9th Grade

9th Grade Syllabus

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

☐Begin 9th grade SCOIR checklist.

☐Create a four-year high school plan. Think about what you’d like to accomplish in the next four years. 

• Make sure you know which high school courses are required by colleges, and that you’re taking the right classes as early as the ninth grade. You can ask your counselor about what those “right” classes are. 

• Get to know the levels of courses offered by your school. 

☐Start thinking about your life after school, including the types of jobs that might interest you. Of course, these will change — often — but it’s good to start thinking about the possibilities. 

• Complete a career interest survey to see what types of careers you are compatible with your personality, likes and dislikes, etc.

• Talk to other people, such as your school counselor, teachers, recent college graduates who are working, professionals in the community, etc., about careers you might find interesting. 

☐Meet with your high school counselor. Your counselor knows how to help you get the most out of high school. Be sure to take some time during the school year to discuss post-high-school plans with him or her. 

☐Participate in extracurricular activities. Academics aren’t everything. Explore your interest in a sport, school club, music or drama group, or community volunteer activity. 

• If you’re interested in playing sports in college, research the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility requirements. The NCAA requires completion of certain core courses; you can find the specifics at NCAA Eligibility Center. 

☐Save for college. It’s not too late to put money aside for college. Every little bit helps! Learning about financial aid early on can also help you down the road. 

☐Explore summer opportunities. Look for a job, internship, or volunteer position that will help you learn about a field of interest. 

☐Get familiar with the PSAT-related assessments, SAT and ACT. Most four-year colleges consider applicants’ scores on college admission test. See free practice material: PSAT & SAT Full-Length Printable PDF Tests, Preparing for ACT Test Guide, Khan Academy, Union Test Prep, Magoosh SAT Practice Test, The Princeton Review SAT Practice Test, Kaplan.

☐Take the PSAT™ 8/9. Sign up to take the first of the College Board assessments to set a baseline. This test will help you build up your skills to take the SAT in 11th or 12th grade.