Mapping Out Your Future

If you’re thinking that 9th grade is too early to start preparing for life after high school, you’re wrong. Some of what you do in 9th grade will impact your career decisions and college applications, and it could influence admissions decisions.

Also, if you have the mindset in 9th grade that you’re going to college, you’ll be much more likely to stay on the path to achieving your college goals.

Below are important tips for 9th-grade college and career readiness:

• Take the Right Classes. When you start high school, you need to make sure you’re taking a college prep curriculum if you plan to go to college. Talk to your counselor to ensure that you’re on a college prep track. In many schools, the math or foreign language class you take in your freshman year of high school will determine what level you’re able to reach when you’re a senior in high school.
• Colleges will evaluate you based on the classes you’ve taken. If you have any aspirations of attending a top college, the most selective schools want to see that you’re challenging yourself and taking some of the hardest classes that are offered at your school.
• You don’t have to take every single honors or AP class, but to get into the top schools, you should demonstrate that you can do well in the most difficult classes. It is recommended to take honors or AP classes in the subjects you're best at and the subjects you're considering studying in college.

 

Sources: College Board, Big Future, Great Schools.org, Williamsburg Learning, NCAA, Federal Student Aid office of the US Department of Education, Princeton Review and US News and World Report.

Keep those grades up! You might have a lot going on this year, but it’s important to stay focused on your schoolwork.

• Continue to take challenging courses - honors or AP courses are more impressive! Your success in challenging academic courses provides the college admissions folks with the best evidence of your ability to succeed in college.
• Put effort into extracurricular activities. By the time you apply to colleges or apply for a job, you should be able to demonstrate depth and leadership in an extracurricular area.
• Familiarize yourself with a college application. Look over the common application so that you know exactly what information you're going to need when you apply to colleges.
• Start visiting colleges the summer after your sophomore year, and browse the web. Your sophomore year is a good time to do some low-pressure exploration of the college options out there. If you find yourself near a campus, stop by and take the tour.
• If you have room in your schedule, consider a part-time job or volunteer position.
• Look into participating in academic or vocational enrichment programs, summer workshops, and camps with specialty focuses such as music, arts, and sciences.
• Keep reading. This is good advice for any grade. The more you read, the stronger your verbal, writing, and critical thinking abilities will be. Reading beyond your homework will help you do well in school, on the ACT and SAT, in college, and in the workforce. You’ll be improving your vocabulary, training your ear to recognize strong language, and introducing yourself to new ideas.
• Have a summer plan. There’s no formula for what defines a productive summer, but you should make sure you do something that leads to personal growth and valuable experiences.

What you do outside of school counts, too! Be careful on social media, as colleges and employers have access to the internet just like you and can research your name and postings. This could make or break their decisions on whether or not you get accepted into your school of choice or are selected for employment.

 

Sources: College Board, Big Future, Great Schools.org, Williamsburg Learning, NCAA, Federal Student Aid office of the US Department of Education, Princeton Review and US News and World Report.

Your Junior year marks the halfway point of your high school journey! This is an important year to focus and get serious about post-high school planning, whether that means college (2-year, 4-year, technical, or vocational), joining the military, or entering the workforce. Now is the time to really think about your future. Visit colleges, find out what your skills and interests are, get an internship, or volunteer.

