High School Student Checklist

It’s never too early to start preparing for medical school. Below is a list of suggestions to make sure you're on track in high school.

• Freshman Year

  • Meet your guidance counselor to talk about career paths you are interested in

  • Look for volunteer opportunities and choose extracurricular activities

  • Focus on studying and making good grades

  • Begin searching for health-related opportunities

  • Keep track of activities and accomplishments from High School in a journal

• Sophomore Year

  • Meet with guidance counselor to make sure you are still on track with course schedule

  • Take PSAT and begin preparing for ACT

  • Stay on track with courses and keep up with grades

  • Plan volunteer and job shadow opportunities for spring and summer

  • Join clubs within your high school and community

  • Begin drafting personal statement for college applications

  • Update your journal with activities and accomplishments

• Junior Year

  Fall Semester:

  • Meet with guidance counselor to make sure you are still on track to talk about college and majors

  • Start studying for the ACT/SAT 

  • Take the ACT or SAT

  • Continue studying for the ACT if you wish to retake the ACT

  • Continue to focus on grades 

  • Make a list of colleges and universities you would like to attend

  • Begin attending college fairs and speaking to college recruiters

  • Begin planning campus visits for Spring Semester

  • Stay involved in extracurricular and volunteer activities 

  • Seek to obtain leadership roles on or off campus

  Spring Semester:

  • Start narrowing down college choices

  • Retake the ACT to improve score (if needed)

  • Meet with guidance counselor to prepare class schedule for senior year

  • Continue researching scholarship opportunities

  • Contact letter of recommendation writers to ask for letters

  • Apply for summer internship or job

  • Set up appointments at top college choices to view the campus

  • Finalize your personal statement

  • Write down a list of deadlines for scholarship opportunities, FAFSA, and admissions applications

  • Update journal with activities and accomplishments

• Senior Year

  Fall Semester:

  • Continue to visit campuses at colleges or universities you are interested in

  • Stay on track with grades and extracurricular activities

  • Meet with counselor to discuss scholarships and admissions options

  • Ask for letters of recommendation

  • Start applications to the college/university of your choice

  • Check that colleges have received all materials: applications, letters of recommendation, test scores.

  • Submit financial aid forms (including FAFSA) at the beginning of October.

  Spring Semester:

  • Keep an eye out in the mail or email for notifications from college

  • Choose your school: Notify colleges and universities by May 1st  of your acceptance 

  • Continue to apply for scholarships