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Same navy/gold 6-page PDF as this page: phase checklists, dinner-table questions, and where MajorMatch fits. Download is always free and never gated.

Download free timeline PDF Open Major Earnings Continuum

Honest frame: Families don’t usually fail by caring too little. They fail by drifting — no shared shortlist, no cost conversation, no plan for a switch. Decision quality beats hype.

Phased map · Family edition

Parent actions by phase

Pick the phase that matches your teen’s grade. Do the actions. Advance when the evidence is ready — not when a brochure says you “should.”

9–10EXPLORE

Breadth without panic

Goal: build a wide, honest interest map. Do not lock a major. Collect evidence: classes they finish, work they seek out, work they avoid.

Parent actions this phase

  • Inventory strengths: which classes hold attention vs. which they survive.
  • One job-shadow or informational chat per semester (relative, neighbor, alumni).
  • Visit the free Major Earnings Continuum once — browse families of majors, not rankings.
  • Protect sleep and reading time; exploration fails when everything is frantic.
  • Keep a shared note: “liked / curious / never again.” Update quarterly.

Questions that help

  • What problem would you happily work on for a month?
  • Would you rather build, explain, persuade, care for, or organize?
  • Which elective would you take twice?

MajorMatch now? Optional. A free assessment is fine for curiosity — treat top-3 as a hypothesis, not a contract. Revisit in 11th.

Next-step gate: Move on when you have (1) a short list of 5–8 fields that aren’t random, (2) at least one real-world exposure, (3) agreement that “undecided” is still OK.
11NARROW

Evidence over vibes

Goal: cut the field to a shortlist of 3. Align coursework, extracurriculars, and campus visits with that shortlist — not with a Pinterest aesthetic.

Parent actions this phase

  • Have teen take the free MajorMatch assessment (~10–20 min).
  • Read the top-3 sample together the same week — no forced #1 if scores are close.
  • Map each shortlisted major on the Tree; open related careers.
  • Ask the counselor: which courses unlock these majors at target schools?
  • Price-check: one state flagship + one backup path for each shortlist item.
  • Schedule one “paths we should avoid” conversation using ability gaps, not fear.

Where Pathfinder helps

  • Full “why this fits” write-ups
  • Paths to avoid with specific gaps
  • State colleges + tuition context
  • A PDF for counselor meetings

$29 one-time when you need depth. Skip it if free top-3 + Tree already settled the shortlist. No subscription.

Talk script: “We’re not picking forever tonight. We’re picking what to research for the next 90 days.” Which of these three still stands if a friend laughs? Which needs the most persistence from you?
12DECIDE

Document the decision

Goal: choose a primary major direction (or intentional undeclared strategy), align applications, and write down the switch criteria before tuition compounds.

Parent actions this phase

  • Confirm primary + alternate major on each application where it matters.
  • Re-open Pathfinder PDF (if unlocked) before counselor / FAFSA season meetings.
  • Tour departments, not just campuses — sit in on a class if possible.
  • Agree on a switch rule: e.g. “revisit after first midterms if X and Y.”
  • Build a one-page family summary: why this path, what we’d change, cost ceiling.

Decision-quality checks

  • Is this interest + ability, or only prestige pressure?
  • Do we understand early-career work on a Tuesday?
  • If wrong, is the expensive part time, tuition, or both?
  • Does the school make switching possible without a lost year?

If senior year started without a shortlist: take the free assessment this week, walk the Tree once, then decide whether Pathfinder is worth unlocking before deposits.

YR1BACKUP

Undeclared / freshman course-correct

Goal: use the first year as structured discovery — not accidental delay. Extra semesters are where families quietly pay for no plan.

Parent actions

  • If undeclared: set a declare-by date with the advisor (term, not vibe).
  • Retake or refresh MajorMatch if interests shifted after real coursework.
  • Compare Pathfinder “paths to avoid” against actual first-semester grades.
  • Prefer majors with clear prerequisite ladders over vague “figuring it out.”
  • Talk cost early: what one extra semester means for your family budget.

This week (any phase)

  • Print the PDF; circle your phase.
  • 20-min talk: teen explains top interests in their words.
  • 15 min on the Major Earnings Continuum together.
  • Book the free assessment if you lack a data shortlist.

Avoid these

What most families get wrong on the timeline

Starting too late on the major decision

Families often wait until senior fall to think about the major. By then, the application essay is being drafted, the college list is mostly set, and the supplemental essays asking "why this major" are already due. Resolving the major during junior year (or earlier) makes everything downstream easier and produces stronger applications.

Confusing test-optional with test-irrelevant

Most "test-optional" colleges still meaningfully reward strong test scores in admissions and merit-aid decisions. If a student can hit the school's 75th-percentile score, submitting almost always helps. If the student is below the 25th percentile, withholding is the right move.

Treating financial aid as a senior-year topic

Financial aid strategy belongs in junior year, not senior year. The CSS Profile considers home equity, asset structure, and timing of distributions. Sophisticated families plan asset positioning 18–24 months ahead of the FAFSA filing year. Talk to a fee-only financial aid consultant during junior year if your family's situation is non-trivial.

Where MajorMatch fits

Use the timeline for year-by-year habits. Bring MajorMatch in when you need ranked evidence — not as a four-minute personality label.

1

Free assessment

~10–20 min adaptive (ability + Holland RIASEC + persistence). Teen sees a top-3 sample free.

2

Major Earnings Continuum

Free interactive map of 100 majors → careers → mid-career pay context. Browse together.

3

Optional Pathfinder

$29 one-time when you need full reasoning, paths to avoid, colleges, and a counselor PDF. No subscription.

Start free assessment Open Major Earnings Continuum Download PDF

FAQ

Questions parents ask about this timeline

Use a phased plan: 9th–10th explore breadth; 11th narrow to ~3 with evidence; 12th decide and document primary + alternate and switch criteria; freshman year keep an undeclared backup with a declare-by date. Details are in the phase cards above and the free PDF.

Best fit is junior year when you’re ready to cut the field with evidence. Earlier grades can take it for curiosity (treat top-3 as a hypothesis). Seniors or undeclared freshmen without a shortlist should take it promptly. Typically 10–20 minutes; top-3 sample is free.

Yes. This page and the printable PDF are free — no paywall. The assessment sample is free too; optional Pathfinder is a one-time $29 unlock when you want the full report.

No. Use the free checklists first. Unlock Pathfinder only when free top-3 + Tree aren’t enough — full write-ups, paths to avoid, state college/tuition context, or a counselor PDF. One-time $29; no subscription.

Treat year one as structured discovery. Set a declare-by date with the advisor, refresh MajorMatch after real coursework, prefer majors with clear prerequisite ladders, and talk early about what an extra semester costs.

This is a year-by-year parent action plan, not a personality label. When you use MajorMatch, the assessment is typically 10–20 minutes with adaptive ability, RIASEC interests, and persistence — not a four-minute toy quiz. Free top-3; optional $29 Pathfinder.

Print the plan. Then get real data when you’re ready.

Download the free Parent College Prep Timeline, pick your phase, and — when the shortlist needs evidence — take the free MajorMatch assessment (~10–20 min).

Download free PDF Start free assessment

Also: Major Earnings Continuum · Parents hub · Pathfinder preview