November 2024 Checklists

Stay proactive with deadlines and goals

As we move into November, high school students—especially those in their junior and senior years—should stay focused on several critical steps in the college admissions process. Juniors are preparing with practice tests and deepening their extracurriculars, while seniors are busy tracking UC applications and fine-tuning their submissions. Meanwhile, underclassmen can benefit from exploring extracurricular opportunities, linking passions to community involvement, and setting goals for the new year. And, of course, everyone is working hard to keep their grades up! Staying proactive in November can set the stage for a less stressful application season and a more intentional approach to college admissions.

At a glance… 

Upcoming ACT deadlines:

• 11/8 registration deadline for 12/14 test (no ACT in November)

• 12/14 test

• 1/3 registration deadline for 2/8 test (no ACT in January)

• 2/8 test

• 2/28 registration deadline for 4/5 test (no ACT in March)

• 4/5 test

Upcoming SAT deadlines:

• 11/2 test

• 11/22 registration deadline for 12/7 test

• 12/7 test

• 2/21 registration deadline for 3/8 test (no SAT in January nor February)

• 3/8 test

Other:

• EA and ED applications are due TODAY for the following colleges: (EAs:) Boston College, Boston University, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Johns Hopkins, Lehigh, NYU, Northwestern, Penn, Rice, Rochester, Tufts, U Chicago, Vanderbilt, Wash U, (EDs:) Georgetown, Georgia Tech, Harvard, MIT, Notre Dame, The Ohio State, Princeton, Purdue, Rutgers, Stanford, UF, UIUC, U Mich Ann Harbor, UW Madison, and Yale.

• Other upcoming college application deadlines:

  • 11/15 Wake Forest EA and ED I

  • 12/1 Virginia Tech ED

• Step into my office! AMA for ALL subscribers is Thursday, November 7th, from 2:00-3:00 PM EST. Join us here!

• We have an upcoming webinar: "The Ultimate Guide to Summer Programs: What’s Worth It and What’s Not." Register now and we will see you Tuesday, November 5th at 3:00 PM EST!

9th graders

If you’re a freshman, then your jobs this month are:

• Continue exploring new activities. This year is all about building a strong foundation, and each experience helps you discover more about your interests. With winter on the way, consider joining a new club or trying out a winter sport.

• Get comfortable with helpful resources and tools. Last month, we encouraged you to organize in a way that suits you. If you haven’t yet, try exploring tools like Trello, Asana, Google Calendar, physical planners, white noise for studying, stretching breaks, and other routines that signal it’s time to focus.

• Maintain your grades. By now, your routines have likely settled into habits—are they helping you succeed?

Parents of 9th graders:

• Talk with your student about their extracurriculars. Are these activities meaningful and engaging for them, or have they become just another part of their routine? Do you see opportunities for growth in their clubs, or does it seem they’re currently focused on having fun?

• Take a moment to review your child’s study habits. By now, their routines have likely settled into habits—are these supporting good grades? Are they feeling stressed? Are there ways their habits could be improved?