Class of 2026

Lisza.Morton@pgcps.org

10th & 11th Grade Counselors

Andriana.Starnes@pgcps.org

Fred.Jones@pgcps.org

Cynthia.Pegues@pgcps.org

Continue to keep your grades up. Grades, grades, grades. Consider your grades as your salary in a job. Your job is to go to school and your salary is your grades. The higher your grades, the higher the reward. An occasional "C" is okay, but you want to aim for something higher. If you're doing the best you can and you receive a "C", then that's okay. Students with an occasional "C" still have plenty of options. Work on self-discipline and time management.
Put effort into extracurricular activities. By the time you apply to college, you should be able to demonstrate depth and leadership in an extracurricular area. Think about what you can bring, not only to a college community, but what you can bring to Laurel. How can you make things better?

September & October: register in the counseling office to take the PSAT. Colleges won't see your PSAT scores, but a good score on the exam could turn into scholarship money through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Although you have to pay a few bucks for the exam, it will prepare you for the SAT in the Spring. All juniors will take the SAT during the school day on March 4, 2020.
Keep your grades up. Junior year is probably the most important year for earning high grades in challenging courses, especially if you have a few minor bumps in 9th and 10th grade. Improvement in 11th grade shows a college that you've learned how to be a good student. Your senior year grades usually come to late to play a major role on your college application.
Continue gathering college information. Go to college fairs, attend college nights, and speak with college representatives who visit your high school; use an online college finder and search top college lists. You may be able to narrow your choices or add a school to your list.
Make a college list. Your list of colleges should include schools that meet your most important criteria (for example, size, location, cost, academic majors, or special programs). Weigh each of the factors according to their importance to you and develop a preliminary ranking of the schools on your list. Include "reach", "safe", "target" schools in this list.

Evaluate your education options. Now is the time to follow a more specific path. Decide whether you want to pursue full-time employment, further education or training (such as a vocational-technical school, career college, or two-year or four-year college), or a military career. If interested in attending a military academy, talk to your counselor about starting the application process now.
Update your resume' to include leadership roles in extracurricular activities. Get involved and make a difference. Colleges are looking for future leaders, not passive bystanders.
Talk to your parents about your future goals. Now is the time to have that sit down and discuss with them about what your post-secondary goals are. After all, they do have to participate in the financial aid process!

Take the PSAT in March. The consequences of doing poorly are zero. You get to see how you would score on the real SAT. Use your results to practice for the PSAT in junior year. Be sure to sign up for the Student Search Service to receive information from colleges that may be interested in you.
Begin learning about the college admissions process. Go on a college tour to experience life on a college campus. Speak with your counselor to make sure you're on track for graduation and to select the right courses for the college you're interested in. Get familiar with the general college entrance requirements.

PSAT results are returned. Access Student Scores on CollegeBoard.com to review questions you got wrong and why and practice for the May or June SAT.
Register for senior year classes. Each February, juniors meet with their counselor to choose their classes for senior year. Remember to continue to take challenging courses like a fourth year of language, AP and/or honors classes. Some students may even be eligible for dual enrollment classes offered at PGCC or other local colleges. Senior year is not the time to "take off." Limit your selection of "filler" classes and "release time." Colleges want to see that you're still interested in school.

Continue studying a foreign language. Colleges will be more impressed with a student who can read and write in a foreign language than one who can only say "hola" or "bonjour." Depth in a single language is better than an introductory class to two or three languages.
Get your hands on some cash...for college. Research funding for college, including scholarships, grants, loans, etc. Take a look at the LHS College and Career Newsletter for ideas.

March & April: Register for the May or June SAT or ACT. Students can also register for the SAT II, if required by the colleges. Registration information is available here.
Attend the NACAC College Fair. Each year LHS takes a bus or two to the NACAC college fair for students to interact with college admissions representatives from all over the country. This is a great opportunity to find out what each school has to offer.
Sign up to go on a college tour. Each spring, the counseling center hosts a trip to a local college for a nominal fee. Be sure to listen to the announcements and check your email and website for more information.
Attend the College Information Night held at LHS. Each student is encouraged to attend with their parent or guardian the College Information Night held in June. Students will learn all about the admissions process to get them prepared for applying to college in the Fall of senior year.
Student-Athletes: If you want to play sports in college, you need to register for the NCAA Clearinghouse before the end of your junior year.
Take AP exams as appropriate. Don't just sit for the exam, make an effort to do well on the exam. The score you receive could make a difference in being in college for three years vs. four or five years. Try to get the credit for the class

June-August: The summer before your senior year is a great time to visit colleges. Call ahead to schedule a time to visit so that admissions reps can accommodate you for a tour.
Gather applications and materials for college. This is the perfect opportunity to "get your ducks in a row." Gather everything you need in the summer so that in the Fall you can concentrate on finishing school and completing college applications.