Welcome to 11th grade. It’s time to pick up the pace a little. Whether you’ve already started moving or you’ve just been doing what’s required of you, it’s not too late to look ahead to what you want to do after high school. Let’s get started.

• Apply for Selective Service if you are a male around the age of 18. This is very important for men who are about to turn 18 or who have just turned 18 (within 30 days on both sides). It’s the law for you to do as soon as you are able, so make sure that you do this or risk losing your right to financial aid. (e.g. I’m not a male, but I know one of my friends will be turning 18 soon. I should direct him to the Selective Service Website.)
• If you plan on participating in Division I or Division II sports in college, make sure to complete the NCAA registration. You will visit the NCAA website to register, but you should see your school counselor for further information.
• Meet with your counselor to make sure you’re on the right track. Your counselor can help you through the college application process and you can go to them for tips as to what to do next. (e.g. my counselor recommended I take the PSAT to get ready for the SAT. I suppose I should sign up!)
• Take Dual Enrollment Courses. If you plan on going to college and have the money readily available, it is recommended to take dual enrollment courses. These courses are a bit more difficult compared to normal courses, but that is because they count as both credits in high school and in college. Although they do cost money, the amount paid per credit is significantly less compared to taking those classes in college. Another plus is that you won’t have to worry about relearning all of the information that you just learned if it is a general education course. Just make sure that if you choose to do dual enrollment that the colleges that you are looking into will accept the credits. (e.g. The statistics class that I signed up for works for dual enrollment. I’ll get a hold of the admissions office for my college of choice and see if that can count as any credits that are required of me.)
• Take the PSAT. It takes place in October, so be ready to sign up near the beginning of the year. It is a test similar to the SAT and will give you a feel as to what you can expect when you take the real thing. It tests you on reading, writing, math, and language which are very similar to what is on the SAT. Also, if you do really well, there is a chance for you to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship! (e.g. Alright, the PSAT wasn’t so bad, so maybe I’ll do well on the SAT as well!)
• Consider getting a part time job. Now that you’re older, you can go out into the world and potentially get a part time job. If you’re under 18, you’ll have to visit the main office and pick up some working papers, but it can be worth it in the end. Not only will it score you some extra cash, but it can also help build up your work ethic, add to your resume, and potentially give you a reference to use for when you apply to colleges or even other jobs. Although it may prove difficult for an entry level job, try to pick a job that goes along with what you want to do in the future; That way you’ll get experience in the areas that you will need. (e.g. If I want to go into psychology, maybe I can become a waitress; they talk to lots of different people.)
• Consider letters of recommendation. Many colleges and jobs will require 2-3 professional references that can account to how you work and what you have done in the past. These can not be family members, so other options include teachers, counselors, neighbors, people from church, etc.. Just make sure that they know enough about you that they can give an accurate description of you. Also be sure to ask them politely for the letter of recommendation at least two weeks ahead of time. Many people are busy whether it be with work or with other obligations (such as writing other students’ letters!), so be sure to give them time to collect their thoughts and construct a good quality letter for you. *Note: Colleges may want letters of recommendation, but jobs typically just want references that they can contact and ask about you. (e.g. I’m doing really well in my English class, maybe my teacher would be willing to be a reference for that waitress job I want to apply for.)
• Start researching colleges. It won’t be long before you are applying to colleges, so it would be a good idea to look into some. Look for colleges that have the major, atmosphere, distance from home, and price range that you want. Make sure that if you signed up for duel enrollment courses that that particular college will take those credits that you or your parents paid for. While you’re doing that, you can find out what all you will need to apply to those colleges such as SAT scores, letters of recommendation, or a resume. You may also want to head down to the guidance office and pick up a pamphlet or read a book about a college that you may be interested in. (e.g. I really like Mansfield University. It’s close, has the major I want, and is a cheaper costing college. I’ll keep looking, though, at www.fastweb.com)
• Register for and take the SAT (or the ACT). Contact the admission office of the college(s) of your choice to see if you need to take one of these and which one they would prefer you to take. You’ll more than likely want to take this in the spring of your junior year. This way you’ll already have your head in the game of learning and test taking. It’s recommended that you do some studying of some sort for the SATs alongside your classes, though; if you want to do that, you can do it online, or pick up a study booklet in the guidance office. The SAT does cost a fee, however, if you receive free or reduced lunch, you can get that fee wavered after talking with your school counselor. (e.g. Looks like Mansfield University needs a SAT or ACT score for me to get in. I’d better go to www.sat.collegeboard.org or the ACT test page and get ready.)
• If possible, visit college campuses. Talk to your parents about visiting the colleges that you are interested in. You can generally contact someone from the college who will give you a tour of the campus and tell you what it is like. Make sure that you go during a normal day of classes so that you can see what it will be like if you were to attend. The Athens High School generally makes a trip to Mansfield University to attend a college fair with representatives from many different colleges and to tour their campus. Talk to your school counselor for more information. (e.g. I asked my mom about visiting another college just in case the other one doesn’t work out. I’ll use the day off that we have on the calendar to go up and visit.)