What to do each year of high school?

Pre-College Topics High School Life
1

Ok y’all, how’s it going? I’m in 8th grade almost going into high school and I wanna be on top of things when I’m in high school so I just wanna know what to do each year of high school, like:

Freshman: Nothing

Sophomore: Start studying a lil’ for the SAT’s

Junior: Fill out FAFSA

I wanna know like, when I should start applying for the SAT’S/ACT, when to start studying for them, when to send applications to college, when to fill out the FAFSA… Because I always get confused on when high school students do that, I know I’m in 8th grade but like I said… I wanna be on top of things and I’m just curious.

So thanks guys, and just one last question; how do you win scholarships and grants? do they send you a letter, or do they offer you one when you apply to a university?

Any other tips for high school you think are good would be greatly appreciated,

2

Read Countdown to College: 21 ‘To-Do’ Lists for High School

3

Is there a link to something like that? because I can’t buy it right now

4

There’s lots of books like that in library and if you google high school checklist for college prep/freshman you can find lots of good checklists.
CollegeBoard has a good checklist/plan on their BigFuture site.

5

@coffeepanda, you have to chill. You kept starting threads like this. Do your best in your classes. Get on the honors track/highest track where possible (assuming you can do well on it). Dig into ECs to see what you enjoy, and pick a couple to really excel in. Come back sophomore year.

6

Freshman year: do the best you can in the highest-level classes you can, try many different activities, participate in a charity outside of school. Have fun during the summer. Make sure to sleep 9 hours per night.

Sophomore year: do a test run by taking one AP. If you’re advanced enough that you took Biology Honors or World history or such, take the subject test for the subject in question, in May or June. Make sure to sleep 9 hours per night.

Summer before Junior year: start studying for the SAT and the PSAT (in October). Start winnowing the number of EC’s and focus on a couple that really interest you. Learn how to use a silent alarm clock to time yourself (no phone allowed in test rooms). Buy a nice notebook that will be your college notebook. Borrow or buy a “Fiske Guide” or “Princeton review"s best colleges” or “Insider’s guide to the Colleges”, flip through it, put post its next to the pages you like. Read “Colleges that change lives” and decide on a bunch of colleges from that book. If there are colleges near where you live, go visit them (they don’t have to be some you like, but do include a LAC and a large public university.) Whenever your family goes away to see relatives, ask to see the nearby colleges of wherever you are - doesn’t matter if you know them or not, it’ll help you get a feel for what to look for. Write impression and ideas in your college notebook. Run the NPCs for all those colleges with your parents. Tell them to think of what your college budget will be.

Junior year: Do NOT overload on APs. 4 Ap’s is optimal (or 3 AP’s and one class Dual Enrollment each semester). Review for the PSAT and try to do your best, it’s a giant scholarship competition (1% of all test takers “win” something.) In your EC’s, make a difference, make an impact, do something noteworthy. Take the SAT in the Winter/ Spring, and SAT subjects in June. AP Exams in May. Plan your summer: a job, an activity you’re really into. Do keep time to stay sane and have fun. DO NOT cut into sleep. Continue reading through college books. Fall Break and Spring Break, organize college visits. Take good notes after those visits since you’ll need these impressions for your Why College X essays. Build a long list of colleges you’re interested in, starting with safeties. Keep your budget in mind and revisit the subject of cost with your parents. (All of these things explain why you should NOT take more than 4 Ap’s junior year).

Summer after Junior year: start working on your common app essays + the “why college X” essays. On August 1st, open your commonapp account and fill out everything you can.

FAFSA: filled out in October senior year by your parents.

Okay?
Now, breathe. High school will be okay. Focus on the now. Enjoy 8th grade. Have fun with friends. Read, ride your bike, find an adventure. :slight_smile:

7
  1. Stop worrying so much.
  2. Take the most challenging high school courses that you feel you can do well in. But don't freak out and over-stress academics, it's good to take some electives that interest you.
  3. Make a 4 year course plan, if your GC didn't require that. Make sure it satisfies graduation requirements and check websites of some colleges which you might like to apply to, to make sure you have any additional requirements. You don't have to stick to your plan, but it will help make sure that you get the most out of hs and don't miss taking something you wanted because of poor planning.
  4. Get involved in things that interest you and have some fun.