Ninth Grade Tips
Plan Ahead
May 13, 2008
Study!
Study!
Study!
√ Get off to a good start with your grades! The grades you earn in ninth grade may be included in your final high school GPA and class rank.
√ Select challenging classes.
√ Pursue reading outside of school.
√ Get involved in extracurricular activities in school and in the community. Colleges frequently state that they look for students who will make a significant contribution to the college community. Seventy to eighty percent of all students can handle the academics, so colleges often look for that extra dimension - musicians, editors, actors, photographers, athletes, leaders, volunteers and others with a developed and usable talent.
√ Create a file to keep a list of activities, volunteer work, honors, and awards.
√ Explore your interests and possible careers. Take advantage of the College Fair night held at St. Mary's University on October 30, 2008. Approximately 170 colleges and/or universities will have representatives available to answer questions and provide information.
√ Talk to your parents about planning for college expenses. Continue or begin a savings plan for college.
√ Look at the college information available in the college counseling office (room 134), our school library, and the public library. Use the Internet to check out college web sites.
√ Tour a nearby college, if possible. Visit relatives or friends who live on or near a college campus. Check out the dorms, go to the campus library or student center, and get a feel for college life.
√ Explore summer enrichment programs.
Teen's Guide to College & Career Planning, Peterson's, 2008.
