Your Freshman year is very important. You will begin to notice immediate changes from what you were used to in Middle School. Classes move at a faster pace. Teachers expect more from you as a student. The work seems much more difficult. This is also an important time to begin to think about what you might want to do after high school. While this may seem like a long time from now, early planning is often the key to success. As a 9th grader, you will have the opportunity to take both the PSAT and the PLAN if you wish to do so. These are the practice exams for the SAT and ACT respectively, which are one of the criteria used to determine college entrance eligibility. Taking these exams in 9th grade is like taking a practice of the practice exam. You may be wondering why anyone would take a practice of the practice exam. This is done to familiarize yourself with the test because the PSAT, which is the practice exam for the SAT, is used to determine National Merit Scholarship eligibility. Therefore, if you have taken the exam previously and are familiar with it, you have a better chance of scoring higher when the exam does count for eligibility. Please note that this is only true if you take the exam now.

It is a good idea at this point to begin building your personal resume. (Your personal resume is a record of anything that you have done; for example, any school activities, religious organization, or community activities you have been involved with. Play a leadership role if you can! If you have received any awards or have held any type of job, indicate those on your resume.) Get letters of recommendation when appropriate. Taking Honors, IB, AP, or advanced courses can increase your high school G.P.A. (grade point average) and in some cases, even earn you college credit. Check with your guidance counselor if you have any questions.

The sophomore year of school can seem somewhat overwhelming at times. In order to be classified as a sophomore, you must have earned at least 4 credits during your freshman year. As a sophomore, you will again notice that the demands placed upon you seem to grow. Unfortunately, the sophomore year seems to be filled with all sorts of standardized exams. Once again, you will have the opportunity to take both the PLAN and the PSAT. (Again, the scores will not count). It is strongly encouraged at this point that you take at least one of these exams. The results from these exams can give you an idea of which scholarships you may qualify for.

In addition, all sophomores must take the Florida Writes Exam and the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). A student must pass the FCAT in order to graduate. One final exam that sophomores take is the College Placement Test (CPT) which is offered once each year by Santa Fe Community College at no cost to students. A passing score on the CPT can sometimes be used instead of an SAT or ACT score for the Florida Gold Seal Scholarship. See you guidance counselor for more information.

It is important that you realize that your G.P.A. (grade point average) at this point should be a concern. Often times, students sort of "cruise" through their freshman and sophomore years. This can be dangerous for a number of reasons. As you recall, all students must maintain a minimum of a 2.0 GPA in order to graduate. In addition, for those of you who are planning to go on to further education and perhaps earn a scholarship, many schools and scholarships require a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. Therefore, it is to your advantage to recognize that if you are well below either of these standards, it becomes more difficult to raise your GPA the more credits that you have earned. Finally, it is important to note that in order to become a Junior, you must earn at least 10 credits.

As a junior, you have already been through numerous tests and difficult classes. By now, you have a good understanding of the types of demands that teachers have and the amount of work required to get good grades. This year is also filled with numerous standardized exams which can determine your future.

 All students are required to pass the FCAT in order to graduate (see note above regarding the FCAT). As a Junior, you will have two opportunities to pass this exam.  It is generally taken in October and then again in March if you did not pass it the first time. All students who wish to graduate are encouraged to take this exam seriously.

All Juniors are encouraged to take the PSAT this year, as well as the PLAN. Scores from the PSAT do count this years towards the determination of National Merit Scholarships. In addition, these scores give a somewhat accurate prediction of how well you will score on the SAT or ACT respectively. The PSAT is given in October and the PLAN is offered a few weeks later in November.

Towards the end of your Junior year, you may wish to take either the SAT or the ACT. It is strongly recommended that you take them if you are planning on college and/or if you hope to qualify for scholarships. Minority students need to take these exams to be eligible for the CAP (College Achievement Program) at SFCC.

Juniors can also take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery). This is an optional test which does not obligate you to enter the military. This test gives you 3 academic and 4 occupational composite scores which provide a great deal of information for you in helping to plan your career.

As the hourglass indicates, time is running out for your high school career. It is very important that you have received and maintained good grades up through this point. To be classified as a Senior, you must have earned at least 16 credits. Trying to make up for 16 credits worth of poor grades is extremely difficult.

Juniors might consider attending college fairs and visiting some college campuses to begin to develop an idea of what you will be looking for in a school. As always, continue to build your personal resume with activities and references.

At last! You've made it this far, but it's not easy riding just yet. There are still many things to be accomplished and one or two more tests to take (perhaps...if you scored well as a Junior, your days of testing may be done!). First and foremost, is the FCAT (if you did not pass it as a  Sophomore or a Junior). As a Senior, you will have 3 more opportunities to pass the exam (in October, January, and one last time in March). Again, as of now, this is a necessary component to graduate.

Most Seniors also take the college entrance exams, either the SAT or ACT. The ACT is offered 6 times each year, while the SAT is offered 7 times. Also, several universities require students to take the SAT subject area tests (called the SAT II). Check with your guidance counselor regarding questions about the SAT II.

Your Senior year does not only consist of taking tests. Sometime between your Junior and Senior year, you should have begun thinking about your future plans. For some people, that might mean looking for a job. For others, that might mean thinking about colleges. One person at the school who can help is the Career  Specialist . After visiting with the (C/S), you might have an idea of what your plans for the future are. If college is in your future, it is to your avantage to APPLY EARLY. Early generally means before December. Many schools have either Early Decision or Rolling Admission. This gives students who apply early an advantage since they are not competing with as many students. It is not always necessary to have your test scores to apply, although in most cases it does help.

Another thing that you should do during your Senior year is to frequently check with the guidance office to check on the availability of scholarships and applications. Most scholarship applications require that you list your score from either the SAT or ACT. Additionally, the CAP (College Achievement Program) at SFCC requires that you have taken one of these exams.

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