College and careers
Planning for college from grade 10, calmly
2026-06-12 · 7 min read
Course choices, admissions tests, applications and money, in the order they actually matter.
College planning goes wrong when it starts in grade 12. Started in grade 10, it is mostly a series of small, unstressful decisions.
Grade 10 is about course choices. Selective courses expect certain subjects at certain levels; picking them early keeps doors open without committing to anything.
Grade 11 is the heaviest year on paper and the year most applications draw on. Practice admissions tests belong here, early enough that a poor score can be acted on.
Grade 12 is execution: essays, deadlines, references and financial aid forms. Our counsellor schedules these through the fall so that nothing depends on a single frantic week.
Money is part of the plan, not an afterthought. Financial aid deadlines are often earlier than application deadlines, and missing one can cost more than any test score.
Take the next step
Thinking about the next school year?
Look through the grades, or talk to admissions about your child. A call takes twenty minutes, costs nothing, and we will tell you honestly if we are not the right school for them.