholarships. Visit www.finaid.org to find scholarships and check with your college counseling office for local scholarships.

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Ask about scholarships from parent's employer.

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E-mail your college essay drafts to Sacollege@aol.com.

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Register for the October SAT test.

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Take the September ACT test.

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Continue to excel with your course work.