• Pre-College Plan
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Extracurriculars
    • Testing
  • Admissions
    • The Common App
    • Supplemental Info
    • Early Decision & Early Action
  • Your Application
    • Your Transcript
    • Test Scores
    • Extracurriculars
    • Recommendations
    • Essay/Personal Statement
  • Choosing
    • What to Consider
  • The Visit
    • Preparations
    • What to Ask
    • The Ideal Visit
  • Financial Aid
  • Checklists
    • 8th Grade
    • 9th Grade
    • 10th Grade
    • 11th Grade
    • 12th Grade
  • Resources

Grade 9 College Prep Checklist

If you’re in the 9th grade or starting it soon, consult this checklist to help guide you through your early high school career:

 

  • Meet with your guidance counselor early on to start planning your courses throughout high school.
  • Talk to your guidance counselor about which courses your school offers are the most challenging. Ask them what students from previous years who went to selective colleges did, and ask whether a similar plan would be good for you and what you want to do.
  • Talk to your parents about how you can pay for college. Use a tool like FAFSA4caster to learn about how much need-based financial aid you can expect to receive.
  • Get involved or stay involved in at least one extracurricular activity. Ninth grade is a good time to start building your resume in this regard. See our extracurriculars section for more advice.
  • Take a look at the courses available through a Duke TIP Summer Studies program for any advanced topics you’ve been wanting to check out. Knowing your interests better might help you when it comes to choose appropriate high school and college electives when the time comes.
  • Keep a list of any awards or honors you’ve won throughout the year, (including your Duke TIP participation), and then maintain that list throughout high school so you can reference it while you’re filling out your college applications.

Filed Under: 9th Grade

Student TIPs

Ninth grade is a great time to hone the study and time management skills you will need to succeed throughout high school and college. Find out what works best for you: a day-planner, an online calendar, maybe even a free online project management system like Trello or Google Apps may all be good options for learning how to track and rank your academic obligations and plan your time to make sure you fulfill them all while also leaving time for relaxation, physical exercise, and fun.

Parent TIPs

Encourage your child to start forming their own strong relationships with their teachers, coaches, and guidance counselors.

Set up a special file or other system for cataloging and storing their honors, certificates, and record of accomplishments. This will come in handy when it is time to apply for college.

Continue to strategize college funding and saving options.

Keep a close eye on their academic performance: once they reach high school and classes become more specialized, you may find that, even as a gifted student, they would benefit from a tutor or additional help in some courses. Get them help before they fall too far behind and their self-esteem takes a hit.

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