TENTH GRADE – THE SOPHOMORE SHUFFLE: The Stakes Increase, It’s Time to Get Serious

  • YOU: Family, friends, food, faith, social and entertainment (fun)
    • Plan to use your summer wisely: Work, volunteer, or take a summer course (away from home or at a local college).
    • Create as much social media content as you consume.
    • Remember that anything you post online will stay be there forever for your friends, enemies, classmates, teachers, parents and employers to see. Think before you post – about yourself or anyone else.
    • Continue to develop your technical skills as they will become even more critical with time.
    • Continue to develop your social skills as they will make the ultimate difference over time.
  • SCHOOL: School, classes, grades, tests and exams, papers, awards
    • Meet with your school counselor or mentor to discuss colleges and their admissions requirements.
  • SPORTS: Fitness, sports, teams, awards, scholarships.
    • Assess your possibilities of becoming a varsity athlete and earning a college scholarship in a sport.
    • Decide if you feel that you have the talent, drive, skills and commitment to secure a scholarship and fulfill your dream of being an athlete.
    • If you are not interested in playing a varsity sport continue to invest in your fitness and health as it will help you thrive as a student.
  • SERVICE & COMMUNITY: Volunteer, contribute, organize, intern, work-study
    • Pick a cause or an organization that you have an interest in or a passion for. Follow that cause on social media. Make a commitment to help in some way during the year.
  • COLLEGE PREP: Future, professions, degrees, schools, requirements, tests, finance
    • Learn about the standardized tests you will take during 10th, 11th, and 12th grades: the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, SAT and SAT Subject Tests (see collegeboard.org ), and/or the PreACT and the ACT (see www.act.org).
    • Consider taking a practice Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) or PSATTM 10, or the PreACTTM.
    • Go to career information events.
    • Research majors that might be a good match with your interests and goals. Consider what fits well with your results from the career search at StudentAid.gov/careersearch
    • Think about starting to research different colleges. Play around with the College Scorecard tool at collegescorecard.ed.gov to explore schools based on size, location, programs, and more.
  • SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS: Applications, information, resources, data
    • Deposit any amount possible to your college savings account.
    • Learn the differences between grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships at StudentAid.gov/types