9th Graders

Erin.Graham@pgcps.org

Attendance is crucial to high school success. You must be in school and in class every day to learn and try to pass your classes. If you choose not to attend school, then you choose to fail.
Complete and turn in your independent and classwork assignments. One missed assignment can be detrimental to your grade. If you're absent, make sure to ask the teacher for any missed work. Be sure to turn in your work on time.

Take challenging courses. Your academic record is the most important part of your college application. Colleges want to see more than good grades; they want to see that you have pushed yourself and taken the most challenging courses offered at school.
Focus on grades. Grades matter in high school. Your college transcript begins in 9th grade. No part of your college application carries more weight than the courses you take and the grades you earn. College may seem like a long way off, but bad freshman-year grades can hurt your chances of getting in the college of your choice.
Get help if you need it! If you're struggling in a class, don't just sit there, fall asleep, act out, or ignore it; ask your teacher for assistance. Seek out extra assistance and tutoring to get your skills up.

Participate in extracurricular activities. Get involved. This is an opportunity to take advantage of everything that Laurel has to offer inside and outside the classroom. YOU could be just what that sports team or organization needs to take it to the next level. Just remember to keep at least a 2.0 GPA.
Meet with your counselor. Get to know your counselor by meeting with her at least once a quarter. Use this opportunity to discuss life after high school. Each March your counselor will meet with you to discuss your course selections for the next school year. Remember your counselor is your advocate. She is here to support you and help you reach your fullest potential.
Start exploring colleges and career options. Go to Naviance to complete a career interest inventory. You don't have to know what you want to do after high school, but it's important to begin to think about your interests.
Volunteer at a non-profit organization. Get started on your student service hours if you haven't already started. Colleges prefer to see more than the minimum amount that is required for graduation (24). The more hours you have, the more well-rounded you are and the more opportunities for possible scholarships exist.
Read more. Read more than what is expected in English class. The more you read, the stronger your verbal, writing, and critical thinking skills will be. Reading increases your vocabulary allowing you to do well in school, and on the SAT and ACT, and in college.