The Get It Together for College »

The College Board, a not-for-profit membership association, connects students to college success and opportunity through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP). Students, parents, educators, and librarians recognize the College Board as a source of expertise on SAT and CLEP®test preparation, college admissions, and financial aid. The Board publishes the bestselling Official SAT Study Guide, the College Handbook, the Book of Majors, and other books that help students prepare for college, research their options, and succeed in higher education. It also maintains the popular collegeboard.com Web site, which is visited by more than two million unique visitors per month.

Any high school senior will tell you that the hardest part of applying to college is organizing their work and staying on top of the various tests, forms, letters of recommendation, and interviews that are required. Building on the success of the collegeboard.com Web site, Get It Together for College provides calendars, checklists, worksheets, and tips to help students do just that. This planner will take students from searching for colleges to a final checklist of what to pack for their dorm. The tools and advice are presented in a calming, low-stress design that builds students' confidence and helps them take control of the process.

Preface     ix
How to Use This Book     xi
My Organizer on collegeboard.com     xii
The Big Calendar     1
Junior Year Month-by-Month     2
Senior Year Month-by-Month     13
Make Sure You're on Track     25
What Colleges Are Looking For     26
Ninth- and Tenth-Grade Planner     28
Recommended High School Classes     29
High School Planning Worksheet     30
20 Questions to Ask Your School Counselor     32
What to Know About AP     33
Extracurricular Tips     34
Extracurricular Archive     35
Tips for the Student-Athlete     36
What to Include in a Sports Resume     37
Sample Student-Athlete Resume     38
Sample Student-Athlete Letter of Interest     39
Top 10 Time-Management Tips     40
Your Personal Time Machine     41
Summer Reading List     42
Notes Page     44
Finding Colleges You Like     45
Quick Start College Search Tips     46
10 Tips for Surfing College Web Sites     48
Basic Choices to Make     50
Accreditation: Must Knows     52
Community College Fact Sheet     54
Your College Major     56
Matching Careers to Degrees     57
Step-by-Step Career Worksheet     58
Four "Top 10" Career Charts     60
ROTC FAQs     62
College Fair Tip Sheet     63
20 Questions to Ask College Reps     64
College Fair Journal     65
What You Want Checklist     70
Your Short List of Colleges     72
Notes Pages     74
Visiting Colleges     77
When to Visit Colleges     78
Campus Visit Checklist     79
Questions to Ask During the Visit     80
Sizing Up a Dorm Checklist     82
Campus Visit Journal     83
Taking Tests     91
FAQs About the PSAT/NMSQT     92
FAQs About AP Exams     93
FAQs About the SAT     94
The SAT at a Glance     96
Test Prep Tips     97
Multiple-Choice Strategies     98
Strategies for Success on the SAT Essay     99
Tips for Taking the SAT Subject Tests     100
SAT Test Day Tips/What to Bring     102
If You Need Accommodations      104
Test-Taking Timeline     106
Test-Taking Tracker     108
Notes Pages     110
Filling Out the Applications     113
Application Basics     114
College Application Timeline     116
College Application Tracker     118
College Application FAQs     120
Online Application Do's and Don'ts     121
About the Common Application     122
What to Know About Applying Early     123
Guidelines for Getting Recommendations     124
Sample Recommendation Request Letter     125
Recommendation Cheat Sheet     126
Homeschooled?     130
If You Have to Interview     131
20 Interview Questions You Might Be Asked     132
20 Questions for You to Ask Your Interviewer     133
Interview Checklist     134
Notes Pages     135
No Stress Application Essays     137
Three Steps to a Great College Essay     138
Topic Brainstorming Worksheet     140
Essay Writing Do's and Don'ts     142
First Draft Checklist     143
10 Sample Essay Questions     144
Notes Pages      145
The Money Part     151
Senior Year Financial Aid Timeline     152
Financial Aid Application Tracker     154
10 Questions for the Financial Aid Office     156
Fill Out the FAFSA Step-by-Step     157
Fill Out the PROFILE Step-by-Step     162
Compare Your Awards Worksheet     166
Questions to Ask About Your Financial Aid Award     167
Your College Loan Options     168
10 Essential Borrowing Tips     170
Finding Scholarships     171
Scholarship Matchmaker     172
How to Spot a Scholarship Scam     173
Scholarship Application Tracker     174
Notes Pages     176
After the Letters Arrive     179
Next Steps After You're Accepted     180
Sample Thanks, But No Thanks Letter     182
What to Do If You're Wait-Listed     183
What to Do If You Don't Get in Anywhere     184
Choose Your Housing Options     185
Thinking of Living Off Campus?     186
Off-to-College Checklist     188
Shopping and Packing Tips     190
College Survival Tips     191
Notes Page     192
Glossary      193
Contact List     201