Helpful Resources for Parents and Students


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The College Counseling Office strives to work closely with students and families throughout the college search/admission process. Our goal is to make the process as transparent as possible; therefore, good communication is critical. We hope that you find the information provided here to be useful.
  • Steps in the College Counseling Journey Steps in the College Counseling Journey

    Steps in the College Counseling Journey: A Guide of What is Coming and When
  • Use Naviance to research colleges, track FWCD admission statistics, and sign up for individual college visits. Use Naviance to research colleges, track FWCD admission statistics, and sign up for individual college visits.
    Seniors and juniors use Naviance to research colleges, track FWCD admission statistics, and sign up for individual college visits. Families may also login as Guest users.
  • ApplyTexas is used to apply to Texas public colleges and universities. ApplyTexas is used to apply to Texas public colleges and universities.
    ApplyTexas is used to apply to Texas public colleges and universities.
  • Visit the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success Visit the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success
    The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success is a diverse group of more than 130 colleges and universities across the U.S. that is committed to making college a reality for all high school students through its set of free, online college planning tools that helps them learn about, prepare for, and apply to college. A few Texas universities accept the Coalition Application, including Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin.
  • Visit the Common Application website Visit the Common Application website
    The Common Application is used by almost all FWCD students to apply to college. It is accepted at more than 900 colleges and universities.
  • Open the ACT website link Open the ACT website link
    A standardized college admission exam that includes four curriculum-based tests in English, math, reading and science. Each test is scored on a scale of 1 (low) to 36 (high), and the four tests are averaged to provide a composite score.
  • Visit the College Board website Visit the College Board website
    The College Board website is an excellent college search tool. It is the oversight agency for many tests and services connected with the college admission process, including the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, Subject Tests, CSS Financial Aid Profile and AP Exams.
  • Complete the online form that determines eligibility for Federal Student aid-grants, college work study jobs and loans. Complete the online form that determines eligibility for Federal Student aid-grants, college work study jobs and loans.
    Online form that determines eligibility for Federal Student aid-grants, college work study jobs and loans. The FAFSA should be completed after October 1 of the senior year. There is no fee to submit this form.
  • Visit the National Association for College Admission Counseling Visit the National Association for College Admission Counseling
    The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is the association dedicated to ethical treatment of students in the college admission process. For questions concerning the May 1 National Candidates' Reply Date, consult NACAC's "Students' Rights and Responsibilities" document.
  • Register online with the NCAA Eligibility Center Register online with the NCAA Eligibility Center
    Registering online with the NCAA Eligibility Center is the avenue in which eligibility for participation in collegiate athletics is determined. Student athletes are encouraged to register at the beginning of the senior year. All prospective student-athletes intending to enroll in an NCAA Division I or II institution must complete the NCAA Amateurism Certification questionnaire.

College Planning Timeline

List of 4 items.

  • Freshman Year - It’s never too early to plan for the future!

      • Build strong writing and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses.
      • Study hard and get excellent grades.
      • Strengthen your vocabulary by increasing your reading.
      • Become involved in extracurricular activities.
      • Browse through college literature or surf the Web to get an idea of what kinds of schools may be of interest to you.
      • Check out what high school courses colleges require.
      • Know NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Eligibility Center requirements if you want to play sports in college.
      • Keep an academic portfolio and extracurricular record.
      • Research career possibilities.
      • Begin saving money for college. 

  • Sophomore Year

      • Concentrate on academic preparation and continue to develop basic skills and extracurricular interests.
      • Take the PSAT in October. The PSAT is a practice test for the SAT. The results will not be used for college admission.
      • Sign up, if you have not done so already, for extracurricular activities which interest you. The level of involvement and accomplishment is most important, not the number of activities.
      • Keep a record of your extracurricular involvement, volunteer work, and employment (all year).
      • It is never too early to start researching colleges and universities. Visit the College Counseling Office to browse through literature and guidebooks or surf the Web and check out college and university home pages. The College Board’s Web site is an excellent place to begin searching.
      • Plan now for wise use of your summer. Consider taking a summer course or participating in a special program (e.g., for prospective engineers or journalists or for those interested in theatre or music). Consider working or volunteering. Make your summer productive.
      • During the summer, you may want to sign up for a PSAT/SAT prep course, use computer software, or do the practice tests in books designed to familiarize you with standardized tests. A little discipline goes a long way!
      • Continue reading to increase your vocabulary. 

  • Junior Year

      • Attend Junior College Counseling Course.
      • Attend the FWCD College Day in September.
      • Visit with college representatives.
      • Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October.
      • Visit colleges.
      • Refine college list.
      • Attend your Junior Conference, a conversation with your parents and one of the college counselors about your path through the college application process and beyond.
      • Complete Common Application, write college essay, compile resume and request at least one teacher letter of recommendation (part of your College Counseling Class requirements.)
      • Take SAT in March or May and ACT in April or June.
      • Take AP Exams in May.
      • Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if interested in participating in collegiate athletics.
      • If you work, save some of your earnings for college.

  • Senior Year

      • Attend Senior College Counseling Course.
      • Attend the FWCD College Day in September.
      • Visit with college representatives.
      • Take the ACT in September and the SAT in October.
      • Attend Mission Application I & II.
      • Submit applications by Office of College Counseling deadlines.
      • Release your SAT and/or ACT scores directly from each testing agency to each college/university where you have applied. FWCD does not send test scores.
      • If interested in applying for Federal student aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.fafsa.ed.gov after October 1. Some colleges may also require students to complete the CSS PROFILE which can be found on the College Board Web site at www.collegeboard.com.
      • Avoid Scholarship Scams—if you have any question about the validity of a scholarship program ask a college counselor. Remember, you should never have to pay money to receive money! For a list of defendants named in recent scams, check out the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site.
      • Take advantage of every opportunity to interview whether it is on campus or here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with an alumni representative.
      • Notify the College Counseling Office of all acceptances, deferrals, or denials.
      • Notify the College Counseling Office of all offers of merit scholarship from all schools to which you applied and community organizations.
      • Make final visits to colleges to narrow down an enrollment choice.
      • Send only ONE enrollment deposit. It should be sent to the one college you plan to attend. DO NOT DOUBLE DEPOSIT!
      • National Candidates’ Reply Date (May 1)—Reply to those colleges where you have been accepted, but do not plan to attend.
      • Take AP Exams in May.
      • If you work, save some of your earnings for college.

FWCD School Code 442519

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4200 Country Day Lane, Fort Worth, TX 76109
Phone: 817.732.7718
Fort Worth Country Day (FWCD) is a JK-12 private, independent, coeducational, nondenominational college-preparatory school located on approximately 100 acres in Fort Worth, Texas. The mission of Fort Worth Country Day School is to foster the intellectual, physical, emotional, and ethical development of capable students through an academically rigorous college preparatory program that integrates the arts and athletics.