In October, take the PSAT exam. The junior year PSAT is the exam that is used to qualify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Take SAT I or ACT if you have not yet taken them or if you feel confident you can do better now. You can take the SAT and ACT multiple times. There is no penalty. If you are not ready, take practice tests or get professional help from a SAT preparation center.

If you are taking any AP courses, you will have to take the AP test in May and if you are in Honors classes, you can take the SAT II Subject test in June. You can also take SAT I or ACT if you are ready.

Financial Aid is calculated based on the income from the previous year to the date of starting college. If your child is going to college in Fall of 2020, you financial needs will be based on your 2019 income. You need to plan for taxes and financial aid at the start of the junior year of high school. You can start by finding a few good books on how to pay for college in your local libraray.