Parent Action Plan: 9th Grade

The beginning of high school is an exciting time. Your child may be adjusting to a new school, making new friends, and becoming more independent. However, your child still needs your help and involvement. Here are some things you can do together to succeed this year.

Summer Before High School

• Visit a college campus together
• Get the facts about what college costs
• Show your child how to explore career ideas. He/she can make a list of interests, talents, and favorite activities and start matching them with occupations

Fall

• Make sure your child meets with the school counselor. Your child should schedule a meeting to talk about college and career options and to choose the most appropriate classes
• Help your child set goals for the school year. Working towards specific goals helps your child stay motivated and focused
• Talk about extracurricular activities. Getting involved in clubs and other groups is a great way for your child to identify interests and feel more engaged in school

Winter

• Start thinking about financial aid. It's not too early to look into types of aid that could help you cover college costs
• Discuss next year's classes. Make sure your child is challenging him/herself

Spring

• Help your child start a college list. Determine what matters most to your child when choosing a college
• Determine how much you need to save for college. Get an idea of where you are currently compared to your savings goal

Parent Action Plan: 10th Grade

As your child settles into the high school experience, it's a great time for him/her to take on new challenges. It's also not too early to explore colleges, college majors, and career goals.

Summer

• Visit a college campus together
• Get the facts about what college costs
• Help your child explore career ideas. He/she can make a list of interests, talents, and favorite activities and start matching them with occupations

Fall

• Make sure your child meets with the school counselor. Your child should schedule a meeting to talk about college and career options and to make sure he/she is taking the most appropriate classes
• Help your child get ready to take preliminary exams. Taking the PSAT/NMSQT or the PLAN this fall can help your child prepare for college admission tests. Sophomores can also use their score reports to figure out which academic areas they need to work on

Winter

• Review PSAT/NMSQT or PLAN results together. Your child's score report indicates his/her academic strengths and weaknesses. Review the report together and talk about ways to improve in areas that need attention
• Start thinking about ways to pay for college
• Encourage your sophomore to consider taking SAT Subject Tests. Many colleges require or recommend taking these tests to get a sense of your child's skills in a certain academic area. In general, it's best to take a Subject Test right after taking the relevant course
• Discuss next year's classes. Make sure your child will be challenging him/herself and taking the courses college admission officers expect to see

Spring

• Make a college wish list together. Talk with your child about qualities he/she may want in a college in terms of location, size, and majors offered
• Determine how much you need to save for college
• Help your child make summer plans. Summer is a great time to explore interests and learn new skills--and colleges look for students who pursue meaningful summer activities

Parent Action Plan: 11th Grade

Junior year usually marks a turning point. For most students and families, it's when college planning activities kick into high gear. Here are some things you can do this year to support your child and give him/her the best options.

Summer

• Explore financial aid options. These include grants and scholarships, loans, and work-study programs that can help pay for college costs

Fall

• Make sure your child meets with the school counselor. This meeting is especially important this year as your child starts to engage in the college application process
• Help your child stay organized. Work with your 11th grader to make weekly or monthly to-do lists to keep on top of the tasks required to get ready for applying to colleges
• Help your child get ready for the PSAT/NMSQT in October. This is a preliminary test that helps students practice for the SAT and assess their academic skills. Juniors who score well on the test are also eligible for scholarship opportunities

Winter

• Review PSAT/NMSQT results together. Your child's score report comes with a free SAT study plan. This online, customized plan is based on your child's test scores and can help him/her work on areas that need improvement
• Help your child prepare for college admission tests. Many juniors take college admission tests, such as the SAT and ACT, in the spring so they can get a head start on planning for college
• Discuss taking challenging courses next year. Taking college-level or honors courses as a senior can help your child prepare for college work--and these are also the courses that college admission officers like to see
• Encourage your child to take AP Exams. If your child takes AP or other advanced classes, have him/her talk with teachers now about taking these tests in May

Spring

• Search together for colleges that meet your child's needs. Once you have an idea of the qualities your child is looking for in a college, create a list of colleges to consider applying to
• Help your child research scholarships. This form of financial aid provides money for college that doesn't need to be repaid
• Attend college fairs and financial aid events. These events allow you to meet with college representatives and get answers to questions
• Visit colleges together. Make plans to check out the campuses of colleges your child is interested in