🎓 9th Grade College Planning Checklist

🌟 Explore Yourself & Your Future

☐ Meet with your school counselor to review your goals, graduation requirements, academic plan, and future plans.

☐ Explore careers, majors, and areas of interest using resources such as CFNC, BigFuture, Major Clarity, and NCcareers.org.

☐ Complete career and interest assessments to learn more about your strengths, interests, and possible career pathways.

☐ Talk with family, teachers, counselors, and other trusted adults about careers, college, and life after high school.

☐ Keep an open mind and explore careers and pathways you may not have considered before.

📚 Build a Strong Academic Foundation

☐ Learn your graduation requirements and understand what you need to do to stay on track.

☐ Create or update your Four-Year Plan with your counselor.

☐ Focus on building strong study habits, time-management skills, and organizational skills.

☐ Attend class regularly, complete assignments, and take responsibility for your learning.

☐ Ask for help when you need it. Use teachers, counselors, tutoring, and other school resources.

☐ Choose courses that challenge you while still allowing you to be successful.

☐ Begin building positive relationships with teachers, counselors, classmates, and other school staff.

☐ Remember that your grades and coursework from 9th grade become part of your high school academic record.

🏫 Start Exploring College & Career Pathways

☐ Learn about different options after high school, including four-year colleges, community colleges, technical programs, apprenticeships, military service, employment, and other career pathways.

☐ Begin exploring two- and four-year colleges using CFNC College Search, BigFuture, and other college-search tools.

☐ Learn what colleges and career programs look for in students, including coursework, grades, activities, and other experiences.

☐ Visit a college campus in person or virtually when opportunities are available.

☐ Attend college fairs, career fairs, and college representative visits.

☐ Talk with your family about future education and career goals.

📝 Learn About College Credit Opportunities

☐ Learn about opportunities to earn college credit while in high school, including AP courses, Career & College Promise, dual enrollment, and Early College options.

☐ Explore AP courses and learn how advanced coursework can support your future goals.

☐ Learn about the college-credit opportunities available through your high school and how they may fit into your Four-Year Plan.

🧭 Explore College Entrance Testing

☐ Learn about the SAT, ACT, and other college entrance exams.

☐ Take the PSAT 8/9 or other practice assessments, if offered.

☐ Review your results from practice assessments and use them to identify areas for growth.

☐ Use free resources to begin developing reading, writing, math, and test-taking skills.

☐ Remember that strong coursework and grades are important parts of preparing for college.

💰 Begin Learning About Paying for College

☐ Learn about the different ways students and families can pay for education, including scholarships, grants, financial aid, work-study, and student loans.

☐ Begin learning about the cost of different college and career-training options.

☐ Explore scholarships and financial aid resources so you know what opportunities are available.

☐ Talk with your family about future education costs and begin asking questions about how college may be paid for.

🌱 Get Involved & Build Experience

☐ Explore extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, arts, volunteering, service learning, employment, or other activities that interest you.

☐ Begin completing your required Service Learning hours.

☐ Try different activities to discover what you enjoy and what is meaningful to you.

☐ Look for opportunities to develop leadership, teamwork, communication, and other skills.

☐ Start keeping track of your activities, awards, volunteer hours, employment, and accomplishments.

☀️ Use Your Summer Well

☐ Explore a career, college, or area of interest through a summer program, job, internship, volunteer opportunity, or other experience.

☐ Visit a college campus if possible.

☐ Continue exploring careers and college pathways.

☐ Review your academic goals and think about what you want to accomplish during 10th grade.

☐ Read, practice academic skills, and stay engaged in learning.

☐ Start the next school year organized, prepared, and ready to succeed.