Postsecondary Planning in High School
The next four years will pass quickly, and students who wait until their senior year to think about their futures will not have many options. Freshmen, with their parents and counselors, should begin to develop a long-term plan that will take them a year or two beyond high school into whatever postsecondary education or career training they want to pursue. That plan should begin with a strong foundation in academic coursework. View our Program of Studies to see the course options and pathways.
Studies by the U.S. Department of Education reveal that students who take more rigorous courses in high school will earn higher salaries by age 27 than those who do not, regardless of whether or not they go to college. According to the Maryland Business Roundtable, students who do not complete math through Algebra II are destined for remedial college courses or low-wage jobs.
When in doubt about their goals, students should take the most rigorous academic courses available to them in order to maximize their future opportunities.
Grade 9
College bound students should take all honors courses or honors courses in their strongest subject areas. Students who didn't have Algebra I in middle school should take it no later than ninth grade.
Try to earn all A's and B's. Make sure you pass all of your High School Assessments (HSAs) on the first take.
Study, study, study. If you don't how to study, ask your school counselor or a teacher for suggestions.
With your school counselor, chart a plan of coursework that will meet requirements to be a University System of Maryland Completer or a Career Completer--or both.
Participate in extracurricular activities: join clubs, play sports, audition for plays, run for student government, volunteer in your community. Colleges and employers look for these types of activities on an application.
Continue researching careers and colleges online. Ask adults about their college and career experiences.
Create a file for report cards, awards and honors, lists of school and community activities, records of jobs and volunteer hours, and contact information for adults who could serve as references. Continue to add to this file regularly.
Parents should continue to talk to their children about college and careers, plan visits to college campuses, contribute to a college savings account, and stay in close contact with their child's teachers and counselor.
Grade 10
Continue to take rigorous courses, including Advanced Placement courses if available for sophomores, to study regularly and to maintain good grades. Make sure you pass any HSAs on the first take.
In mid-October, all students will take the PSAT, a practice exam for the SAT. Students should prepare for the PSAT by visiting the College Board's website and trying the practice problems. Schools will distribute a practice test booklet that students should complete.
All sophomores will visit the Washington County Technical High School (WCTHS) in the fall to learn about the programs offered. Interested parents and students should plan to attend any open house events. Students must apply to attend WCTHS, and many programs are highly competitive.
Students will receive their PSAT results in January and should sign-up for a College Board account in order to access all of the free, personalized resources related to their PSAT results. Students should use their PSAT results to identify skills needing improvement and then plan to take courses to address those skills.
Students who have completed Honors Algebra II and Honors English II successfully and performed well on the PSAT may consider taking the SAT in the spring, provided they plan to take it again as juniors. Talk to your counselor.
Summers
Attend summer enrichment camps, participate in formal or informal job shadowing opportunities, visit college campuses, volunteer in the community, and/or get a summer job.
Grade 11
Continue to take rigorous courses that prepare you for postsecondary study, including at least one Advanced Placement course. Seek out or start an AP study group. Register to take the May AP exams.
Use your CollegeBoard account to sign up for email alerts and the SAT Question of the Day.
Prepare for the October PSAT, which is part of the National Merit Scholarship Contest.
Attend the annual College Fair at Hagerstown Community College in October. Attend other local college and career fairs and financial aid nights, and sign up to meet with college and technical school recruiters who visit your school.
Continue to participate in extracurricular and community activities, especially those related to your special talents and interests. Try taking on a leadership role. Make sure you have submitted all necessary paperwork for your Student Service Learning requirement.
Talk with recent graduates when they are home on breaks from college.
Research scholarships and apply to any that are available to juniors, such as the Discover Card scholarship.
Take the college entrance exams, the SAT or ACT, before the end of this year. Meet with your counselor to select the best test and date and to discuss preparation. Determine which SAT Subject Tests, if any, you should plan to take at the end of those courses. SAT Subject Tests are often required by competitive colleges.
Select challenging courses for senior year. Don’t slack off; continue taking English, math, science, and social studies courses, including at least one AP.
Continue to research and visit colleges and career schools, and try to narrow your choices. Gather detailed information about these schools and their entrance requirements.
Find out how much financial assistance you could receive and determine what your family's share will be towards the cost of college. Use the Expected Family Contribution Calculator (EFC) to estimate your college costs and learn about your financial aid eligibility.
Parents can talk to their children about why they have chosen the schools on their wish list. Whenever possible, try to visit these schools before the beginning of senior year.
Summer Before Senior Year
Schedule visits to the colleges and career schools on your wish list.
If you plan on competing in Division I or Division II college sports and want to be eligible to be recruited by colleges, register with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse if you haven't already.
Participate in a career internship in a field that matches your future goals or is related to your current program of study.
Search online for scholarships.
Create a resume listing all of your academic, extracurricular, and volunteer activities and achievements. This information will be needed for scholarship applications.
Practice writing applications without submitting them. Print copies of the application from specific schools' websites. Focus on the essay portions of these applications, deciding how you would like to present yourself. Review your applications, especially the essays. Ask family, friends, and teachers to review your essays for grammar, punctuation, readability, and content. Make sure your essay will stand out among the thousands received.
Review the information on this website and the external links, including the Senior Year page, and begin creating a calendar of all deadlines for applications, scholarships, and financial aid.
