Prepping for the Future During the Holidays

During holiday/winter break time, students should take advantage of their time.  Below are some ideas on how students can continue moving forward during this time.

8th graders:

• Private high school applications deadlines need to be met.
• Explore some interest areas and brainstorm how these might be applied in clubs, service projects, or other hands-on experiences – good practice for high school.

9th:

• For those who are taking finals after the winter break, review any challenging content.
• Review any challenging content from last semester because it will likely carry over to the next semester.
• Write down some ways to get more involved at school and in your community
• Research and apply for summer programs – it is never too early to prepare.

10th:

• Review challenging areas from the previous semester (or current if finals are after the break).
• For those taking AP classes, use the break wisely and get ahead in studying.
• Research and apply for summer programs – it is never too early to prepare.
• Think critically about coursework for next year and have a family discussion about a balance plan.

11th:

• Study for any AP classes and review for SAT/ACT exams, which may be taken in the next few months.
• This is the last opportunity for students to demonstrate interest in careers.  Applying for pre-college programs or high-quality internships is also good practice for applying to college because some of these applications require letters of recommendation, test scores, and submission of transcripts.

12th:

• Be sure to use free time wisely. Finish the required essays for private universities. Try not to wait until the end of December or end of January in some cases.
• For colleges that have accepted you, apply for scholarships or review any key details.
• Be sure to submit SAT/ACT scores on time and follow up on any requests made by CSUs or other colleges, such as transcripts or financial aid documents.