ROAD MAP TO COLLEGE

COLLEGE & CAREER PLANNING GUIDE High School and College Planning Timeline

Applying for colleges can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be if you start early and stay organized. Here is a timeline that will help you keep control of the whole process.

Sophomore Year • Take the PSAT or Aspire exams if available at your high school. • Fall: Maintaining grades is important, as performance in the first semester can have an impact on whether you will be allowed to pursue international baccalaureate, advanced placement or honors options when you sign up for courses in the spring. Consider broadening the scope of your extracurricular activities or diving deeper into the things you already enjoy. • Spring: Plan out junior and senior year courses in a way that challenges you but also feels manageable. A good rule of thumb is that students should be taking the hardest classes they can while still maintaining A’s and B’s, participating in the extracurricular activities they love, and getting enough sleep. This is also a good time of year to begin the college search process and visit some campuses to get a sense of the options that are available to you. • Summer: All colleges in the US accept either the SAT or the ACT. Take a practice test to determine which exam suits you best. Develop a testing calendar and prep schedule.

Junior Year • Grades and performance in coursework is crucial. In many cases, your junior year grades will be the most recent marks that colleges will see when making their admissions decisions. • Finish any test prep and take the SAT or the ACT. There is no reason to prep for both. • Fall: Visit some college campuses if possible and continue to expand your college search. Consider possible majors that might be of interest but remember that you don’t necessarily have to choose a major before you go to college.

Information provided by Collegewise

Spring: • Complete second and third (if necessary) testing sessions before calling it quits. Taking the test more than three times is rarely helpful, and your time is probably better spent on other things that you find more enjoyable. • Schedule official visits to campuses during winter and/or spring breaks. Make sure you don’t just visit ultra-selective colleges! • Start to narrow down your college list. Most Collegewise students finalize their college list by the end of June, giving them time in the summer before senior year to work on applications and essays. Make sure that you have a reasonable mix in terms of selectivity. We recommend that our students have at least two safety schools, two to five target schools, and one to three reach schools. • Determine if you need to take any SAT Subject Tests. The June test date is great for this, since the subjects will frequently align with the classroom finals you are already taking. • Summer: Get as much college application writing out of the way as possible.

Senior Year • Fall: Finalize supplements and submit applications EARLY! There’s never a benefit to waiting until deadlines are looming, and many colleges with rolling admissions will read applications in the order that they arrive on campus, so those who apply early get an advantage. It also allows time for you to verify that colleges have received all your materials (test scores, transcripts, etc.) well before the deadline. Schedule interviews for colleges that offer or request them. • Spring: Let the good news roll in and make your final decision about where to spend the next four years. Pay attention to deposit and fees deadlines.

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM

BIRMINGHAMSOUTHERN COLLEGE

UAB offers a wide range of programs in the arts, sciences, health care, education,

business, and engineering. And because UAB is a R-1 research institution,

undergraduates have the opportunity to conduct research as early as their freshman year. While research is a big deal here at UAB, there’s much more to life as a Blazer:

Academic Opportunities

UAB offers more than 140 undergraduate degree programs, including six prestigious biomedical majors that the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Engineering share with the Heersink School of Medicine.

One of them—cancer biology—is the first of its kind in the U.S.

Commitment to Diversity

UAB is proud to have been recognized as a Diversity Champion for three years by INSIGHT Into Diversity® magazine.

Outside the Classroom

There are plenty of opportunities for fun in and around UAB. Student organizations, loads of green space and Blazer Athletics bring energy to our campus, while local restaurants, museums, entertainment,

parks, professional sports and history abound in our Magic City.

Location is Everything

Speaking of our Magic City, Birmingham’s employers are a perfect mix of large corporations, nonprofits, and thriving startups. After all, UAB is the largest employer in Alabama. Students can find internships and career opportunities around every corner. What would you do in a world of opportunities? At Birmingham-Southern College, we focus on your future by offering you hands-on experiences now. A BSC education prepares you to pursue your passion and reach your full potential – no matter what field you choose. Our January term gives you four weeks to take a deepdive into one topic – in a campus classroom or on the other side of the globe – our accelerated data science program gives you marketable skills in just 12 weeks, and our top-notch academic programs prepare you for success on the Hilltop and beyond.

At BSC, you’ll engage with the world and discover your purpose. You’ll find your own path, while developing the tools employers want, such as teamwork, critical thinking, data analysis, and the ability to connect ideas.

You’ll take what you learn beyond the classroom – by participating in internships, conducting research with a professor, engaging in one-on-one mentorship, performing service projects, or traveling abroad for an academic adventure.

You’ll experience learning in a new way with a great return on investment. Small class sizes – our student-faculty ratio is 12:1 – and teaching-focused faculty ensure you’ll be challenged to do your very best. For a price that aligns with public universities, you’ll receive a personalized education, leadership opportunities, experiences that show you the world, and a fast track to graduate in four years.

With more than 50 areas of study, and by making the most of your time on the Hilltop, you will find countless routes to your future. Come see why BSC is among just 40 schools featured in “Colleges That Change Lives,” calling it “what college ought to be.”

Learn more about BSC at www.bsc.edu or call the Office of Admission at (205) 226-4696

Learn more at uab.edu/chooseuab

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