College Admissions · Roadmap by grade · 2026-27 school year
Grade 11 is the year in which grades and standardized testing are most concentrated. The University of California (UC) GPA counts courses through the summer after grade 11. The PSAT/NMSQT in October is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program. The SAT has three dates in spring 2027: March 6, May 1, and June 5. In the second semester of grade 11, students also begin drafting a college list and gathering essay material.
After a school is selected, this section shows the grade 11 dates listed in that school's guide, such as course selection dates, in-school test days, and parent meetings.
The list covers the 28 high schools with a guide on this site. For other schools, follow the school's own notices; the month-by-month checklist below applies to California high schools in general.
This school's guide does not list separate grade 11 dates. See the guide for the school calendar and course selection dates.
UC systemwide figures: a student who applies to multiple campuses is counted once.
School dates are taken from the school guide on this site; sources are listed on the guide page, and the school's notices for the current year take precedence.
Dated items come from official websites, with sources listed at the end of the page. Undated items are tasks suited to that month and can be moved earlier or later to fit the student.
The UC GPA counts courses only through the summer after grade 11. When a student applies to UC, grade 12 grades are not yet available, so the most recent grades the admissions office sees are from grade 11.
UC GPA calculatorUC does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission. For students applying to private universities, a first sitting in the spring of grade 11 is recommended, leaving the fall of grade 12 for retakes and applications.
Test date calendarOne of the UC comprehensive review factors is the type and number of A-G courses in progress or planned for grade 12. The grade 12 schedule is selected in the spring of grade 11.
A college list combines three tiers: reach, match, and safety. Essay material comes from the activities and experiences of the past two years; organize it into a list before summer, and begin first drafts in the summer.
College admissions planningThe period counted in the UC GPA ends with the summer after grade 11. At most 8 honors points are available across grades 10 and 11, with at most 4 from grade 10 and the rest used in grade 11. Once they are used up, additional AP courses no longer raise the UC GPA, but UC comprehensive review does look at the number of and performance in honors, AP, and college courses.
The PSAT/NMSQT in October of grade 11 is the qualifying test for National Merit, and the school arranges it on campus. The SAT has three dates in spring 2027, March 6, May 1, and June 5, and the ACT has four, February 27, April 10, June 12, and July 10. UC does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admission decisions or scholarship awards.
In grade 11, activities are about results: a completed research project, a placing in a competition, or a project sustained for two years or more. The summer after grade 11 is the last full summer before applications, and most summer and research program applications close in winter.
Three tasks begin in the second semester of grade 11: drafting the college list, organizing essay material, and deciding on recommenders. The UC application opens for drafting on August 1 each year, and the personal insight questions call for four responses out of eight questions, with a maximum of 350 words each.
What to do each month from grade 9 through grade 12, one grade per page, with checkboxes, ready to print and keep at the student's desk.
Registered. The documents are ready to download.All three documents are now available. To have a counselor walk through them for the student's grade and school, book a 30-minute initial assessment.
This device is registered. The PDF can be downloaded directly.
Irvine high schools give grade 11 students the PSAT/NMSQT on an in-school testing day in October. Each school sets its own date, and the dates differ by school; they appear under the school dates in each high school guide on this site. College Board sets the in-school testing window for fall 2026 as October 1 to 30.
EDUBUS recommends that Irvine grade 11 students take the SAT for the first time in the spring. The SAT has three dates in spring 2027: March 6, May 1, and June 5. The May 1 date falls next to the first week of AP Exams. A first sitting in March leaves time for a retake in June.
Irvine grade 11 students do not need SAT or ACT scores to apply to UC. The UC website states that neither admission decisions nor scholarship awards consider these scores; they can be used only as an alternative way to meet minimum eligibility requirements or for course placement after enrollment. Students applying to private universities need to confirm the testing requirement of each college.
Irvine grade 11 students can organize essay material in the second semester and write first drafts in the summer after grade 11. The UC application opens for drafting on August 1 each year, and the personal insight questions call for four responses out of eight questions, with a maximum of 350 words each. With first drafts finished in the summer, the time after grade 12 begins can go to revision and to supplemental essays for private universities.
School-specific dates are sourced on each school guide on this site.
Leave the grade and high school, and an Irvine-based counselor will be in touch within one business day. The initial assessment takes 30 minutes, in person at the Irvine Ivy Center or online, and ends with a first set of recommendations.
