A 9th and 10th Grade College Planning Checklist for Parents and Students

Why the first two years of high school matter

Junior year gets most of the attention in college planning advice, but the two years before it set the foundation. Course selection, study habits, and activity choices made in 9th and 10th grade shape what's available to you junior year, when admissions offices look most closely at your transcript. Use these years to build a record and explore, not to rush into standardized testing or applications.

9th grade checklist

• Enroll in the standard college prep track: English, math, science, social studies, and a world language, with Honors sections in your strongest subjects if your school offers them.

• Meet your assigned school counselor early in the year so they know your name and interests before you need anything from them.

• Try several clubs, sports, or activities without committing to all of them long term. This is the year to explore broadly.

• Take the PSAT 8/9 if your school offers it. It's a practice tool that shows early strengths and gaps, and it doesn't go to colleges.

• Keep a simple record of activities, hours, and any awards as you go, so you're not reconstructing four years of history senior year.

10th grade checklist

• Add one or two Honors or AP classes in subjects where your 9th grade grades were strongest, based on how you and your counselor read your first year's results.

• Narrow your activities to the one or two you want to build real depth in over the next two years, rather than continuing to sample new ones.

• Take the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall. Sophomore scores don't count for anything official but give you a second data point on where you stand.

• Research colleges informally. Browse a few college websites, note what majors and locations interest you, and don't worry yet about building a real list.

• Try a few college net price calculators, found on any college's website, to see estimated cost based on your family's finances, well before junior year testing and applications take over.

• If your family hasn't already, look into whether a 529 college savings plan or another dedicated savings account fits your situation.

Use the summers too

The summers after 9th and 10th grade are open, unlike junior year summer, which often gets used for test prep or applications. Use this time for a job, a volunteer commitment, a low-cost or free enrichment program, or simply more hours in the one or two activities you're building depth in. There's no requirement to fill every summer with a formal program.

What NOT to do yet

Don't take the SAT or ACT for a real score in 9th or 10th grade. Colleges only see scores you choose to send, so there's no benefit to testing early beyond the PSAT practice versions, and no downside to waiting until junior year when your coursework has caught up to the material tested. Don't start writing college essays or building a spreadsheet of 20 target schools either. Both are junior and senior year tasks that don't need to start early.

Set up the accounts you'll need later

Create a StudentAid.gov account for both the student and one parent now, even though the FAFSA isn't filed until senior year. This avoids a last-minute setup delay once financial aid deadlines are active. StudentAid.gov also hosts free planning tools and a loan and aid estimator worth checking as a family.

One meeting a year, minimum

Whatever else changes, put one counselor meeting a year on the calendar starting in 9th grade. Bring your course plan and ask whether it matches what colleges you're interested in expect. The National Association for College Admission Counseling and College Board's BigFuture both publish free, year-by-year planning checklists parents can use alongside these counselor meetings to track what's been covered.