Countdown to college: Think about your college timeline in the new year

New Year’s is a time for resolutions and reorganization. If you’re the parent of a high school freshman or sophomore, or particularly if you’re the parent of a junior, now is the time to understand and start implementing the college timeline.

There is no need to be intimidated. With proper planning and execution, you have plenty of time to research and visit colleges and complete the applications.

If you anticipate that your child will be applying to any of the more selective colleges and universities, the earlier you initiate the process, the better.

College preparation in high school varies widely. Private schools tend to start earlier and offer families much more direct contact with their guidance staff.

According to research conducted by the Independent Educational Consultants Association, public school students in the United States, on average, receive about 38 minutes of personal college counseling with their guidance counselors over four years, and six out of 10 students reported receiving no college counseling whatsoever. Nationally, the current student-to-counselor ratios are 476 to 1, and in California they are 1,016 to 1 — which might explain the burgeoning college consultant market.

The two most important factors for any college application are: (1) the rigor of a student’s coursework, and (2) the student’s performance in each of the selected classes.

This means that course selection for all four years is critical, especially if a student has lofty goals of attending a selective college or university. It means that families need to plan out not just the next year but the ensuing years.

It’s also important to understand the point values in your school system for different courses: standard college prep, honors classes and Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate.