Tenth Grade Fall

-Take the PSAT. If your school does not offer the PSAT, take a practice SAT test on your own so that you know where you stand and how much improvement you’ll need.
-Start exploring colleges. Start considering your college criteria such as location, public/private, size, cost, social life, academic programs, etc. Do your research and find schools that meet your general criteria.

Tenth Grade Spring

-Start visiting some colleges. Take advantage of your school breaks to visit some colleges. Although you can visit the majority of colleges during your junior year, it is a good idea to start early so that you can make sure that you will be able to see universities while they are in session. It is important to see the general types of people that schools attract.
-Take a practice test for both the SAT and the ACT and compare your results. It is a good idea to see which test you perform better on prior to studying.
-Consider taking SAT Subject Tests. If you took a course during your tenth grade year for which CollegeBoard offers an SAT Subject Test, you should try to take the test in May or June. Many selective colleges require 2 SAT subject tests, so you will feel relieved if you have already taken one of them.

Tenth Grade Summer

-Let the standardized testing process begin! Take an SAT/ACT prep course. Purchase an SAT/ACT prep book. Take practice tests. Review your mistakes.
-Get a summer job! Get a head start on a personal savings plan for college.