Planning Ahead: What You Need to Do Before Senior Year
You do not need to wait until senior year to prepare for college apps! The earlier you start thinking about the process, the easier it will be in the future!
What you can do now (Grades 9-11)
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Focus on grades – consistency is important!
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Join different clubs, sports, and extracurricular activities that you enjoy
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Build relationships with teachers who could potentially later write your recommendation letters
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Start thinking about testing (SAT/ACT)
Checklist
✓ Keep track of extracurriculars
✓ Start exploring colleges
✓ Keep your GPA up
✓ Build connections with teachers
ACT/SAT
The ACT and SAT are standardized tests used by college admissions to evaluate how prepared a student is for college-level coursework. Since all high schools weigh classes and calculate GPAs differently, these tests offer a common benchmark to compare students' college readiness. While there are key differences between the two exams, both measure your skills in English, reading, and math.
Extracurriculars
Colleges want to see what you do in your free time outside of academics and the different activities that help make up who you are as a person! Try to focus on the impact and consistency of these extracurriculars rather than just the quantity.
