For 9th & 10th Graders: How to Get Started with the College and Career Discovery Process
This article was written by our partner, Scoir, the College & Career Network. Learn more about our partnership here.
You may be thinking…what?! I should be thinking about college and working already? 😥 You recently started high school, after all. I don’t blame you for feeling some resistance!
As a former high schooler myself, I get it—9th and 10th grade can be rough. It can be hard to think past graduation day when every day is a grind.
Don’t fret. We’re here to encourage you and show you how to approach the college and career discovery process in a way that is simple and easy to fit into your busy schedule (and fun, instead of stressful!).
Preparing for college and career in 9th and 10th grade is a great opportunity for personal growth and reflection, and can help propel you toward a great future.
In this article, we cover:
- The Types of Higher Education
- Starting Your Career Exploration Journey
- Choosing High School Courses
- Why Standardized Testing Matters
- Learning About Financial Aid
- Building a College List
- Bonus: The Junior and Senior Year Timeline
Let’s do this!
The Types of Higher Education
Why it’s important: So you know all your post-secondary education options (not just where other people expect you to go!).
In the article: College vs University [And Other Higher Education Institutions], you can learn all about the different types of higher education. We’ve also outlined common terms and definitions below.
- University: An institution that offers 4-year bachelor’s degree programs, plus graduate and doctoral or professional degrees. Universities tend to be larger than colleges and emphasize research.
- College: An institution that offers 4-year bachelor’s degree programs only. This is also the colloquial term for all types of higher education.
If you want to learn more about the types of 4-year colleges, this article on the different types of higher education can help!
- Community College: An institution that offers 2-year degree programs.
- Tech and Trade Schools: Institutions that provide in-depth training on specific skill sets, like welding or plumbing.
Defining Other Higher Education Terms
- Public: Institutions that are funded by the state
- Private: Institutions that are supported almost entirely by tuition, fees, interest from endowments, and gifts from individual and corporate donors
- For-Profit: Privately owned institutions that aim to make a profit that can then be shared with their stakeholders
- Non-Profit: Non-profit institutions can be public or private. Their profit goes right back to the institution
- Liberal Arts: Liberal arts institutions offer broad education on various subjects
- Land Grant: Institutions established as state centers for education and research
TL;DR: The difference between a college and a university is the levels of degrees they offer. Universities offer bachelor’s, graduate, and doctoral/professional degrees. Colleges offer only bachelor’s degrees.
Starting Your Career Exploration Journey
Why it’s important: So you understand the best types of post-secondary education for you and what you may want to study in school.
I know, I know….how can you pick a career path to take when you haven’t even finished high school yet? Choosing your career when you’re 15, 16, 17, or even 18 can feel a little unrealistic.
In fact, I’ve heard a lot of adults who are established in their careers say they don’t know what they want to be when they grow up yet. Career and self-discovery is a lifelong process.
Most career paths aren’t perfectly linear. And that’s okay. As a 9th or 10th grader, what’s most important is that you’re sitting down and thinking about:
- What do I like to do with my time?
- What do I like learning about?
- How many years of school do I want to do?
- How much money do I want to make?
- Who do I want to help?
You don’t need to know the exact answers to these questions. Ideas or thoughts around what may be important to you are a great start!
So…why start thinking about this now? Two main reasons:
- It can inform which colleges you add to your college list and ultimately, where you attend college
- It can help you choose good area(s) of study for you
The key word here is: you. Not anyone else. This is your education!
Unsure how to start learning about the career paths available to you? Here are three suggestions:
- Talk to your family members about what they do for work
- Talk to your counselor about career readiness
- Search for careers in Scoir
TL;DR: Start asking yourself self-reflection questions about what you may want to do for a career, and tap into your support system for help. You don’t need to know exactly what you want to do, just have ideas!
Choosing High School Courses
Why it’s important: So you can be better prepared for standardized tests and college.
High school is a great time to explore your interests so you can determine what you may want to study in college (in a low-cost, low-risk way). Your high school may offer a variety of classes that hone in on certain subject areas that may unlock a new area of interest for you. For example, I took a business class in high school, which helped me determine I wanted to go into business instead of the sciences in college.
In addition to doing your own exploration, we recommend speaking with your counselor about the best classes to take each year. Your counselor may recommend completing the following courses starting in 10th grade and by the end of 11th grade:
In order to help prepare you for the math on the SAT and ACT, your counselor may recommend completing the following math courses by the end of 10th or 11th grade:
- Algebra I
- Algebra II
- Geometry
In addition to those math classes, your counselor may also recommend classes with a focus on reading and writing, such as English, literature, and history. These types of classes will also help you prepare for the SAT and ACT. More on those next!
TL;DR: Speak with your counselor about your class schedule so you can be prepared for standardized tests and beyond.
Why Standardized Testing Matters
Why it’s important: To help you build life and study skills and keep your post-secondary education options open.
If the thought of standardized testing fills you with anxiety, you’re not alone!
