How to Make the Most of Tenth Grade: Find Your Focus
Tenth grade can be a seemingly stagnant time for a high school student. We’ve all heard of the sophomore slump! This year can just seem like more of the same without a measurable level of advancement. Your student might feel that way, but they are wrong! Tenth grade is a great time to move forward in building their strong academic profile. Here are a few things your student should be doing to make the most of their tenth grade year:
Find your focus - After trying out a few different extracurricular activities in 9th grade, your student should now narrow their focus to what they are most passionate about. In doing this, they should also increase their involvement in these activities–look for leadership opportunities, academic awards and/or scholarships.
Plan for Standardized Tests - While most students won't take their official PSAT, SAT, or ACT until 11th grade, prep will need to start much sooner. The PSAT 10 is a great way to prime your student for the PSAT and SAT, and get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses. Check with your student's school to see if or when they offer this test. Ivy Link recommends beginning test prep for the PSAT/SAT/ACT in the spring of 10th grade.
Start researching colleges - By this point, your student should have some idea what college they might want to attend. Much of this will depend on what they are considering studying in college. If they still aren’t sure, now is the time to figure that out. This ties into their trajectory for extracurriculars: what really interests them? What are they good at? What are they naturally curious about? It’s important for them to have a strong idea of this now because they want to use their time in high school to craft a compelling profile to fit the college they want to attend. The “ideal” Princeton student is typically pretty different from the “ideal” Columbia student.
Continue practicing consistent study habits - If your student isn’t already practicing good study habits, they must start doing so now. Prepare your student to spend roughly one-to-two hours per night of studying for each class they are taking. This will prepare them for the workload of upcoming honors or AP classes they may take in the next couple of years.
These are just a few helpful tips to help your student make the most of their tenth grade year. For more in-depth and ongoing admissions Advising, contact Ivy Link and ask about Ivy Link Achieve.
