What you should be focusing on during your Sophomore Year:

• Meet with your high school counselor and update your high school plan.

  • Complete your Grad Plan Meeting with your counselor each semester to continue to discuss your plans and review your progress.

  • Work with your school counselor to ensure that your course schedule is challenging enough to prepare you for college.

    • Check into any prerequisites for advanced-level junior and senior-year courses.

  • Talk to your counselor about your plans for life after high school. He or she can help you plan your schedule, search for colleges, and navigate the financial aid process. The more your counselor knows about you, the more he or she can help you along the way.

• Along with your family, do some research about how to obtain financial aid. Many students use financial aid to cover college costs. Find out what financial aid is, where it comes from, and how you can apply for it. Read the U.S. Department of Education’s Funding Your Education (about federal aid programs).

• Attend college and career fairs. The fairs often take place in the fall at your school or in your area.

• Participate in school activities or volunteer efforts. Extracurricular activities can help you develop time management skills and enrich your high school experience.

• Tour college campuses. If possible, take advantage of vacation or other family travel time to visit colleges and see what they’re like. Even if you have no interest in attending the college you are visiting, it will help you learn what to look for in a college.