• Maintaining your grades during your junior year is important! Colleges put a lot of weight on your marks for this year.
• If you're choosing your senior year classes, look for classes that will give you a strong transcript. You’ll also want to look for classes that will fit your college study plans.
• Decide if you are going to apply under any early decision or early action programs. This requires you to submit your applications early, typically between October and December of your senior year.
• Talk to teachers about writing letters of recommendation for you. Think about what you would like to include in these and politely ask your teachers if they can help.
• Make a file to manage your college search, testing, and application data. If appropriate (for example, if you’re interested in drama, music, art, sports, etc.), start to gather material for a portfolio.
• Estimate your financial aid need. Financial aid can help you afford college. Use the College Board’s Getting Financial Aid and the financial aid calculator at bigfuture.org to estimate how much aid you might receive.
• Sign up to take the SAT®. You can register online or through your school. SAT fee waivers are available to eligible students. To prepare for the SAT, you can access free, personalized SAT practice tools at satpractice.org, including thousands of interactive questions, video lessons, practice tests, and more.
• Register with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility Center if you are an athlete planning to continue playing a sport in college.
• Get your FSA ID: Before you can fill out your FAFSA, you need to get a username and password (also known as an FSA ID).
• Find a full-time or part-time job, or participate in a summer camp or summer college program.
• Visit colleges. When planning your campus visits, make sure to allow time to explore each college. While you’re there, talk to as many people as possible. These can include college admission staff, professors, and students. Take campus tours and, at colleges you’re serious about, make appointments to have interviews with admission counselors.
• Create a résumé — a record of your academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and work experiences since you started high school.

 

Sources: College Board, Big Future, Great Schools.org, Williamsburg Learning, NCAA, Federal Student Aid office of the US Department of Education, Princeton Review and US News and World Report.

 

Your senior year is often an extremely hectic time! Be sure to stay on track with the college admissions process. Get organized, stay up to date on deadlines, and don’t procrastinate!

Things you should be doing in the Fall

• Meet with your school counselor about your college choices and, if you haven’t done so yet, download college applications and financial aid forms. 
• Schedule your college visits.
• Create a master calendar that includes:
  • Tests you’ll take and their fees, dates, and registration deadlines
  • College application due dates 
  • Required financial aid application forms and their deadlines (aid applications may be due before college applications) 
  • Other materials you’ll need for admission (recommendations, transcripts, etc.) 
  • Your high school’s application processing deadlines
• Take the SAT or ACT a second time: Many seniors retake these tests in the fall. Additional coursework since your last test could help you boost your performance and increase scores.
• Be sure to have your SAT and/or ACT scores sent to the colleges you’re applying to.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): To apply for most financial aid, you’ll need to complete the FAFSA. October 1 is the first day you can file the FAFSA.
• Complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE: PROFILE is an online application used by certain colleges and scholarship programs to determine eligibility for their aid dollars.
• Prepare early decision/early action or rolling admission applications as soon as possible. Colleges may require test scores and applications between November 1 and 15 for early decision admission.
• Ask a counselor or teacher for recommendations if you need them. Give each teacher or counselor an outline of your academic record and your extracurricular activities. For each recommendation, provide a stamped, addressed envelope and any college forms required.
• Write the first draft and ask teachers and others to read them if you’re submitting essays. If you’re applying for early decision, finish the essays for that application now.
• Complete at least one college application by Thanksgiving.
• Ask counselors to send your transcripts to colleges. Give counselors the proper forms at least two weeks before the colleges require them.

Things you should be doing in the Spring

• Keep active in school. The college will want to know what you have accomplished between the time you applied and the time you learned of its decision.
• Plan a visit to your final college before accepting. You should receive acceptance letters and financial aid offers by mid-April. Notify your counselor of your choice. If you have questions about housing offers, talk to your counselor or call the college.
• Inform every college of your acceptance or rejection of the offer of admission and/or financial aid by May 1. Colleges cannot require your deposit or your commitment to attend before May 1. Talk to your counselor or adviser if you have questions.
• Send your deposit to one college only.
• Take any AP® Exams. Show what you’ve learned in your AP classes. A successful score could even earn you credit, advanced placement, or both in college.
• Need financial aid? Ask whether funds will be available if you’re accepted.
• Work with a counselor to resolve any admission or financial aid problems.
• Ask your high school to send a final transcript to your college.
• Review financial aid awards: Not all financial aid awards are the same, so it’s important to choose the aid package that’s best for you and your family.

Congratulations! You’ve finished high school and are about to embark on an exciting new phase of life. Good luck!

 

Sources: College Board, Big Future, Great Schools.org, Williamsburg Learning, NCAA, Federal Student Aid office of the US Department of Education, Princeton Review and US News and World Report.