8
TH
grade
- Talk to your teachers about high school courses that will prepare you for college.
- Develop good study and organizational skills.
- Take a foreign language course.
- Discover new talents by trying out extracurricular clubs or activities.
9
TH
grade
Did you know
Studies show that students who take courses like Geometry and Algebra early are more likely to go on to college.
- Begin reading about possible careers in different fields. Explore topics that interest you!
- Meet with your school counselor and discuss your desire to attend college.
10
TH
grade
- Take AP courses.
- Take part in school clubs and organizations or a summer camp program.
- Pursue leadership roles now that will help you later with scholarship applications.
- Start thinking about what’s important to you in a college or university.
11
TH
grade
- Attend a college fair and begin gathering information on colleges you’re considering.
- Take the Preliminary SAT (PSAT).
- Take the ACT and/or SAT exam.
- Begin taking campus tours of the universities that interest you.
- Take AP exams.
12
TH
grade
- Retake the ACT and/or SAT exam if needed.
- Narrow your list of potential colleges and take a campus tour if you haven’t already.
- Make sure you are aware of the application deadlines for the schools on your short list.
- Submit the FAFSA.
- Apply for scholarships.
What’s a Transcript?
As part of the application process, you will need to request an official transcript, or record of your grades, from your high school to be sent to the college(s) of your choice. If you have graduated, your transcript will list your class rank and grade point average (GPA). You may have to pay a small fee for each official transcript; unofficial transcripts or photocopies are not acceptable because of the possibility of grade tampering.