Lesson 1:Planning Your Senior-year Course Schedule. Review your senior-year classes within the context of your college/career aspirations.

  • Technical College: If you are planning to attend a technical college you could increase the number of college credits and significantly reduce the cost of tuition by taking dual enrollment classes during your senior year. Depending on how many credits you have already accrued, you may be able to receive your Associate’s Degree.
  • In-state Public Universities: Having good grades and meeting the admission requirements of the public universities in the South Carolina University System in regard to the number of core classes, together with meeting the SAT/ACT score requirement will provide admission to most of the state universities.
  • Private Colleges and Universities: Since private colleges and universities are more selective, your senior-year classes and first semester grades can have a significant impact on your application and consideration for institutional scholarships and grants, and consideration for being offered admission into a school’s honors college. Important considerations are:
    • Consider the most challenging classes in which you can earn top grades.
    • Dual Enrollment Classes: While many private colleges and universities may not award credit for dual enrollment classes, they take into consideration how you are challenging yourself by taking college classes. They are likely to place more weight on classes such as English, Calculus, Biology as opposed to classes such as Music Appreciation or College Skills.
    • Consider classes that are aligned with your educational/career aspirations, such as math and science for students going into STEM-related disciplines; history, government, and language arts for students going into political science or the humanities.
    • Consider classes that will showcase and further develop your gifts and talents in athletics or music if you are pursuing scholarships in these areas.
    • Consider classes that will assist you in raising your SAT or ACT scores into a scholarship qualifying range at the colleges and universities to which you plan to apply for admission. 
    • A Full Course Schedule: A full course schedule of the type of classes outlined will be more impressive than taking the minimum required to graduate so that you have afternoons free.
    • A Light Course Schedule: A light course schedule may not be viewed as unfavorably if you are working to save money for college, participating in an internship, engaged in year-long community service, or in some way committing your time to developing your gifts and talents.
  • HBCUs: The most generous financial aid offered by HBCUs is merit-based in such areas as academics (grades and test scores), athletics, and music. If you are within range of meeting the scholarship requirements for either of these areas, then you plan your senior-year classes accordingly. Following are important considerations:
    • Consider classes where you can earn a final grade of ‘B’ or higher.
    • Consider classes that are aligned with your educational/career aspirations, such as math and science for students going into STEM-related disciplines; history, government, and language arts for students going into political science or the humanities.
    • Consider classes that will showcase and further develop your gifts and talents in athletics or music if you are pursuing scholarships in these areas.
    • Consider classes that will assist you in raising your SAT or ACT scores into a scholarship qualifying range at the colleges and universities to which you plan to apply for admission. 
  • Math and Science: Taking advantage of opportunities to increase the number and level of math and science classes can create an impressive high school transcript. While most college applicants will have 4 years of math and 3-4 years of science, if you have the opportunity through dual enrollment or online classes to increase the number of math and science classes on your transcript, you can become a more competitive applicant for college admission and for scholarships.
  • Discuss:Based on your available course taking options, discuss with your parent, mentor, or counselor, the type and level of classes (by subject) in which you are interested.
  • Action: Create a draft of your course schedule. After discussing your course taking options, return to your LCECHS Boot Camp Narratives document and add your senior-year classes to the “Narrative: My Senior-year Schedule and Goals” page.

Note: Obtain a copy of the High School Profile for the high school you are attending or plan to attend. The High School Profile (see sample) will typically indicate the type and level of classes offered in your high school. College admission officers will compare your high school course schedule against the type and level of classes offered, as well as your SAT/ACT and AP exam scores against the averages for your high school.

  • Assessment: Colleges will generally ask high school counselors to provide their assessment of a student’s course schedule as most demanding, very demanding, demanding, average, or below average. Ask your counselor how he or she would assess your course schedule.
  • Alignment: Are the type, and level, of classes consistent with your educational or career aspirations? For example, if you are pursuing a career in medicine, are the type and level of math and science classes consistent with what would be expected of a student with such aspirations?
  • Goals and Support: What are the course grades and AP or IB exam scores you wish to earn? If you are taking dual enrollment classes at a local college, how does the class relate to your career aspirations and what is the grade you wish to earn? What tutors or other type of academic support will you require?
  • Discussion:Discuss your schedule with your parents and review with your high school guidance counselor to ensure that you meet the requirements for taking each class (e.g., prerequisite classes, grades, test scores, or parent waiver).

Lesson: 2Planning Your Senior-year Goals. Your résumé and profile reveals your competitiveness as a college and scholarship applicant. Consider and review each of the following as you develop your senior-year goals:

  • Academics: Establish goals for grades, test scores, class rank, and GPA.
  • Leadership: Identify the leadership roles that you wish to assume in clubs, organizations, athletic teams, or at your job.
  • Community Service: Identify the community service activities in which you plan to engage during your final year of high school.
  • Personal Goals: Carefully and thoughtfully consider the personal goals that you establish as they may later be referred to in your college and scholarship essays. Do you want to work save money for college? Do you want to develop your gifts and talents? Do you want to accomplish something through your leadership roles or community service? Do you want to take more dual enrollment classes to reduce your overall college costs? Do you want to position yourself to offered admission to top colleges or to be considered for top scholarships? Try to be as specific as possible and set clear, measurable, and achievable goals.
  • Action: Return to your LCECHS Boot Camp Narratives document and add your senior-year goals  to the ‘My Goals’ page of  “Narrative: My Senior-year Schedule and Goals.”