7TH -9TH GRADES

  • TAKE PRE-AP CLASSES. ESPECIALLY ENGLISH AND MATH.
  • IF IN 7TH GRADE, CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR CHILD QUALIFIES FOR THE DUKE TIP SAT.  TAKE IT IF THEY DO.  7TH GRADERS DO REMARKABLY WELL.
  • MAKE A’s/B’s IN SCHOOL.
  • CONSIDER TUTORING IF CHILD STRUGGLES TO MAKE B’s OR SOMETIMES MAKES C’s. 
  • MOST STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM STUDY SKILLS CLASSES.  THESE CLASSES TEACH KIDS HOW TO ORGANIZE, TAKE NOTES, PREPARE FOR TESTS, AND MANAGE THEIR TIME.
  • CHECK WITH YOUR SCHOOL TO FIND OUT IF THEY WILL LET YOUR CHILD TAKE THE PSAT IN 9TH GRADE.  IT WILL GIVE YOU A BASELINE THAT YOU CAN USE TO TRACK YOUR CHILD’S PROGRESS.
  • ENROLL YOUR CHILD IN SUMMER ENRICHMENT COURSES.  THESE CLASSES RANGE FROM TRADITIONAL TOPICS LIKE MATH AND READING TO NON-TRADITIONAL COURSES SUCH AS BEGINNING SAT PREP OR “FUN WITH SCIENCE”.  THE OAKRIDGE SUMMER IN THE OAKS PROGRAM IS AN EXCELLENT OPTION.

10TH GRADE

  • MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD GETS SIGNED UP FOR THE PSAT.  YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CONTACT A SCHOOL OFFICIAL TO APPROVE THIS, BUT IT IS WORTH IT.
  • TAKE THE PLAN TEST.  THIS IS LIKE THE ACT VERSION OF THE PSAT.  IT IS TAKEN AS PRACTICE FOR MOST KIDS.  PLUS, IT GIVES A BASELINE.
  • TAKE SOME PRE-AP/AP CLASSES.
  • MAKE A’S AND B’S
  • DETERMINE AND TRACK CLASS RANK.
  • CONSIDER LONG-TERM SAT OR ACT PREP.  ESPECIALLY IF YOUR CHILD IS RELATIVELY WEAK IN ONE AREA.
  • INVESTIGATE COMMUNITY SER-VICE.

11TH GRADE

  • TAKE A PSAT/SAT PREP PROGRAM DURING THE SUMMER BEFORE OR IN THE EARLY FALL OF 11TH GRADE.
  • TAKE PSAT TEST IN FALL.  THE PSAT HAS 2 PURPOSES:  1) QUALIFIES STUDENTS FOR NATIONAL MERIT AWARDS AND 2) PRACTICE—STUDENTS BECOME MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE TEST AND GET FEEDBACK ON WHERE THEY STAND.
  • EVALUATE PSAT RESULTS AS SOON AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
  • TAKE AN SAT AND/OR ACT PREP COURSE  IN THE EARLY SPRING.
  • TAKE THE SAT AND ACT.
  • EVALUATE RESULTS.  TAKE ANOTHER TEST IN THE LATE SPRING IF THERE IS STILL TIME AND IF YOU NEED A HIGHER SCORE.
  • START COLLECTING INFORMATION ON COLLEGES.
  • ATTEND AVAILABLE COLLEGE FAIRS.
  • BEGIN TAKING COLLEGE VISITS.
  • TAKE SAT SUBJECT TESTS IF NECESSARY.  THESE ARE SPECIFIC TESTS TYPICALLY REQUIRED AT HIGHLY COMPETITIVE COLLEGES. 

12th GRADE

  • TAKE THE SAT AND/OR ACT IN THE EARLY FALL IF NECESSARY.
  • COMMUNICATE WITH COLLEGE ADMISSION REPS TO DETER-MINE HOW WELL YOU MIGHT FIT AT PROSPECTIVE COLLEGES.
  • TAKE COLLEGE VISITS.
  • NARROW LIST TO BETWEEN 5-10 COLLEGES IN WHICH YOU ARE INTERESTED.
  • COMPLETE AND SEND APPLICATIONS.  THIS INCLUDES WRITING ESSAYS.
  • COMPLETE FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION(FAFSA)