Episode 96: College Planning Timeline: 9th Grade

[0:00:07] BT: Applying to college may seem like one big step toward your future, but you'll be more successful and less stressed if you instead see that journey as dozens of smaller steps.

[0:00:17] BHA: And just because the actual application window won't open until the fall of your senior year doesn't mean there aren't steps that you can take sooner to build the foundation for a strong application.

[0:00:28] BT: I'm Brooke Thames from Bucknell University. And in the next four episodes of College Admissions Insider, Becca and I will be walking you through our college planning timeline, offering a step-by-step action plan to take you from 9th grade through 12th grade and beyond.

[0:00:43] BHA: And I'm Becca Haupt Aldredge, also from Bucknell. Today, we'll cover tips and best practices for students who are in their very first year in high school.

[0:00:51] BT: Becca, walking in on my first day of high school, the most important thing was decorating my locker. I was so excited to have finally reached high school that college seemed a billion years away. But I do remember having a strong sense of what I was interested in and enjoyed academically, which was English and writing. And all these years later, I'm still passionate about those things, and I even work as a marketing content writer. So from the admissions perspective, is it ever too early for a student to start making those connections between class subjects and possible careers?

[0:01:22] BHA: It is absolutely never too early. In 9th grade or even earlier, students can start identifying what subjects they like or don't like, what careers pique their curiosity and are worthy of further exploration. But before jumping ahead to career, how can a student set themselves up for success in the classroom with a class schedule that challenges and excites them?

[0:01:46] BT: Well, I think the first step would be meeting their school counselor. As far as accessible resources go, a school counselor is a really great first step. Some schools even have counselors that specialize in college and career advising. Counselors are going to be the people that can help you understand your school's particular curriculum path — as in what classes come after the other — elective classes, and academic rigor to make sure you're on the right track. Speaking of rigor, let's make sure we define that for listeners.

[0:02:17] BHA: Good call. "Rigor" is a word we use a lot on the college admissions side of things, and it's really a word that we use to describe how challenging a student's high school coursework is. We know that every high school offers something different. Some schools offer honors or AP classes. Some schools offer IB diploma programs or dual enrollment programs with a local community college. All of those are ways that a student might demonstrate rigor. And some schools have rules about when and how students can access those types of challenging courses, how early they can access them, or even how many they can take in a given year.

Are there other things that students should do in that very first year to make sure they're college ready?

[0:02:58] BT: Well, some high schools offer the PSAT, as in the practice SAT. If your school offers it, it's not a bad idea to get familiar with the process of standardized testing. Plenty of colleges around the country have adopted test-optional policies. Bucknell is one. But lots of schools still require SATs, ACTs, or International Baccalaureate. If you're planning on taking standardized tests, the PSAT is where you'll want to start.

I think we've covered academics so far pretty well. Becca, what about outside of the classroom? Anything that 9th graders might want to think about?

[0:03:33] BHA: Definitely. Aside from adjusting to your new locker and new class schedule, high school is a great time to get involved in your school or your local community and explore what your passions are. It's a great time to try out new clubs or extracurricular activities, or build new skill sets.

One thing we see sometimes when we read applications is the student who tried something in 9th grade and then realized they didn't necessarily like it. Does it look bad if a student doesn't stick with that thing for four years?

[0:04:05] BT: From what I've learned in all of our conversations on this podcast, not necessarily. High school is brand new at this point. So it may take some time for a student to discover what's available at their school and what they want to be involved in. Even if you hop into something to start — let's say choir, or student government, or even sports — it's normal to refine those interests throughout your four years. Moving on from an activity that you don't love and replacing it with something you're actually passionate about is completely fine early on. But what colleges do want to see is that once you've found something, you've really dedicated your time to exploring it as fully as possible.

[0:04:42] BHA: Yep. I think that's entirely right, Brooke. We do sometimes see on applications that a student did an activity in 9th and didn't continue. Or some students, if they've gotten really involved, may choose to not even list that thing that they did in 9th grade and didn't continue. Because at that point, that helped inform them of what they do and don't like and set them off down a different path or down a different direction.

So while students are doing all of this exploring and self-discovery, it's another great step to make sure that students are tracking their achievements and their progress. Because when they're seniors in high school, it'll be time to put all of that on paper as they formulate their college application. Whether you start a list in a notebook or a doc on your computer, finding a place to list the clubs and extracurriculars you're involved with — honor roll, or dean's list, a scouting award that you receive — find a place to make that list so you can refer back to it later when the time comes. With that, let's close this episode with one last piece of advice for students who are early on in their high school careers.

[0:05:46] BT: I think something that I would say is that high school is a marathon, not a sprint. While you should start loosely thinking about preparing for college in this first year, you're still a good ways away from hitting submit on a college application. The most important thing is that you're laying a strong foundation that you can build upon as you progress through high school, get more serious about college, and eventually reach that point where you're building a super strong application. So take the time to explore, figure out what you're interested in, and leverage those resources, like your school counselor, that can really help inform your college journey. And leverage those resources like your high school counselor, who can really help inform your high school journey.

[0:06:24] BHA: I think that's great advice, Brooke, for a 9th-grade student that might be listening, and excited, or maybe even nervous to start thinking about the college process. Remember that this transition is brand new, and transitions can be tricky. So give yourself some grace and some time adapting to your new environment, exploring new things, and making the most of this new experience.

[0:06:50] BT: Check back here for advice on how to prepare for college in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. If you're a fan of the podcast, please take a moment to rate, subscribe and share this episode with students and families in your life.

[0:07:02] BHA: We'll be back with another new episode in a few weeks, especially for sophomores in high school. In the meantime, send your questions, comments and episode ideas to podcast@bucknell.edu. We read every note you send.

[0:07:14] BT: And finally, you're invited to follow Bucknell on your favorite social media apps. Just look for @bucknellu on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and TikTok. You can also follow our student-run Instagram account, which is @iamraybucknell.

[0:07:29] BHA: Until next time, keep reaching for your dreams and your dream school.

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