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College Planning Basics

What Should We Be Doing Right Now for College Planning? A Grade-by-Grade Guide

By Shelley Psyk Co-Founder & CEO · College Planning Specialist

Every family asks the same question at some point: What should we be doing right now?

Maybe you are the parent of a freshman who just realized college is four years away and wants to get ahead. Maybe you are the parent of a junior who suddenly realizes college is one year away and nothing is organized. Maybe your rising senior just finished junior year and you are wondering if you have missed something important.

The answer depends on your student's grade and what you have already done. Here is a clear breakdown — not everything you could do, but the things that matter most right now for each stage.

The Question Every Parent Asks

College planning advice online is overwhelming because most of it is written without knowing where you are starting from. A freshman does not need the same advice as a senior. A family that has been tracking activities since 9th grade does not need the same checklist as a family starting from scratch in 11th.

This guide is organized by grade so you can skip to where your student is and focus on what actually matters right now. Not everything. Not a 47-item checklist. The priorities that will make the biggest difference at this stage.

9th Grade: Explore Without Pressure

Freshman year is not about college applications. It is about building the habits, interests, and academic record that will matter later. The families who try to optimize too early burn out. The families who ignore it entirely wish they had started sooner.

What matters most right now:

  • Take the strongest courses your student can handle. Colleges care about course rigor. That does not mean loading up on AP classes as a freshman — it means choosing courses that challenge your student without overwhelming them. A strong foundation in core subjects matters more than an impressive-looking transcript with poor grades.
  • Try activities, not just join them. Freshman year is the time to explore. Your student does not need to commit to one thing yet. They should try clubs, sports, volunteer work, and creative pursuits to see what genuinely interests them. Depth comes later.
  • Start keeping records now. The single most useful thing you can do as a freshman parent is start documenting activities, awards, hours, and roles. In three years, your student will need to describe what they did in 9th grade — and no one remembers the details that far back.

For a detailed freshman checklist, see our full guide to what 9th graders should do for college.

10th Grade: Build the Foundation

Sophomore year is when college planning shifts from background to foreground. Your student is not applying yet, but the decisions they make this year — courses, activities, and early test exposure — start shaping their options.

What matters most right now:

  • Plan junior year courses carefully. Course selection for 11th grade is one of the most important academic decisions your student will make. This is the year to step up rigor if they are ready — AP, IB, dual enrollment, or honors courses in subjects they are strong in.
  • Take the PSAT seriously. The October PSAT in 10th grade is a practice run, but it helps your student understand the format and identify areas to improve. The 11th grade PSAT is the one that counts for National Merit, but a strong sophomore score builds confidence and direction.
  • Deepen activities. Colleges value sustained involvement over a long list of one-year commitments. If your student found something they care about in 9th grade, this is the year to go deeper — take on a leadership role, start a project, or increase their hours.
  • Start a loose college list. Not a final list. Just a working list of schools that interest your student, based on size, location, programs, and feel. This gives your family something to refine over the next two years. Visit a campus or two if you can — even a casual visit helps your student understand what they like and do not like.

11th Grade: The Year That Matters Most

Junior year is the most important year for college planning. This is when grades, test scores, and activities carry the most weight — and when the planning shifts from exploratory to concrete.

What matters most right now:

  • Build a real college list. Not a dream list. A balanced list of reach, target, and safety schools that accounts for academics, affordability, and fit. Aim for 8 to 12 schools by the end of junior year.
  • Take standardized tests. If your student is submitting SAT or ACT scores, junior year is the primary testing window. Plan for at least one test in the spring, with a possible retake in the fall of senior year if needed.
  • Ask for recommendation letters before summer. Teachers who are asked in May remember your student clearly. Teachers who are asked in September are writing alongside a dozen other requests. We have email templates your student can send this week.
  • Start thinking about the personal essay. The Common App essay prompts are already published. Your student does not need to write the essay yet, but brainstorming topics over the summer means they are not starting from a blank page in August.
  • Run net price calculators. For every school on the list, run the net price calculator on the school's website. This is the fastest way to find out what your family will actually pay — and it eliminates schools that are not financially realistic before your student falls in love with them.

For a complete junior year plan, see our junior year college planning checklist.

12th Grade: Execute the Plan

Senior year is about execution, not exploration. If your student did the work in junior year, senior fall should feel like assembling pieces that are already in place. If not, it is still very doable — it just moves faster.

What matters most right now:

  • Finalize the college list before August 1. The Common App opens August 1. Your student needs to know exactly which schools they are applying to so they can start working on supplements immediately.
  • Write and revise the personal essay. The personal statement goes to every school on the Common App list. Start drafting in the summer. Plan for at least 3 to 4 revision rounds. Do not wait until October.
  • Know your deadlines. Early Action and Early Decision deadlines are typically November 1 or November 15. Regular Decision deadlines are usually January 1 through February 1. Map every deadline for every school on the list. See our full application deadlines guide for the Class of 2027.
  • File the FAFSA and CSS Profile. The FAFSA typically opens October 1. Some CSS Profile deadlines are as early as November. Gather tax returns, W-2s, and bank statements before the forms open. See our financial aid timeline for the full schedule.
  • Stay on top of supplemental essays. Most students underestimate how many supplements they need to write. A list of 10 schools can easily require 15 to 20 additional essays. Start as soon as prompts are available.

For a month-by-month senior summer plan, see our summer before senior year calendar.

What If We Are Behind?

You are not behind. You are starting.

The most common mistake families make is not starting late — it is trying to catch up on everything at once. If you are a junior who has not built a college list yet, do that first. If you are a senior who has not started essays, start the essay. If you are a sophomore who has not thought about college at all, that is completely normal.

The point of this guide is not to make you feel like you should have done more. It is to show you what matters most right now so you can focus on that and ignore the rest.

Keep It All in One Place

The hardest part of college planning is not any single task. It is keeping track of all of them across grades, deadlines, schools, essays, and family members.

CollegeHound's Binder gives your family one shared workspace to track the college list, activities, test scores, essays, recommendations, deadlines, and financial aid — starting from whatever grade your student is in right now. And Scout, our AI advisor, can help your student figure out what to do next based on where they actually are.

The first 500 families get CollegeHound Plus free through May 2027. Claim your Launch Pass and start organizing today.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When should families start college planning?

There is no wrong time to start. Families who begin in 9th grade have the advantage of time — they can explore without pressure. Families who start in 11th or 12th grade can still get organized quickly if they focus on the right priorities. The key is knowing what matters most for your student's current grade.

What is the most important thing to do for college planning right now?

It depends on your student's grade. For freshmen and sophomores, focus on course selection and exploring interests. For juniors, build the college list and prepare for standardized testing. For rising seniors, finalize the list, start essays, and request recommendation letters.

Is it too late to start college planning in 12th grade?

No. Senior year planning is more compressed, but families can still build a strong list, write good essays, and apply for financial aid. The key is prioritizing what matters most and not trying to do everything at once.