9TH GRADE: WHAT DO I NEED AS A FOUNDATION?
The importance of high school cannot be overstated in preparing you for your journey toward higher education. The material in this chapter will provide you with an organized foundation for success in high school and will position you for college. Each year of high school is vital in building the profile upon which you will ultimately be judged for the college admission & scholarship application processes. The overall portrait you create from transcripts, recognition and awards, community service, and extracurricular activities has the potential to reward you with a valuable scholarship to the college you are pursuing.
The state has set minimum requirements for high school graduation. Typically, high school students need to take five solid academic courses each year to complete the graduation requirements by the end of the senior year. You and your parents/social support system should meet with your school guidance counselor to become familiar with your school’s requirements. In like manner, colleges have minimum requirements for acceptance, and even greater requirements for scholarship offers. It is important to find out the specific requirements for colleges you are interested in before applying for acceptance and scholarships. To do so, look online at college websites, get in touch with a college admission officer at that school, or talk with your school guidance counselor.
TRANSCRIPTS
A transcript is a detailed record of all your high school academic accomplishments. Transcripts may vary from school to school, but they generally contain the following information: your name & address, school information, attendance, course history, grades, credits, GPA, academic honors, etc. Almost every college application will require a high school transcript to assist college admission officers in deciding whom to admit by giving a quick overview of a student’s academic performance. It is vital to meet at the beginning of your freshman year with your school guidance counselor and get detailed information about what impacts your transcript and the material it will contain; work with the school guidance counselor to understand how to manage it throughout your high school career.
College admission officers look favorably on honors and Advanced Placement® (AP®) courses, but you must be prepared for the challenge to maintain your grades. More difficult courses may require many additional hours of homework, study, and preparation. Also, specifically for AP® classes, tests at the end of the year provide the potential to receive college credits while in high school. Although AP® and honors classes may help a student to earn extra points towards their GPA, they are not required for acceptance into college. A’s and B’s in standard courses may lead to better results than C’s and D’s in honor courses, as far as colleges are concerned.
The following sample shows a 26-credit graduation requirement during high school:
SAMPLE High School Graduation Requirements
26 Total Credits –
Math – 3.0 Career and Technical Education – 1.0
English – 4.0 Fine Arts – 1.5
Science – 3.0 Digital Literacy – 0.5
Social Science – 3.0 Financial Literacy – 0.5
Foreign Language – 2.0 Electives – 5.5
Physical Education Health – 2.0 Leadership and Character Development (If available)
| Required Areas | Credits | 9th GradeFreshman YearSuggested Course Sequence | 10th GradeSophomore YearSuggested Course Sequence | 11th GradeJunior YearSuggested Course Sequence | 12 GradeSenior YearSuggested Course Sequence |
| English/Language Arts | 4.0 | – Language Arts 9- Literature | – Language Arts 10- Literature | – Language Arts 11- AP® Literature | – Language Arts 12- AP® Language |
| Math | 3.0 | – Secondary Math I | – Secondary Math II | – Secondary Math III | – Calculus- AP® Calculus BC- AP® Stats |
| Science | 3.0 | – Biology- Earth Systems | – Physics | – Chemistry | – AP® Physics- AP® Biology- AP® Chemistry |
| Social Science | 3.0 | – Geography – AP® Human Geography | – Civilization – AP® European History | – US History – AP® US History- Local Education Agency (LEA) Discretion | – US Government and Citizenship – AP® US Government and Politics |
| Languages | 2.0 | – Foreign Language | – Foreign Language | – Foreign Language | – Foreign Language |
| Physical Education Health | 2.0 | – Participation Skills | – Health | – Fitness for Life | – Lifetime Activities |
| Career and Technical Education | 1.0 | – Computer Science or AP® Computer Science- Foods & Nutrition | |||
| Fine Arts | 1.5 | – Band, Choir, Ballroom, Orchestra | – AP® Studio Art | ||
| Digital Literacy | 0.5 | – Computer Science | |||
| Financial Literacy | 0.5 | – Financial Literacy | |||
| Electives | 5.5 | – Seminary, AP® Psychology, AP® Economics, Debate, AP® Economics-Macro, AP®Economics-Micro, etc. | |||
| Graduation Requirements | 26 Credits | ||||
HONORS COURSE OFFERINGS
Honors courses refer to exclusive, higher-level classes that proceed at a faster pace, require greater discipline, and cover more material. Honors classes are meant for students seeking a greater challenge and depth of knowledge.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT® (AP®) OFFERINGS
An AP® course is a rigorous version of a core subject, such as math, science, history, and English – though your school may offer other subject areas as well – that is consistent with a college course. Perhaps the single greatest benefit of an AP® course is that it prepares students to take an AP® final (this is optional), which may qualify for college credit, advanced placement, or both.
