Ninth Grade

We are glad that you are visiting this page of the website because this means that you are starting to plan for college early. GREAT!

Too many students wait to investigate colleges when they are Juniors or Seniors, and they discover that they have already made mistakes that they would not have made if they had started planning earlier. We can't promise you that you will be accepted into the college or university of your dreams if you follow the advice on this website. However, we can promise you that you will be better prepared for college and that you will increase your chances of entering the college you want if you follow RCHS's Preparation for College Guide.

What do you need to do during your freshman year to prepare for college?

When you begin applying to colleges, schools will examine your high school transcript. A student's transcript lists every course he or she has taken in high school as well as the grades that the student made in each course. Because colleges want to make sure that applicants can handle rigorous academic classes, it is imperative that your transcript lists many academic classes with good grades. If you have selected to take extra academic classes in high school instead of taking electives, this tells the college that you are interested in learning. If you have taken only the basic requirements and have filled your transcript with extra elective classes, minimum day, or mentorship, this may tell the college that you probably are not academically prepared for college. Selective colleges also want to see that you have taken academic alliance and AP courses when appropriate. Although you have little control over what level of class you take in 9th grade, you will definitely want to pay attention to the level of courses you take in the future. Please see the Course Selection Booklet for more information.

Push yourself to learn all you can in each class you take and you will be prepared for college-entrance tests, and you will know the material you need to excel in college. When colleges look at your transcript, they will determine your GPA (grade-point average). The GPA is based on all of the courses you take while in high school. The higher your GPA, the greater your chances are to be accepted into the college you desire. Study hard, complete all of your work on time, ask the teacher for extra help when needed. Do everything you can to make A's in all of your classes. If an "A" is absolutely impossible for you, strive to make B's. Many high school seniors realize that their GPA is too low for the college they want to attend simply because of grades they made when they were in 9th grade. Don't let this happen to you. Maintain high grades in all classes.

When colleges look at your transcript, most will re-compute your GPA using CORE/ACADEMIC courses only. It is important for you to research Freshman Admissions at the colleges of your choice to review admissions requirements.

Later on when you apply to colleges, schools will want to know your Class Rank. Your Class Rank will be printed on your transcript and report card. The student or students in the entire freshman class who have the highest GPA will be ranked #1. The higher your class rank, the better your chances are that you will be admitted into college.

Students who have excellent attendance generally make higher grades, learn more, and enjoy school more. What is good attendance? Here's a guide:

Perfect Attendance - You never miss a day during the entire year.

Excellent Attendance - You miss no more than 2 days for the year.

Good Attendance - You miss 3-4 days during the year.

Acceptable Attendance - You miss 5-6 days during the year.

If you miss more than six days during the year, you will not learn as much. Additionally, if you miss more than 6 days for the year, teachers may not view you as a diligent worker who wants to do his or her best work at all times.

Your teachers will help prepare you for college and future plans. Show them that you are serious about learning and that you are a hard worker. If you are absent frequently, misbehave, or fail to complete your assignments on time, teachers will not view you as a serious student who wants to excel. Not only will this behavior prevent you from learning as much as you can, but it may hurt you in the future. If you are in average classes and want to move to an honors class the next semester, the teacher must be convinced of your diligence, intelligence, and your attitude to persevere. When you begin applying to college in a couple of years, you will also have to ask several teachers to write recommendations for you. If you impress your teachers and comport yourself in a positive way, you will have many teachers who respect you who will want to write recommendations for you.

Additionally, in the future you will want to join honor and academic organizations such as the National Honor Society. In order to be selected you must have teacher recommendations.

When you apply to colleges, you will be asked to list the school and community activities in which you have participated. Colleges select intelligent students who have good grades, but they also want to make sure that the students they accept will have positive impacts on their colleges. Find clubs and sports that interest you and get involved. Don't try to join every club. Instead, select 2-4 sports, clubs, and activities that really appeal to you, and then get involved. By becoming involved in these activities, you will enjoy school more and meet new friends. In the future, you should find organizations that you really enjoy and assume leadership roles.

Most colleges will ask you to list extracurricular activities and leadership roles. Competitive schools want to see that you were not just a member of numerous clubs but that you held an important leadership position in a significant organization.

Colleges also want students who get involved in Community Service projects. Get involved in organizations outside of school such as working with Habitat for Humanity, raising funds for the Cancer Society, working as a volunteer at a nursing home or hospital. If you would like to get involved in Community Service but don't know how, please see your guidance counselor for a list of organizations that need help.

All colleges and universities require students to take tests in order to determine if students are qualified to attend their schools. Most students will take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and the ACT in their Junior year of high school. To increase your scores, begin preparing now for these tests. How can you prepare?

* Pay attention in class and do your best work

* READ - Don't just read what is assigned in class.

Choose books and magazines that appeal to you and establish a ritual of reading for at least 20 minutes each day.

* The new SAT requires students to write a 25-minute essay. Practice this skill in class when teachers assign Timed Writings

* Utilize free SAT and ACT tutorials