Parents can update their information in the FAFSA4caster and compare the results to the costs of colleges on their child's wish list. Determine what types of government aid your child might be able to apply for. Find out if your employer offers scholarships to children of employees.
Studies by the U.S. Department of Education reveal that students who take more rigorous courses in high school will earn higher salaries by age 27 than those who do not, regardless of whether or not they go to college. According to the Maryland Business Roundtable, students who do not complete math through Algebra II are destined for remedial college courses or low-wage jobs.
When in doubt about their goals, students should take the most rigorous academic courses available to them in order to maximize their future opportunities.
Grade 9
College bound students should take all honors courses or honors courses in their strongest subject areas. Students who didn't have Algebra I in middle school should take it no later than ninth grade.
Try to earn all A's and B's. Make sure you pass all of your High School Assessments (HSAs) on the first take.
Study, study, study. If you don't how to study, ask your school counselor or a teacher for suggestions.
With your school counselor, chart a plan of coursework that will meet requirements to be a University System of Maryland Completer or a Career Completer--or both.
Participate in extracurricular activities: join clubs, play sports, audition for plays, run for student government, volunteer in your community. Colleges and employers look for these types of activities on an application.
Continue researching careers and colleges online. Ask adults about their college and career experiences.
Create a file for report cards, awards and honors, lists of school and community activities, records of jobs and volunteer hours, and contact information for adults who could serve as references. Continue to add to this file regularly.
Parents should continue to talk to their children about college and careers, plan visits to college campuses, contribute to a college savings account, and stay in close contact with their child's teachers and counselor.
Grade 10
Continue to take rigorous courses, including Advanced Placement courses if available for sophomores, to study regularly and to maintain good grades. Make sure you pass any HSAs on the first take.
In mid-October, all students will take the PSAT, a practice exam for the SAT. Students should prepare for the PSAT by visiting the College Board's website and trying the practice problems. Schools will distribute a practice test booklet that students should complete.
All sophomores will visit the Washington County Technical High School (WCTHS) in the fall to learn about the programs offered. Interested parents and students should plan to attend any open house events. Students must apply to attend WCTHS, and many programs are highly competitive.
Students will receive their PSAT results in January and should sign-up for a College Board account in order to access all of the free, personalized resources related to their PSAT results. Students should use their PSAT results to identify skills needing improvement and then plan to take courses to address those skills.
Students who have completed Honors Algebra II and Honors English II successfully and performed well on the PSAT may consider taking the SAT in the spring, provided they plan to take it again as juniors. Talk to your counselor.
Summers
Attend summer enrichment camps, participate in formal or informal job shadowing opportunities, visit college campuses, volunteer in the community, and/or get a summer job.
Grade 11
Continue to take rigorous courses that prepare you for postsecondary study, including at least one Advanced Placement course. Seek out or start an AP study group. Register to take the May AP exams.
Use your CollegeBoard account to sign up for email alerts and the SAT Question of the Day.
Prepare for the October PSAT, which is part of the National Merit Scholarship Contest.
Attend the annual College Fair at Hagerstown Community College in October. Attend other local college and career fairs and financial aid nights, and sign up to meet with college and technical school recruiters who visit your school.
Continue to participate in extracurricular and community activities, especially those related to your special talents and interests. Try taking on a leadership role. Make sure you have submitted all necessary paperwork for your Student Service Learning requirement.
Talk with recent graduates when they are home on breaks from college.
Research scholarships and apply to any that are available to juniors, such as the Discover Card scholarship.
Take the college entrance exams, the SAT or ACT, before the end of this year. Meet with your counselor to select the best test and date and to discuss preparation. Determine which SAT Subject Tests, if any, you should plan to take at the end of those courses. SAT Subject Tests are often required by competitive colleges.
Select challenging courses for senior year. Don’t slack off; continue taking English, math, science, and social studies courses, including at least one AP.
Continue to research and visit colleges and career schools, and try to narrow your choices. Gather detailed information about these schools and their entrance requirements.
Find out how much financial assistance you could receive and determine what your family's share will be towards the cost of college. Use the Expected Family Contribution Calculator (EFC) to estimate your college costs and learn about your financial aid eligibility.
Parents can talk to their children about why they have chosen the schools on their wish list. Whenever possible, try to visit these schools before the beginning of senior year.
Summer Before Senior Year
Schedule visits to the colleges and career schools on your wish list.
If you plan on competing in Division I or Division II college sports and want to be eligible to be recruited by colleges, register with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse if you haven't already.
Participate in a career internship in a field that matches your future goals or is related to your current program of study.
Search online for scholarships.
Create a resume listing all of your academic, extracurricular, and volunteer activities and achievements. This information will be needed for scholarship applications.
Practice writing applications without submitting them. Print copies of the application from specific schools' websites. Focus on the essay portions of these applications, deciding how you would like to present yourself. Review your applications, especially the essays. Ask family, friends, and teachers to review your essays for grammar, punctuation, readability, and content. Make sure your essay will stand out among the thousands received.
Review the information on this website and the external links, including the Senior Year page, and begin creating a calendar of all deadlines for applications, scholarships, and financial aid.
Parents can update their information in the FAFSA4caster and compare the results to the costs of colleges on their child's wish list. Determine what types of government aid your child might be able to apply for. Find out if your employer offers scholarships to children of employees.