College credit for AP® scores varies from school to school. Suppose you earn a 4 on your AP® English Exam, a college may grant you 8 credits for that score. That means before you even enroll in college and take your first class, you will have 8 credits already completed.
Advanced placement is granted by colleges for recognition of high AP® scores, demonstrating knowledge or proficiency in core subjects and allowing a student to skip introductory or prerequisite courses. These could be courses required for a major or core courses that the college requires.
With a qualifying AP® score, students may receive both credit and advanced placement, meaning the student earns both the credit and is able to skip a course. This is dependent on the AP® course taken, and each college will vary with regards to awarding credit and placement. Visit college websites or talk to college admission officers to find out which kind of recognition is offered at each specific institution. Most have a written policy outlining the minimum required score to earn credit for a given AP® Exam, the amount of credit awarded, and how credits are applied. To search the College Board® database of policies, visit:
https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies
Additional benefits may include saving on college costs, expanding scholarship opportunities, assisting in graduating on time, and even creating space to pursue a double major, an internship, or other special program. AP® courses require more advanced academic commitment, thus building time management & critical thinking skills, and thereby appeal to students who thrive in academically challenging environments. AP® courses bring those students together where they can interact with peers who have similar intellectual interests, abilities, and drive.
CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT (CE)
Concurrent Enrollment (CE) provides a challenging college-level experience and college credit for students in core subjects such as math, science, and English, and in other areas like arts, humanities, world languages, etc. To register, meet with your school guidance counselor.
EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL (ECHS)
Early College High School (ECHS) provides a supportive yet rigorous learning environment that accelerates a student’s progress, allowing a large percentage of ECHS students to graduate from high school with an associate degree. Students are selected by a lottery system and the high school pays the participating student’s college tuition as part of their public education. Their mission is to raise the success rates of underserved youth with respect to high school and postsecondary graduation. For more information, meet with your school guidance counselor.
COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM® (CLEP®)
Another way to earn college credit in high school or during college is through the College-Level Examination Program®(CLEP®). CLEP® is an online group of standardized exams, covering intro-level college course material, that provide a mechanism for earning college credits without taking those college courses. Passing one CLEP® exam could earn you three or more college credits at almost 3,000 colleges. CLEP® enables students with prior knowledge in a college course subject to earn credit and therefore earn their degree more efficiently and inexpensively. For more information or to register, visit:
https://clep.collegeboard.org/earn-college-credit/clep-basics
https://clep.collegeboard.org/earn-college-credit/how-to-register
POSTSECONDARY ENROLLMENT OPTIONS (PSEO)
PSEO program allows students to enroll in courses at a college and earn both high school and college credit for free. Students attend class with other students, either on campus or online. All courses are taught and graded by faculty. This is only available in a limited number of states. For more information, meet with your school guidance counselor.
