Academics
College Guidance

College Planning Timeline

9th Grade

  • Get great grades in all of your classes
  • Seek assistance and tutoring if you are struggling in any of your classes. First speak to your teacher, then your adviser, the department chair and then your guidance counselor.
  • Make sure you have a thesaurus so that you can increase your vocabulary
  • Get involved in activities in the community and at school that interest you
  • Attend college open houses
  • Talk to your advisor about your future plans how that aligns with your future coursework
  • Make sure you sign up for rigorous classes for 10th grade
  • Maintain a clean discipline record

10th Grade

  • Get great grades in all of your classes.
  • Seek assistance and tutoring if you are struggling in any of your classes
  • Try to gain leadership experiences in your sports and activities
  • Make sure you sign up for rigorous classes for 11th grade.
  • Consider getting a job to help with your future college expenses
  • Begin researching scholarships and their requirements.
  • Create a functional resume.
  • Begin researching college websites of schools that you think you may be interested in or go to the library and take out books about various colleges
  • Take several virtual college tours
  • Learn and understand the admissions requirements for various colleges
  • Make sure you sign up for rigorous classes for 11th grade
  • Go to the library or go online to take practice tests for the PSAT’s
  • Talk to adults you know about the college they attended
  • Try to enroll in a summer college program where you can earn college credits
  • Attend college open houses and visit programs

11th Grade

  • Take the PSAT
  • Get great grades in all of your classes
  • Seek assistance and tutoring if you are struggling in any of your classes.
  • Attend local college fairs.
  • Attend college open houses.
  • Think about your passion
  • Continue to research scholarships.
  • Meet with Mrs. Scott a minimum of two times to discuss colleges that may fit your criteria during the spring semester
  • Meet with the college admission counselors that visit your school
  • Visit as many schools as you can, go on local college tours
  • Make sure you sign up for at least 4 rigorous academic (English, Math, History, Science and/or Foreign Language) classes senior year
  • Practice, practice and practice for your SAT/ACT. Sign up for the free SAT prep class here at CFS!
  • Take the SAT/ACT in the spring of your junior year
  • Write a draft of your personal statement
  • At the end of the 11th grade ask two teachers that really know you to write letters of recommendation for you
  • Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse if you plan to pursue an NCAA sport during college

12th Grade

List of 3 items.

  • Summer

    • Try to visit as many colleges as you can
    • Work so that you can pay your college application fees
    • Continue to work on skills that will help you with your SAT/ACT
    • Continue editing your personal statement
    • Research and apply for scholarships
    • Find out which schools have supplements and begin working on them
    • Start your Common Application that opens August 1

  • Fall

    • Sign up for the October SAT in early September.
    • Meet with Mrs. Scott a minimum of twice
    • Meet with college admissions counselors visiting CFS
    • Make sure the college counselor receives the letters of recommendation from your teachers
    • Stay on top of your classes
    • Submit the scholarship applications
    • Visit colleges that are of a strong interest
    • Find out the various admissions guidelines, deadlines and notifications for each school that you are considering
    • Submit your application for each college by Thanksgiving Break
    • Attend financial aid workshops to learn how to fill out the FAFSA
    • Schedule college interviews

  • Winter/Spring

    • Follow up with each of the schools you applied to and make sure they received all of the required materials.
    • Fill out the FAFSA form and send it to every school you applied to by February 1st of your senior year.
    • Keep your grades high, as most schools will see your mid-year grades before they will make their decision.
    • Learn more about the schools you were accepted to. Attend any special programs that are for admitted students.
    • Carefully review the financial aid package. Always ask for more money. Remember this is a four-year financial commitment.
    • If you received any outside scholarships make sure you send them a thank you note.
    • Send your deposit to the school that you will attend in the fall. Remember that the deposit can be anywhere from $200-$800 or more. Deposits are almost all universally due by May 1st to ensure your spot at the particular college.
    • Complete your senior-check out with Mrs. Scott.

List of 2 members.

  • Photo of Tiffany Scott

    Tiffany Scott 

    Interim Head of School
    610-280-6729
  • Photo of Alexandra Daniels

    Alexandra Daniels 

    Dean of Academic Support/Interim Director of College Guidance
Church Farm School | 1001 E. Lincoln Hwy. | Exton, Pennsylvania 19341
Phone: 610.363.7500 | Fax: 610.363.5367 | Admissions: admissions@gocfs.net
The Church Farm School is an independent boarding and day school for boys in grades 9-12 located in Exton, PA. Founded in 1918 to provide an excellent education to young men from limited means, Church Farm School now serves boys from a range of socio-economic circumstances who are seeking an extraordinary educational opportunity. The school offers a challenging college preparatory curriculum and an exceptional level of personal attention, with class sizes averaging between just 7 and 12 students.