A College Checklist for High School Sophomores

Although college may appear distant on the horizon during your sophomore year of high school, the earlier you start planning the more prepared you will feel in the coming years as scholarship and application deadlines start to creep up. Here are some first steps to prepare for college.

Fall: Make Connections

Meet your guidance counselor

Their job is to help you in your pre-college journey. Ask your counselor about steps you should be taking to prepare for college, such as scholarship applications and taking the ACT or SAT. Your counselor is also a great resource for planning a high school class schedule that will set you up for success.

Get involved

If you’re not already involved, now is the time to join a club, compete in a sport, or start volunteering for an organization with a mission that speaks to you. Colleges love to see that you are able to manage time between school and extracurriculars and that you have passions and interests outside of academics.

Take the PSAT

Nobody likes exams, but the PSAT will prepare you for the big tests that you’ll have to take during your junior year. Not only is this great practice, but your score could qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship. You can take this test in the fall of both your sophomore and junior years.

Winter: Push Yourself

Test prep

Begin taking steps to prepare for the ACT or SAT. There are countless resources available online for free, so take advantage of them. Spending a few hours each week practicing timed reading or watching YouTube videos about test-taking strategies can do wonders to improve your score and reduce nerves on test day.

Challenge yourself

Choose challenging courses in the next two years of high school and take advantage of any Advanced Placement or dual enrollment classes your school offers. These courses have the potential to count as college credit, which means you can begin college with some credits already completed.

Be a leader

Look for leadership opportunities everywhere. If you enjoy being involved with student council, consider running for class treasurer. If you are great at basketball, think about ways to showcase yourself as a strong candidate for team captain in the coming years. If you are more of a follower, that’s cool too. Find ways to be an active and involved member of the clubs or activities you care about.

Spring: Keep Planning

Read

Take time each day to improve your reading and writing skills. Reading for even a half hour each day can help you feel more comfortable during the timed reading section of the ACT, while also preparing you for the heavy reading in college.

Contact colleges

Invest time in exploring your college possibilities and truly think about what you value in a potential school. Keep a list about what qualities you want your college to have. When you find a school that interests you, sign up for the mailing list so you don’t miss out on scholarship deadlines and can learn more about the college’s mission.

Finished with sophomore year? See our junior year checklist. You’re off to a great start!

^{Published April 2019}