Your Sophomore Year

Getting Into A Rhythm

If your freshman year was about adjusting to high school, then your sophomore year is about settling into a rhythm. You’re getting more comfortable in your environment and hopefully gaining confidence and the courage to explore opportunities which are the most interesting for you.

Consider Taking the PSAT

The PSAT, or Preliminary SAT, is a standardized test administered by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It measures reading, writing, and math skills.

The PSAT is a first chance for you to see what the SAT will be like in advance of taking it in your junior year. But more importantly, the PSAT is the entrance into the National Merit Scholarship Program. This is probably the most prestigious high school student award program in the country. At many colleges across the country, a National Merit finalist or qualifier will get more attention and more money.

Review College Prep Track with Your Guidance Counselor

Now that you are in your second year of high school, you may have a better idea of what you want to study in college. Make another appointment with your guidance counselor to discuss any thoughts you have about your future after high school. You can take this time to adjust your coursework or just ensure that you are still on the right college prep track.

Continue to Investigate Colleges and Universities

As you begin to get a better picture of what career you might want to pursue, make sure you continue your casual investigation of colleges and universities. You can research schools and find out which colleges have highly regarded programs in those fields or seem most interesting to you. You’re not making any decisions right now, but you’re establishing a foundation on which to base some future choices on your higher education options.

Stay Involved

Hopefully you've found some extracurricular activities that you really enjoy. Stick with them and continue to develop your experience. Or maybe you want to try something new. That's okay, too. The key thing is that you continue to stay involved and explore opportunities outside of classwork.

PARENTS: Shelter money for CSS Profile

If you need to shelter any monies for the CSS Profile purposes, make sure to get it done before December 31st.