Preparing students to meet their college and career goals

At Saint Joseph's, we recognize that college planning and readiness is not an event or state, but rather a process. Below is a timeline that summarizes important activities and tasks that students complete during their four years at Saint Joseph's, in order to be best prepared to submit their college applications.  For more information, contact contact the Saint Joseph's school office at sjca@sjcacademy.org or (814) 808-6118.

Freshman Year College Readiness Activities

• Download Comprehensive Readiness Calendar for Freshmen
• Make a list of course selections that meet your interests, graduation requirements, and (probable) requirements for your desired college path
• Get involved in extracurricular activities at your high school that are of interest to you
• Take the PRE-ACT (Spring semester)
• Research careers that interest you using both online sources, shadow day experiences, and discussions with people in your desired field.
• Start comparing colleges and universities
• Do your best in all your classes
• Take honors classes, if possible
• Volunteer in your community
• Take advantage of summer opportunities

Sophomore Year College Readiness Activities

• Download Comprehensive Readiness Calendar for Sophomores
• Review your course selections to ensure that they continue to meet your interests, graduation requirements, and (probable) requirements for your desired college path
• Stay involved in and try out new extracurricular activities that are of interest to you
• Be a leader in your clubs, sport teams or volunteer positions
• Take the PSAT (Fall Semester)
• Keep a file with all the materials you might need for future college applications
• Continue researching careers that interest you using both online sources, shadow day experiences, and discussions with people in your desired field.
• Continue comparing colleges and universities
• Continue to take honors and advanced placement classes, if possible
• Take advantage of summer opportunities
• Look into scholarship opportunities
• If you want to play on an athletic team in college,
  • Meet with the Director of Athletics to discuss your intentions
  • Speak with your coaches about your level of interest
  • Create your NCAA profile account at https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

Junior Year College Readiness Activities

• Download Comprehensive Readiness Calendar for Juniors
• Review your course selections to ensure that they continue to meet your interests, graduation requirements, and (probable) requirements for your desired college path
• Do your best in all your classes
• Continue to take Honors, AP and Dual Enrollment classes, if possible
• Be involved in extracurricular activities
• Take an active role in your clubs, sport teams or volunteer positions
• Listen and give heed to the information covered in the Saint Joseph's College Readiness course
• Continue comparing colleges and universities
• Look for scholarships and talk to your parents/guardians about plans for paying for college
• Start asking for recommendations for college (coaches, teachers, guidance counselors, etc.)
• Take PSAT/NMSQT for consideration for the National Merit Scholarship program
• Take SAT or ACT at least twice, once in the Fall and once in the Spring
• Make plans to visit at least 3-5 colleges before the start of your senior year
• Prepare a Student Activities Resume
• Begin drafting your college essay
• Continue to take advantage of summer opportunities and programs in fields that you might be interested in at college.
• If you want to play on an athletic team in college,
  • Meet with the Director of Athletics to discuss your intentions
  • Speak with your coaches about your level of interest
  • Create your NCAA profile account at https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

Summer Following Junior Year College Readiness Activities

• Create a "Common Application" account and begin filling out the application
• Compose a first draft of your college essay
• Review your Saint Joseph's transcript and submit updates/corrections if needed
• Visit college campuses, including those in Pennsylvania
• Consider online programs with respect to to what is best for you
• Fine tune your list of colleges to which you plan to apply and review their application requirements with special attention to additional essay requirements
• Make a list of individuals whom you want to ask for a letter of recommendation
• Take the SAT/ACT (again)
• If you want to play on an athletic team in college,
  • Meet with the Director of Athletics to discuss your intentions
  • Speak with your coaches about your level of interest
  • Create/updated your NCAA profile account at https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/

Senior Year College Readiness Activities (Fall semester)

• Download Comprehensive Readiness Calendar for Seniors
• Meet with a Saint Joseph's faculty member by November 1st to discuss your college application status.
• Take the SAT/ACT again, if needed
• Polish up and finalize your college essay
• Polish up and finalize additional application written response requirements (if needed)
• Submit a complete application to each of your top 5 colleges by November 1st
• Ask for letters of recommendation (per requirements of college applications)
• Complete the FAFSA (even if you are not seeking financial aid for college)
• Complete the PHEEA (if you are applying to colleges in PA)
• Complete scholarship applications
• If seeking to compete in college athletics, continue recruitment process and keep the Director of Athletics (and your coaches, if applicable) abreast of your progress and/or reach out to him/them with any questions or concerns.