Plan school, scholarships, and your next chapter.

A high school checklist helps students stay on track before deadlines get stressful. Start by asking what credits are needed to graduate, then check attendance, grades, testing dates, and missing assignments.

• Meet with a school counselor at least once each semester.
• Track graduation credits, required classes, and service hours.
• Write down application, test, scholarship, and activity deadlines.

Dual enrollment lets eligible high school students take college classes and earn college credit while still in high school. It can save time and money, but students should understand the workload before signing up.

• Ask about eligibility, placement tests, grades, and parent permission.
• Confirm whether tuition, books, fees, and transportation are covered.
• Ask if credits will transfer to the colleges or programs you are considering.

Scholarships are money for school that usually does not need to be paid back. Start with trusted sources first because some scholarship search websites collect personal data and may share or sell it.

• Use state and government-backed tools like GAfutures, FAFSA resources, and the College Board scholarship search.
• Ask school counselors, colleges, local foundations, employers, churches, and community organizations about local awards.
• Be careful with websites that ask for unnecessary personal details, promise guaranteed awards, or make you create long marketing profiles.
• Keep a folder with essays, recommendation letters, transcripts, and activity lists.

College prep means choosing programs carefully and keeping applications organized. Common App can help students apply to many colleges, while GAfutures supports Georgia college planning, state aid, and career exploration.

• Track Common App, GAfutures, FAFSA, admission, and scholarship deadlines.
• Compare program cost, graduation rates, location, transportation, and student support.
• Ask about first-generation student programs, tutoring, advising, and emergency aid.