ACCUPLACER®
ACCUPLACER® is an online testing system colleges use, through which a student wanting to start earning credits toward a degree or who wishes to develop his/her skills before taking college-level courses can effectively & efficiently determine his/her position academically. This assists in planning a lucrative path toward a college degree. In addition, ACCUPLACER® customizes test question difficulty for every student, allowing colleges to differentiate knowledge among test takers across a large range of skill levels quicker than conventional tests would allow. Directly following the completion of a test, student test scores and information about course placement based on their scores are available online. For more information, visit:
https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/about/get-to-know-accuplacer
STAND-OUT FACTOR
Presenting a standout factor on your application when applying to colleges will differentiate you
from other applicants. Stand-out factors will distinguish you from those who may have the same standardized test scores, similar transcripts, or the same grade point average. These details, including social impact, serving in your community, and other extra-curricular activities, give college admission officers more to think about when considering your application. Some examples include: submit a meatloaf recipe to Reader’s Digest®, restore antique instruments, hike the Appalachian Trail, name a star, breed a special plant, invent something, start a business, volunteer for a political campaign, start a community volunteer organization, or write a book, music, or poetry, etc.
RECOGNITION & AWARDS
Every year you will have opportunities to participate in activities that will show your character, passions, and social commitments. These activities will be essential to show college admission officers who you are as an individual and how you are unique. Below are some suggestions of the kinds of recognition and awards that college admission officers may view as positives. With all of these, it is important to keep a copy for your own records and college resumé.
Presidential Service Award® – The Presidential Service Award® is the premier volunteer awards program given to those who have completed 100+ hours of community service during a calendar year. This award encourages citizens to live a life of service through national recognition. For more information, visit:
https://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/
Ambassador/Service-Learning Award – The Ambassador/Service-Learning Award is an award that recognizes your participation in character development, leadership, and communication activities. This varies from school to school, thus visit your school guidance counselor for more information.
Letter – A Letter is an award earned for excellence in Academics, Leadership, Athletics, and/or Fine Arts. This varies from school to school, thus visit your school guidance counselor for more information.
ACT®/SAT® Hall of Fame – This award is for students who earn a specific score on the ACT®/SAT®, for example 34 on the ACT®, enabling a student to have his/her name and score on a plaque which hangs prominently outside the high School Director’s office. This varies from school to school.
Sterling Scholar® – A Sterling Scholar® is a high school senior who is officially recognized and awarded for the pursuit of excellence in scholarship, leadership, and citizenship in the State of Utah. For more information, visit:
http://www.sterlingscholar.org/
National Honor Society® – The National Honor Society® (NHS®) is the nation’s premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS® serves to recognize those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Eligibility varies from school to school. For more information, visit:
Honor cords – Honor cords are awarded for academic achievement, such as a high GPA or National Honor Society®membership and may be earned in various subjects and worn upon graduation.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Extracurricular activities are important on your resumé, and college admission officers view them as a positive, especially if it is a sport or activity that is directed to the programs they offer. Keep track of the activities throughout your high school career. Below are some examples:
Clubs – automotive, language, robotics, writing, economics, entrepreneurship, pep band, Model United Nations, etc.
Activities – choir, orchestra, band, financial literacy, art, lifetime activities, computer science, speech & debate, etc.
Sports – This is one of the most beneficial experiences, as sports teach life skills, leadership, accountability, teamwork, and social skills. You must have the desire and skills to participate and qualify on a college level, but if you do, it can provide additional scholarship opportunities. Examples are football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, golf, tennis, lacrosse, swimming, fencing, cheerleading and many more. Check out the colleges that are recognized for your desired sport and gather information about their respective programs.
RESUMÉ
A high school resumé will give colleges a snapshot of your education, awards & accomplishments, extracurricular activities, hobbies, service & volunteer efforts, and employment history. By doing your resumé early, it will help you avoid forgetting critical information. You may need to present the resumé during your application process or college interview your senior year. A resumé is also a useful tool to give to the teachers who are writing your letters of recommendation.
Remember to edit it every year, adding new accomplishments and experiences, to make sure all timelines and descriptions are accurate. Below is a sample resumé. Following the sample resumé are spreadsheets to keep track of each component of a resumé, helping you stay organized.