Sophomore Year: Planning For The Future
Now that you've gotten used to the academics and social aspect of high school, you will continue with doing well in your classes and participating in extracurricular activities. In addition to that, make sure you do the following:
- PSAT: Take the PSAT when it is offered in October. This will give you an idea of what the SAT will be like next year and it will also release your name to colleges so you can start receiving information from them.
- ACT: Start looking into what the ACT entails and if this is the test you want to take along with or instead of the SAT. Check out our SAT & ACT resources under the "Academic" tab.
- CaliforniaColleges.edu: Utilize this website to plan out your next four years. There are so many resouces available on this site, including a high school timeline, college information, financial aid, scholarships, career inventory, etc.
- Begin learning about the college admission process for the colleges you're interested in, whether they are UCs, CSUs, private, or community colleges.
What Can I Do in 10th Grade to Prepare for College?
First and foremost, focus on academics and challenging yourself with rigorous classes. Initially, most colleges will look at your grade point average, class rank, college admissions test scores and if you have taken challenging classes (and remained in them the whole year).
Grow Through Volunteering Opportunities
Volunteering helps you get involved, meet new people, learn about new industries, and give back to your community. It also demonstrates leadership, involvement, motivation and teamwork which are factors many colleges and businesses consider when making admissions and hiring decisions.
Click here for more information from the ACT for finding volunteer opportunities.
Click here for more information from the ACT for finding volunteer opportunities.