Ninth grade
Freshman year is a very important year. Many colleges do not look particularly at freshman year when evaluating your transcript/application, but they do very much take it into consideration when viewing your consistency.
Step 1: Davidson
If you are not enrolled in as a Davidson scholar by 9th grade, it is not worth getting involved after that. For more information, view my Fifth Grade page and immediately go to davidsongifted.org/youngscholars/.
Step 2: AoPS
If you are a strong math student and not already involved with the Art of Problem Solving, look at their website immediately. Look into advanced math courses as well! This is very important because it is very important to be advanced in math (by more than your school's standards). For more information, visit my Fifth Grade page, artofproblemsolving.com, and http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/School/recommendations.php#g8up.
Step 3: Competitions
You must start involving yourself with academic competitions by freshman year. It is tremendously important.
If you are strong in math, immediately view the AMC 10 and 12. These are 25-question tests proctored by your school or a local center. Your score is ranked nationally and you are given awards for high achievements, like scoring the highest in your school (both in one year and consecutively).
For more information, immediately visit http://amc.maa.org/e-exams/e5-amc10/amc10.shtml and http://amc.maa.org/e-exams/e6-amc12/amc12.shtml.
Also, look into your region's local ARML team. The ARML is a national team competition, where students are grouped into teams of 15 according to their region. It is a very competitive competition but it is also very fun and a tremendous learning experience. For more information, visit http://www.arml.com/arml_development/page/index.php.
For a very complete list of all kinds of academic competitions, visit http://www.duketipeog.com/home/academic_activities.
Step 4: Research and Projects
Ninth grade is a very good time to start college-level research. If you start freshman year and continue throughout high school, you will be able to go into college with four years a research experience, a priceless credential! For more information and ideas, check out the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and Davidson Fellows at http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/ and davidsongifted.org/fellows, respectively.
Step 5: Scholarships
Before you know it, your student will be going to college. As we all know, college is very expensive, and it never hurts to earn a few hundred dollars as a scholarship. Hence, ninth grade is a very good time to start looking for scholarships!
For a large list of scholarships available to high school freshman , visit http://highscholarships.com/high-school-freshman-scholarships.html.
Step 6: Physics
If your child is quite exceptional in math and has taken calculus before or by 9th grade, immediately look into involving them in Physics. The national and international physics olympiads are fantastic credentials and are relatively small with the number of competition. Enroll them into a Physics B and C class, and also look for a prep class for the Olympiad. (If you live in the Orange Country or Irvine area, check out the Avid Academy's physics program at http://avidacademy.com/physics.)
Step 7: Community Service
Community Service is a very large part of your college application. Colleges nowadays are looking very seriously at community service. Though most colleges tend to count only your two years of most service, starting as a freshman prepares you for the 100+ hours a year you'll need when it comes to junior and senior year. Hence, start looking into community service ideas. Contact your counselors and teachers for ideas. Join a character or service club. Just get involved!
Step 8: PSAT
It is very important to take the PSAT freshman year. In junior year, you can be offered scholarships with a high PSAT score, so it is important to see how you stand freshman year, so when senior year comes, you can be prepared! See http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.
Step 1: Davidson
If you are not enrolled in as a Davidson scholar by 9th grade, it is not worth getting involved after that. For more information, view my Fifth Grade page and immediately go to davidsongifted.org/youngscholars/.
Step 2: AoPS
If you are a strong math student and not already involved with the Art of Problem Solving, look at their website immediately. Look into advanced math courses as well! This is very important because it is very important to be advanced in math (by more than your school's standards). For more information, visit my Fifth Grade page, artofproblemsolving.com, and http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/School/recommendations.php#g8up.
Step 3: Competitions
You must start involving yourself with academic competitions by freshman year. It is tremendously important.
If you are strong in math, immediately view the AMC 10 and 12. These are 25-question tests proctored by your school or a local center. Your score is ranked nationally and you are given awards for high achievements, like scoring the highest in your school (both in one year and consecutively).
For more information, immediately visit http://amc.maa.org/e-exams/e5-amc10/amc10.shtml and http://amc.maa.org/e-exams/e6-amc12/amc12.shtml.
Also, look into your region's local ARML team. The ARML is a national team competition, where students are grouped into teams of 15 according to their region. It is a very competitive competition but it is also very fun and a tremendous learning experience. For more information, visit http://www.arml.com/arml_development/page/index.php.
For a very complete list of all kinds of academic competitions, visit http://www.duketipeog.com/home/academic_activities.
Step 4: Research and Projects
Ninth grade is a very good time to start college-level research. If you start freshman year and continue throughout high school, you will be able to go into college with four years a research experience, a priceless credential! For more information and ideas, check out the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and Davidson Fellows at http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/ and davidsongifted.org/fellows, respectively.
Step 5: Scholarships
Before you know it, your student will be going to college. As we all know, college is very expensive, and it never hurts to earn a few hundred dollars as a scholarship. Hence, ninth grade is a very good time to start looking for scholarships!
For a large list of scholarships available to high school freshman , visit http://highscholarships.com/high-school-freshman-scholarships.html.
Step 6: Physics
If your child is quite exceptional in math and has taken calculus before or by 9th grade, immediately look into involving them in Physics. The national and international physics olympiads are fantastic credentials and are relatively small with the number of competition. Enroll them into a Physics B and C class, and also look for a prep class for the Olympiad. (If you live in the Orange Country or Irvine area, check out the Avid Academy's physics program at http://avidacademy.com/physics.)
Step 7: Community Service
Community Service is a very large part of your college application. Colleges nowadays are looking very seriously at community service. Though most colleges tend to count only your two years of most service, starting as a freshman prepares you for the 100+ hours a year you'll need when it comes to junior and senior year. Hence, start looking into community service ideas. Contact your counselors and teachers for ideas. Join a character or service club. Just get involved!
Step 8: PSAT
It is very important to take the PSAT freshman year. In junior year, you can be offered scholarships with a high PSAT score, so it is important to see how you stand freshman year, so when senior year comes, you can be prepared! See http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.