9th and 10th Graders: College Prep Starts Now
What You Can Do Now
Get involved – Find something(s) you really like doing, and then dive into it. Maybe you’re drawn to sports, student council, music or art. Join a school group or club, or find other ways to do what you love. You’ll develop skills that colleges look for and show them you can make a commitment.
Take challenging courses – Take available advanced courses. Colleges look at your grades, but they also look at how tough your courses are. They want to see that you have challenged yourself. Consider honors, Advanced Placement, and CPP classes and speak to your counselor about these options. Plus, if you take college-level courses like AP and CPP, you can get college credit!
Get ready for the SAT and standardized tests – Take the PSAT or PSAT 10 your sophomore year. These exams are like practice SATs and are a great way to prepare for the real deal. Not to mention, taking the PSAT as a junior can help you qualify for scholarships like the National Merit Scholarship.
Talk to your counselors, teachers, parents, and friends about college – Find out about college admission, academics, and campus life by asking someone who has experienced it.
Explore career interests – Consider what classes you enjoy, topics you find interesting, and skills/characteristics you think you would bring to a job. There are many questionnaires and tests that can help you get an idea about what careers you might be good at and find interesting. Some examples include the CFNC Interest Profiler and BigFuture’s Career and Major Search Center. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure what interests you or what you want to study – college is a great opportunity to explore new areas and out your passions!
Begin researching colleges – It is never too early to start thinking about what colleges you might want to attend. Having some colleges in mind that you like gives you a goal to put all your hard work towards! You do not have to get too serious about your search yet, but start thinking about what appeals to you in a college – for some considerations, look at the “Thinking About College” section. If possible, visit some college campuses. At Orange, we are lucky to have many amazing schools nearby – consider a trip to UNC-Chapel Hill, Durham Tech, Duke, North Carolina A&T, or one of the other schools within an hour of our high school.
Brainstorm Interests and Possible Careers
Prepare for Standardized Testing
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Ms. Butner will have practice tests in her office!
Thinking About Colleges
Find Your Fit
There are so many colleges, deciding which ones may be right for you can be intimidating. Step one to creating your college list is picking out the criteria that matter most to you. Some things to consider when thinking about what you want in a college include:
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Institution Type (4-year, 2-year, public, private, community college, technical college, etc)
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Location and distance from home
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School and class size
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Cost and Financial Aid
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Majors you are interested in
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Makeup of the student body
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Extracurricular activities and athletics
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Campus Culture
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Admissions Requirements
Once you’ve decided what you want in a college, start researching schools. Colleges have websites with a ton of information, Ms. Butner has 100s of brochures, and search engines such as CFNC and Big Future can help.
Duke University
Duke is a private university located in Durham, North Carolina. There are 6,609 undergraduates enrolled and the tuition and fees are $81,488 (2021-22), although Duke promises to meet 100% of financial need. The most popular majors are biology, economics, and public policy. Duke is the most competitive school in North Carolina, currently ranked as the 9th best national university in the country. Aside from amazing academics, students enjoy a national championship-winning basketball team, gorgeous gothic architecture, and an active social scene. It is also where Ms. Befort attended college, so she may be a little biased.
Western Carolina University
Western is a public university located in Cullowhee, North Carolina in the heart of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. There are 9,171 undergraduates currently enrolled and the tuition is set at $500 a semester for in-state residences as part of the new NC Promise Program. This makes the total cost of attendance $7,685. The most popular majors are business, health professions, and education. WCU emphasizes research, service, and community engagement - with all of their academic programs and outreach activities focused on improving the lives of individuals while boosting the sustainable community and economic development of the region.
North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University
North Carolina A&T is a public historically black university located in Greensboro, North Carolina. There are 9,668 undergraduates enrolled and the in-state tuition and fees are $6,526. The most popular majors are engineering, communication & journalism, and business. The students and faculty create a supportive intellectual and social community that builds a solid foundation for success. A&T Aggies have a strong spirit and school pride, with a powerful school history, D1 athletics, and a superb marching band.