One of the best ways to tackle test anxiety is to learn about the tests you need to take. We’ve got you!
The Difference Between the PSAT, SAT, and ACT
The PSAT, SAT, and ACT are all standardized tests that are offered multiple times each year for students to take.
Colleges often ask for a student’s SAT or ACT results as part of their application process.
What is the PSAT?
PSAT (sometimes called the PSAT/NMSQT) stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It’s the test you typically take in 10th and/or 11th grade before taking the SAT. Students who receive a high enough score (out of 1520) may be eligible to receive a merit scholarship for college. The PSAT covers math, writing, and reading.
What is the SAT?
The SAT is a digital, computer adaptive test that students typically take in the spring of 11th grade or fall of 12th grade. The SAT covers math, writing, and reading, and has a max score of 1600.
Check out the SAT infographic for more details.
What is the ACT?
The ACT (American College Testing) is a paper test. Students may take the ACT in addition to the SAT, during their 11th or 12th grade year. The ACT tests math, reading, English, and science; it also has an optional writing section. The max score is 36.
Check out the ACT infographic for more details.
For a more detailed breakdown of the difference between the ACT and SAT, check out: ACT or SAT? Everything You Need to Know to Choose the Best Test for You.
Why Should I Take the ACT or SAT?
Even if you want to go to a two-year, tech, or trade school that may not require the submission of standardized test scores, taking standardized tests is a good idea. Here’s why:
- Taking the ACT or SAT helps keep options open, in case you decide to go to a 4-year school or a school that requires that you take standardized tests
- Studying for standardized tests is great for self-development and growth (including learning study skills that will help you in college and your career)
- It’s easier to take standardized tests when you’re still in school (especially the math section)
- Many professions require you to take tests at the beginning of or throughout your career. The skills you learn while taking standardized tests can help prepare you for this
How to Prepare for Standardized Tests
Test Innovators recommends three simple steps to prepare for standardized tests: take a practice test, review your results, and practice.
Check out these additional resources below for more information:
- Test Anxiety Infographic
- The Most Effective Way to Prepare for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT
- The 3 Steps to a Successful Test Prep Plan
- Learn How Test Innovators Can Help!
TL;DR: Standardized tests like the ACT and SAT are important for your college and career journey.
Learning About Financial Aid
Why it’s important: So you and your family can budget for college accordingly and save money.
Now is the time to start conversations with your family about your budget for college. This way, you’ll know which colleges you can afford. You should only add colleges your family thinks you can reasonably afford to your college list.
You can find college cost estimator calculators on nearly any college’s website.
You can also begin exploring your financial aid options and learning financial aid basics! Common financial aid applications include the FAFSA and CSS Profile. We’d recommend learning about those with your parent/guardian.
TL;DR: Talk to your family about financial aid so you know what you can afford and so you can start the process on the same page.
Building a College List
Why it’s important: So you can organize your thoughts on where you may want to go to college and collaborate with your parent/guardian, counselor, and other supporters on the process.
Now for what you’ve likely been waiting for…building your college list! Now that you have a budget in mind and ideas around your career path, start exploring colleges that fit those criteria.
You should include schools that you think you’re highly likely to get into, plus some “reach” schools that may be harder for you to get into.
You can use a document on your computer, your notes app, Scoir, and others to build your college list.
Here are some articles from Scoir that can help:
- Likely/Level/Reach: How to Create the Best College List for You
- The Beginning Stages of Creating a College List
TL;DR: Keep in mind your budget and career interests when building your college list.
Bonus: The Junior and Senior Year Timeline
Why it’s important: So you’re prepared for 11th and 12th grade (and whatever comes after high school).
If you’re a planner like me, this section is for you. Here are some of the most important college and career planning to-dos for your junior and senior year of high school to keep in mind.
Please ensure you connect with your counselor on these to-dos, since your school may recommend a slightly different timeline.
11th Grade College Prep To-Dos
- Request letters of recommendation (be sure to check with your counselor for their suggested timeline for this)
- Visit your favorite colleges on your college list (virtually or in-person)
- Plan when you’ll take the ACT and/or SAT
- Prepare to fill out the FAFSA and other financial aid applications
Check out this link for a more comprehensive 11th grade college and career planning checklist from Scoir.
12th Grade College Prep To-Dos
- Finalize your college list
- Verify and finalize financial aid
- Research and attend pre-college programs and events
- Work on and submit college applications
- Choose where you’ll go to college!
Check out this link for Scoir’s 12th grade college and career planning checklist.
TL;DR: In 11th grade, you should research and start applying for financial aid, and plan when you’ll take standardized tests. In 12th grade, you should finalize your college list and applications. Please talk to your counselor about these items, since some schools recommend different timelines.
Now that you have a roadmap for how to prepare for college (and career!) in 9th and 10th grade, make sure to do something fun! It’s summer, after all! 😀☀️⛱️
Originally published on June 21, 2024. Updated on July 26, 2024.
