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Counseling Department » College and Career Planning

College and Career Planning

Here at Alemany we take great pride in working with students and parents as they prepare for and implement the college-planning journey. We offer individual and group counseling for college planning for students and parents, with a major focus on preparing the juniors and assisting the seniors as they explore college possibilities, narrow their focus, prepare applications, and make final attendance decisions.
 
Over 98% of Alemany graduates go on to college and a majority consistently gain admission to outstanding four-year colleges and universities throughout the country. 
 
We hold a variety of informational meetings, workshops and programs throughout the year to keep students and parents informed about college planning and successfully complete the application process.
 
This includes:
 
College Representative Visits:
In-person or virtual visits by college admission representatives in the Fall semester. Students must sign up though Naviance. Please see the list on the right to see which universities will be visiting us. 
 
College Fair:
We co-sponsor a major annual college fair at Notre Dame High School with six other Valley Catholic High Schools. Over 100 colleges and universities send a representative. In addition, workshops on college admission, financial aid, and NCAA requirements are presented. This is open to all students and their parents. ***October 1st, 2023 from 9 am to 12 pm.*** 
 
College Field Trips:
The Counseling Department hosts two college field trips each semester. During these trips, seniors have the opportunity to take an official tour of a selected college campus and meet with the college's admissions representatives. 
 
Junior/Senior Guidance Night:
Counselors will review the college choice, application, and admission process in an evening session for parents and students. ***Held on Tuesday, August 29th.***
 
Freshmen/Sophomore Guidance Night:
Counselors will review our curriculum and how to calculate GPA along with information about college admissions. ***Held on Tuesday, September 5th.***
 
College Case Studies Night:
Representatives from various colleges will lead participants through the review of hypothetical student college admissions files. This will give students and their parents a better understanding of how many colleges make admissions decisions. Participation is limited, advance registration is required, and a fee of $5 is charged for materials. 
9th Grade Timeline
 
Fall/Spring
  • Create a four-year plan
  • Start thinking about careers
  • Participate in extracurricular clubs and volunteer for community service
  • Study and take the PSAT 8/9
  • Get to know your school counselor
  • Explore Naviance 
Summer
  • Visit local colleges and universities
  • Enroll in summer school courses to get ahead
  • Begin to look for scholarships
10th Grade Timeline
 
Fall/Spring
  • Study and take the PSAT 10/11
  • Attend the annual college fair
  • Continue participating in extracurricular clubs and volunteering for community service
  • Meet with your school counselor again 
Summer
  • Visit out-of-state colleges and universities 
  • Enroll in another summer school course(s) to get ahead
  • Consider taking a community college course
  • Keep looking for scholarship opportunities
11th Grade Timeline
 
Fall
  • Study and take the PSAT 10/11 again
  • Start thinking about majors for college
  • Do research on potential colleges of interest
  • Keep a file of potential application materials you will need to submit
  • Begin to learn about financial aid options
Spring
  • Study and take the SAT/ACT exams
  • Start to look for scholarships you can apply to
  • Think about which teachers you would like to get a letter of recommendation from
  • Visit local colleges and universities
  • Develop a preliminary list of 10-15 colleges of interest
  • Meet with your school counselor again
Summer
  • Participate in an enrichment/pre-college program 
  • Get a summer job
  • Do a summer internship for your interested field
  • Enroll in more summer school courses to get ahead
  • Take another community college course
12th Grade Timeline
 
Fall
 
August/September
  • Common App and UC application opens on Aug. 1st
  • Narrow your list down to colleges you plan to apply to
  • Add your colleges to Naviance
  • Complete your Senior Brag Sheet
  • Create a master list or calendar for dates and deadline you should know
  • Meet with your school counselor to come up with a game plan
October
  • Finalize your college list
  • Prepare your Early Action/Early Decision applications (if needed)
  • Ask teachers for letters of recommendation
  • Have someone proofread the first draft of your college essay(s)
November
  • Early Action/Early Decision deadlines (Nov. 1-15)
  • Finalize your college essays
  • UC/CSU Applications due Nov. 30th!
December
  • FAFSA opens on Dec. 1st
  • Continue to work on your applications during Winter Break
  • Keep up your grades
 
Spring
 
January
  • Do your FAFSA (if needed)
  • Begin applying for community college (if you are planning to attend)
February
  • Do your FAFSA (if needed)
  • Complete your GPA Verification form with the Counseling Office
March
  • FAFSA deadline: March 2nd
  • Keep participating in extracurricular clubs
  • Continue to maintain good grades
  • First set of acceptance letters will be sent out
April
  • Acceptance letters continue to be sent out
  • Begin to compare financial aid award letters (make informed decisions)
  • Start reserving your university housing if you are planning to live on campus 
  • Send your enrollment deposit to one university
May
  • National Commitment Day: May 1st (Seniors must commit to a four-year university; national deadline)
  • AP Testing (if applicable)
 
*Note: Counselors will be sending your schools listed on Naviance your transcripts in the fall, at the beginning of spring, and at the end of the school year. 
List of Universities Visiting Alemany: 
 
Saint Mary's College of California 9/15
University of Notre Dame 9/16
University of Redlands 9/17
Rutgers University-New Brunswick 9/22
University of Portland 9/24
The Catholic University of America 9/25
University of Utah 9/26
Columbia University in the City of New York 9/29
Seattle University 10/2
University of St. Thomas (MN) 10/3
University of Connecticut 10/10
Northern Arizona University 10/14
Syracuse University 10/15
Loyola University Chicago 10/23
University of San Francisco 10/24
Belmont University 11/5
Oregon State University 11/6