A REAL LOOK AT THE PLANNING PROCESS
Meet Maya. See how a plan takes shape.
Grade 10 · Business & Economics
Fictional demonstration. All student details, observations and plans below are illustrative—not a client record, test result or admissions outcome.
01 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Student profile
- School context
- Illustrative California public high school; graduation in 2029. Course availability and prerequisites still need school confirmation.
- Academic starting point
- Assumed 3.7 unweighted GPA. Enjoys algebra and social studies; writing consistency needs attention. These are invented planning inputs.
- Interests and commitments
- Interested in local business and consumer decisions. Member of a business club; volunteers with a community food program; plays recreational tennis.
- Family priorities
- Explore economics versus business without overloading the week. Compare total college cost early; affordability comes before prestige.
- Available capacity
- Illustrative limit: about four hours per week outside existing school and activity commitments. Revisit during exams.
- Current question
- How can I explore business seriously while keeping strong academics and time for the activities I enjoy?
02 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Academic audit
- Build on
- Quantitative curiosity, consistent community involvement and willingness to reflect on experience.
- Investigate
- Writing feedback, actual math prerequisites, weekly workload and the difference between liking business content and enjoying business work.
- Next academic actions
- Review one writing sample with a teacher; meet the school counselor before course registration; keep a two-week workload log.
03 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Four-year course plan
- Grade 9 · prior year
- Review completed English, math, science, history and language courses. Confirm credit record before planning forward.
- Grade 10 · current
- Continue the school's next math sequence, English, lab science, history and language; explore a business elective if workload permits.
- Grade 11 · proposed
- Consider appropriate advanced math, a writing-intensive course and an economics option where offered. Choose AP, IB, honors or dual credit only after confirming readiness and school rules.
- Grade 12 · proposed
- Maintain a balanced core schedule and appropriate quantitative progression; revisit electives after major exploration and college research.
04 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Activity audit & next steps
- Business club
- Attend consistently before adding a title. Help plan one small event and record what was learned about budgeting, audience and execution.
- Community food program
- Keep the existing commitment. Ask the coordinator which practical problem needs help; choose a bounded contribution with permission.
- Independent exploration
- Create a short, non-commercial project about a local business question using public information. Show sources, limitations and reflection rather than invented impact numbers.
- Keep room for tennis
- Maintain an enjoyable activity. Reduce new commitments first if academic workload becomes unsustainable.
05 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Testing plan
- Baseline
- No score is assumed. Use an official SAT and ACT practice option under the provider's current administration instructions.
- SAT versus ACT
- Compare comfort, pacing, section patterns and the student's preferences after reviewing both practice experiences.
- Target and timeline
- Set a working score target after baseline review and current college research. Decide official test timing only when readiness, school calendar and registration availability support it.
- Two mock checkpoints
- Illustrative checkpoints: January and March. Review section-level errors and update the study plan after each. Actual dates are agreed with the family.
- Tutoring decision
- Use targeted instruction when review shows a specific skills gap. Tutor scope, session length, homework and pricing are confirmed separately; this example does not add tutoring to a package.
- Retest decision
- Retest only after reviewing progress, goals, workload and the next realistic preparation window.
06 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Summer plan
- Primary project
- Develop a small public-data business or economics project. Define one question, keep a source log and produce a short written reflection.
- Community and exploration
- Continue the existing service role at a manageable pace. Arrange an informational conversation only with the participant's consent; a placement is not promised.
- Recovery and review
- Protect family and rest time. At summer's end, review evidence about interests, workload and next-year priorities.
07 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
College direction
- Explore
- Compare economics, business and related quantitative fields. Note course requirements and what students actually study.
- Research buckets
- Begin with in-state public options, out-of-state public options and private colleges with relevant programs. Specific reach/target/likely labels come later, after a complete profile review.
- Fit and cost notes
- Record curriculum, campus setting, support, official cost estimates and questions for the family. Do not equate admission likelihood with affordability.
- Application direction
- Keep a reflection journal and an activities evidence log. There is no essay script or fabricated narrative; future writing stays student-owned.
08 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
Application timeline
- Spring of grade 11
- Build a working college research list; identify recommendation requirements and ask teachers according to school procedures. Record questions about fit, cost and application routes.
- Summer before grade 12
- Confirm each college's current published requirements. Build a deadline tracker, organize activities and brainstorm student-owned essays. Dates and prompts must be verified for the actual application cycle.
- Fall of grade 12
- Review early application choices with the family; finish drafts, request required records and check every application against its official deadline. Families retain account access and submit their own forms.
- Winter of grade 12
- Complete remaining applications, confirm receipt of required materials and track financial-aid and scholarship requirements. Review requests for updates or interviews as they arrive.
- Spring of grade 12
- Compare admission offers, program fit and actual cost. Discuss waitlist or appeal options where appropriate; the family makes enrollment decisions by each college's stated deadline.
09 · FICTIONAL EXAMPLE
A year of decisions, one month at a time.
This sample shows planning milestones, not twelve included advising appointments. Sessions and deliverables follow the selected service agreement. Every item below is a proposed example, not completed work.
Oct 2026 · Planned
Profile and academic audit; workload log
Owner: Student + advisor
Deliverable: Profile and three priorities
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Nov 2026 · Planned
SAT/ACT baseline and activity review
Owner: Student + advisor
Deliverable: Testing choice and activity next steps
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Dec 2026 · Planned
Compare majors; check winter workload
Owner: Student
Deliverable: Two major exploration notes
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Jan 2027 · Planned
Mock checkpoint one; revise study priorities
Owner: Student + advisor
Deliverable: Score review and error log
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Feb 2027 · Planned
Course planning with school counselor
Owner: Student + parent
Deliverable: Proposed grade 11 schedule
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Mar 2027 · Planned
Mock checkpoint two; review business project scope
Owner: Student + advisor
Deliverable: Updated testing decision
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Apr 2027 · Planned
Research summer options and college costs
Owner: Student + parent
Deliverable: Summer plan and cost questions
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
May 2027 · Planned
Protect exam preparation; review commitments
Owner: Student
Deliverable: Finals schedule and workload check
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Jun 2027 · Planned
Start bounded summer project
Owner: Student
Deliverable: Question, source log and work plan
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Jul 2027 · Planned
Continue project and community role
Owner: Student
Deliverable: Project draft and reflection
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Aug 2027 · Planned
Summer review; prepare grade 11 priorities
Owner: Family + advisor
Deliverable: Revised annual roadmap
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
Sep 2027 · Planned
Check course fit and testing readiness
Owner: Student + advisor
Deliverable: Next-term decisions and action items
Checkpoint: month-end; exact dates agreed with the family.
What happens after each meeting?
Decisions become a short action list: what to do, who owns it, when it is due and what evidence will show progress. Priorities change when the student’s situation changes.
Example only. Courses, activities, testing and college research are individualized. No admission, score, scholarship, internship or financial-aid outcome is guaranteed.
Start with your student's situation—not a package.
A free 45–60-minute conversation about academics, activities, testing, goals, and your family's questions. No obligation to enroll.