Freshman Focus
Freshman Focus
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Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Freshmen, welcome to high school! This year is an exciting time to explore your interests and strengths and start thinking about careers that match them. Build relationships with classmates, teachers, CCR coaches, counselors, and administrators.
Try out clubs, sports, and career/technical student organizations that align with your passions. Use this year as your launch pad for a successful high school journey—and remember to have fun along the way!
Academic Goals
Academic Goals
• Plan your high school courses. Do they meet your high school graduation requirements?
• Record any awards or achievements you have gotten during this school year.
• What career and technical education courses do you need to take this year?
• What Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, Cambridge or dual credit opportunities are available to you and how would these courses benefit your career goals?
Career Goals
Career Goals
• Take an interest survey or career assessment and record results in your Individual Learning Plan.
• Write your career goal down. What educational requirements (high school, college, trade school, apprenticeships) will you need to meet that career option?
• Start developing your resume.
• Attend a career fair and research the military.
• Talk to teachers, counselors or other adults to help locate opportunities to gain real-world insight through job shadowing, mentoring, volunteering, etc.
Postsecondary planning
Postsecondary planning
• Write down your post high school educational or career goal.
• Review two universities, community and technical colleges, apprentice programs or work-based opportunities that meet your post high school goals.
• Do a review of costs for those two colleges or research your potential earnings at the local industries if you were to start working there and continue working there throughout your career. Also, explore opportunities for advancement. What will it take to get a promotion? If you choose to look for a leadership position within the company or field, will the employer pay for your necessary training? Write your findings in your Individual Learning Plan.
• Learn college and career vocabulary such as admissions, admissions requirements, student loans, grants, KEES money, scholarship, dual credit, work-study, work-based learning opportunities, management, job duties, etc.
The Freshman Planning Timeline
The Freshman Planning Timeline
August/September
Take the most challenging courses you can. (Click here for Kentucky’s Pre-College Curriculum)
Get involved in extracurricular activities and community volunteer work.
Get organized. Create a college access file for:
Copies of report cards.
Lists of awards and honors.
Descriptions of school and community activities, including paid and volunteer work.
Work hard in class. The grades you earn will be part of your final high school GPA and can earn you KEES money.
Register on kheaa.com for a MyKHEAA account and to receive the Your KHEAA College Connection newsletter.
October/November/December
Attend any career days offered by your school or in your community.
Talk with your school counselor and parents about a plan that will prepare you for college.
Research college costs and talk with your parents about saving for college.
January/February
Meet with your school counselor to set your sophomore schedule. A tough course load may pay off with scholarships and help you get into the school of your choice.
Ask your counselor about Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Some schools offer them to sophomores.
Ask your counselor about International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge Advanced International (CAI) courses if your school offers that program.
March/April
Continue to explore interests and careers.
Start thinking about the colleges you might like to attend.
May/June
Check into summer enrichment programs in subjects that interest you.
Find out what a college atmosphere is like by attending a summer camp at a college near you.
July
Use your MyKHEAA account to check your KEES account and to make sure your personal information and GPA are correct. If you find an error, ask your counselor to have it corrected.
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