The First Half of High School is Over and Expectations Rise Dramatically This School Year

There is Good News: Great Opportunities Are Abound. You Can Reach the Colleges of Your Dreams, Even if Your 9th and 10th Grades Were Not Stellar. But You Must Have a Plan to Distinguish Yourself in 11th Grade!

Two years of high school have passed in the blink of an eye; your child will begin applying to college in approximately 12 months. Some students have already performed at an outstanding level and created a solid portfolio of grades and activities. Others have yet to maximize their grades and abilities and engage their interests with depth. For both sets of students, 11th grade is the most important year in terms of college admissions. If your child wants to reach the top 150 colleges and universities, then your family must have a plan to stand out from the masses of highly-qualified applicants.

College admissions personnel expect that 11th graders are consistent academic performers and are working hard on their interests and curiosities. High school juniors must prove their seriousness and commitment to academic and extra-curricular activities by performing at the highest level to date. A strong 11th grade performance, in and out of class, can drastically change the way your child’s college application will be perceived. Even underachievers can rewrite their story with an upward sloping set of grades and a well-crafted set of extra-curricular activities. What does your child need to do in 11th grade in order to maximize talents and performance?

Every middle class student in America participates in school clubs, sports teams, performing arts ensembles, and community service. These activities no longer catch the eye of college admissions staff unless the student is performing at an elite level or going way beyond the norm. Instead, your child needs to start moving in the direction of his or her future path of study and career interests. Activities and experiences that connect with future majors are the most valuable entries on a resume. Does your child have clarity about interests, majors, and career plans? What will your child do this year to build a connection between activities and future plans?

Your child should be taking the SAT or ACT for the first time by Christmas. Plans for test preparation need to be made immediately so that realistic schedules can be created. If your child is to take the SAT Subject Tests, then 11th grade is the time to do so. Does your family have a test prep plan?

Serious college research should begin no later than the first day of 11th grade. Does your family understand the differences between the major types of American college options (Public Research, Private Research, Private Teaching) and where your child can be most happy and academically successful? What does it really take (GPA, SAT/ACT score, extra-curricular portfolio, etc.) to be accepted at your child’s top college choices?

With a detailed plan of attack, your child can easily reach the colleges of his or her dreams. Those who have started strong have a leg up, but will need to finish with gusto. Sub-par performance in 9th and 10th grade can be offset with better results in the remaining years of high school. If your son or daughter acquires the guidance and support needed to complete all of the steps laid forth, then he or she will reach the desired destination. Procrastination and denial will lead to disappointment at college acceptance time. The time for reality is here; the best opportunities will go to those who distinguish themselves in 11th grade. The others will join the masses and leave their future to the whims of chance.