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9th Grade Year
Take your school work seriously. College looks at students' grades from 9th grade to 12th grade. You will need more self-discipline as you go through each year of high school - and even more in college. So you will be helping your future self if you start developing good study habits. Start developing good time management skills.
Meet with your school counselor to develop a 4-year plan.
Get involved in your school and community. Volunteer in your community. Sign up for a school club or after-school program.
Explore college and career options. Visit your school counselor or the career center coordinator to find out about different options. Talk with parents or community members about their careers and their college experiences
Learn about different ways to pay for college. Start to build a college admissions resume to track your achievements. Begin looking at scholarships available and apply (there are some scholarships that 9th grade students can apply for) if possible. Make a plan on how you can pay for college with a parent/guardian. Open a college savings account to help pay for college.
10th Grade Year
Stay involved in your school and community. Continue to be involved in school clubs, after-school programs or volunteer work.
Take advanced courses if you can. Look into taking AP Courses if available. These classes help prepare you for college and you might just earn college credit in the process.
Start thinking about your future. You have time to make final decisions later, but start thinking now about what makes you happy and what your future goals might be. Start thinking about what type of career you want and what is the best way to get there.
Meet with your school counselor to review your 4-year plan.
Take the right classes. Ask your school counselor about AP classes, Concurrent classes (Dual Credit). Make sure you are taking the right classes for high school graduation.
Prepare for the ACT test. Take classes seriously so you are preparing for the ACT test. Take a practice ACT test. You might even want to take it in the spring of your 10th grade year.
11th Grade Year
Focus on your classes. Take classes that will stretch your mind, sucha Concurrent Enrollment classes. Talk to your school counselor for more information.
Meet with your school counselor. Schedule with your parents, and your school counselor to discuss graduation requirements, college admissions requirements, career aspirations, and scholarship opportunities.
Take the ACT test. Get free ACT test preparation materials through act.org. See your school counselor for additional resources or with questions.
Align your CTE pathway with your college plans. Getting a certificate in a technical field can help you pay your way through college. It may also help you towards meeting your career and college goals. See your school counselor for more information.
Attend a college/career fair. Spend time talking with college representatives to find out what their college offers and if it aligns with your goals. Also, meeting with people in careers that you are interested in pursuing will help you make more informed decisions.
Continue to search for scholarships. There are many scholarships that you can apply for during your 11th grade high school year. Take time to review those options and apply.
Continue to review and research possible career options. Take or even retake a career interest profile to see if your interests have changed.
Visit a college campus and take a tour.
Stay or get involved if you are not already with your school and community. Look into clubs or after-school programs and take advantage of leadership opportunities you might have.
12th Grade Year
Stay Focused. You have worked up to this point. Don't let things slide now. Meet with your school counselor to make sure you are on track for high school graduation.
Take a math class. Be sure to take the right math class for your future career.
Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Attend FAFSA night to get any additional help you might need in completing the FAFSA. See your school counselor for the date of FAFSA night.
Apply to college in the fall. Apply to multiple colleges that you might be interested in attending.
Continue applying for scholarships. Research what scholarships are offered by the college or university you have applied for and be sure to check any deadlines. Apply for as many scholarships as you can. Check deadlines for the scholarships you qualify for.
Be proud, and celebrate your accomplishments. You are graduating from high school. Celebrate this step in your life, but be sure to finish strong.
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