9th, 10th, 11th Grade Timeline
9th Grade
☐ Join an extracurricular activity (club/sport/community service/AP Class)
There are a ton of opportunities at East Side to get involved in clubs, sports, community service, and other extracurricular activities. Colleges will be excited to see that you are a dedicated and engaged student, but even more importantly getting involved gives you a chance to explore your interests and learn about yourself.
☐ Aim for A's
When you apply to college, they will review your grades from every year of high school. Kick off your high school journey right by building good study habits, staying on top of your assignments, and asking for help when you need it.
☐ Register for College Visits
It is never too early to to visit colleges. There are many schools located throughout New York City as well as New York State. You can either register for a campus tour through the schools website or taking a self guided your at select colleges.
☐ Plan for the Summer
Two of the main things that students are interested in for their immediate future, getting into a good college (with the money to pay for it) and getting a job (during their teenage years and beyond), are much easier to obtain when a student has the experiences and a resume full of productive and fun things over the summer
10th Grade
☐ Take the PSAT
The Practice SAT Exam (PSAT) will give you chance to see what the SAT will be like. The results will let you know the areas where you're kicking butt and the areas where you might need some extra studying and support. Once you have your results, head on over to Khan Academy for free study materials.
☐ College Trips
One of the great things about East Side is that you will have chances to tour colleges throughout your time in high school. Visiting campuses is a great way to get a chance to see how a college feels and start to figure out what kind of environment you want to seek out. Take a few notes on the tours to help you remember the things that stand out to you.
☐ Stay On Track
If you follow the same checklist from 9th grade, you will be setting yourself up for a strong base for when Junior year comes along. Keep involved, keep up grades, plan every step for the better.
11th Grade
☐ Register for the SAT or ACT
Use CollegeBoard.org to register for the SAT or ACT. Many colleges require a standardized test as part of their admissions process so taking these tests will significantly increase the number of options available to you.
☐ Career Exploration Workshop
Take a quiz HERE and find out which major/career track you most resonate with. Your results will be linked to a list of different career concentrations with detailed explanations of what they're about!
☐ College Essay Brainstorming Workshop
Brainstorm what topics to write about for your college essay
☐ College Matching Workshop (SAT/ACT with SUNY/CUNY)
Using your SAT/ACT scores and GPA, find out which SUNY/CUNY schools you qualify for
☐ SIT IN ON COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE VISITS
In addition to the college trips East Side offers, there will also be college admissions representatives coming to East Side to meet with students and give brief presentations on their schools. Keep an eye out for e-mails for Jerome about upcoming school visits.
☐ Find Financial Documents
Collect your family's financial documents in the spring and bring them in to the college office. This will include things like your parent(s)' tax forms or documents about any public benefits they may receive. These items will be used to help determine what kinds of opportunity programs and financial aid you'll be eligible for so it will help to shape both your college list and be key when you fill out your financial aid forms senior year.