1. Get off to a Good Start Academically

• Starting in 9th grade, your courses and grades will appear on your transcript, which you will be sending to colleges in the fall of your senior year. Your freshman-year grades will be used to calculate your GPA (Grade Point Average).
• Your academic achievement level will also determine how many scholarships you will eligible for: another reason to work toward a high GPA.

2.  Choose Extracurriculars

• Don't wait until your Junior year to realize that you don't have any activities for your college app and haven't taken advantage of all the choices of your school.
• Figure out what you like and build your resume by playing a sport, joining or tarting a club, performing community service or getting a part-time job.

3.  Start Preparing for College

• Take the PSAT offered in school for practice.
• Think about your four-year high school plan. Make sure you take all your required courses to graduate, plus any that might be required by specific colleges.

4.  Learn to Use Tools to Keep Your Search Organized

• Log into Naviance to use their career surveys, which will also help you think about possible college majors. See instructions for how to log into Naviance here.
• Keep track of the usernames and passwords you set up for your school and college-related accounts: College Board, Naviance, etc.