College Preparation Workbook

Sep 3, 2026

Upload by McQueen

College Preparation Workbook offers grade-by-grade guidance for students preparing for college applications from 9th through 12th grade. The workbook emphasizes early planning with counselors, building academic habits, selecting rigorous courses, and expanding extracurricular activities and leadership. It also outlines steps for college research, understanding QuestBridge opportunities, and preparing for standardized tests such as PSAT, PreACT, SAT, and ACT, including recommendations for summer learning and community service involvement.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages49

Reading Time17 min

AccessFree to download

Grade-by-Grade Planning

9th and 10th Grade

11th Grade

12th Grade

Key Activities

Meet With Your Counselor

Build Study Habits and Coursework Plan

Develop Relationships and Take Rigorous Courses

Expand Extracurriculars and Community Service

Save and Use Summers Effectively

Begin College Research

Prepare for PSAT/PreACT and SAT/ACT

Plan Leadership and Campus Visits

| 9th and 10th grade: | | --- | | Welcome to high school! The fact that you’re already looking into college application resources means you’re ahead of the game. While some content within this workbook may be better to complete later in high school, we recommend exploring the following sections in this workbook now:
Preparing for College Admissions
Activities | | 11th grade: | | --- | | This is an important year in your college preparation journey. You’re now eligible to apply to the QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program , which is an opportunity to get a head start on applying to top colleges. In order to apply in the spring of your junior year, you’ll need to complete an application with multiple components, many of which you can thoroughly prepare for using the following workbook sections:
Preparing for College Admissions
Researching Colleges and the National College Match
Recommendations
Activities Writing | | 12th grade: | | --- | | It’s time to apply to the QuestBridge National College Match , an opportunity tobe considered for full four-year scholarships to over 50 top colleges. Every section of this workbook can directly support your college application journey during 12th grade, whether you’re applying to colleges through QuestBridge or not. We recommend following the sections in chronological order, and skipping checklists that are no longer relevant for your grade. | | Meet with your counselor early in the year to discuss your high school goals and interests. Ask as many questions as you can! Learn about how your middle school career transitions to high school. | | | --- | --- | | Set a good tone for your high school career by building good habits, like keeping a weekly planner, having dedicated homework time, and being active in the classroom. | | | Start building strong relationships with your teachers, counselors, and even school administrators. | | | We recommend that you take at least one course per core subject area every year. Core subjects include Math, Science, History/Social Studies, English, and Foreign Language. | | | --- | --- | | Talk to your counselor about advanced courses and tracks offered at your school. Exploring options early is important! Your school may have policies or there may be scheduling conflicts (e.g., certain AP courses only offered in the Fall or Spring, or at the same time as specific athletics/music programs. | | | Map out a rough four-year coursework plan. It’s okay if things change, but a basic plan will enable you to consider taking the most challenging courses later in high school and will be something to refer back to. | | | Continue extracurricular activities from middle school that you want to develop. Explore activities that you’re excited about trying in high school. Colleges like to see longevity and depth in your involvement. | | | --- | --- | | Be on the lookout for community service projects or leadership opportunities to participate in. | | | Start saving for college and consider taking on a part-time job during your summers to kick-start your savings. | | | --- | --- | | Begin your college research. Explore the QuestBridge college partners on our website and learn terms associated with preparing for and applying to college. | | | Prepare for the PSAT and/or PreACT tests. The National Merit Scholarship is a prestigious national award for which you can only qualify if you score well on the PSAT. This will help you prepare for the SAT and ACT. | | | Use your summers effectively by taking community college/online courses to enhance your academic record. | | | Schedule a meeting with your counselor in the beginning of the school year. Evaluate your 9th grade year and plan the years ahead of you. Discuss your progress and potential future plans. | | | --- | --- | | Take rigorous classes that may be available to you, including AP/IB/Honors level courses. Be aware of prerequisites you may need to take this year to qualif

FAQs

What should students do in 9th and 10th grade to prepare for college applications?

Students should explore college admissions preparation resources, start forming study habits and weekly routines, and build course planning habits. The workbook also encourages taking core-subject courses and developing extracurricular involvement and service or leadership opportunities.

What makes 11th grade an important year for college preparation?

11th grade is when students become eligible to apply to the QuestBridge College Prep Scholars Program. The workbook guides students to prepare key components for spring applications, including admissions planning, research, recommendations, and activities.

How should students prepare for standardized tests across junior and senior years?

The workbook advises preparing for the PSAT and/or PreACT, including understanding how PSAT performance relates to the National Merit Scholarship, and using preparation to support later SAT/ACT readiness. It also recommends visiting the Standardized Tests section for more information and tips.

Sep 3, 2026

Upload by McQueen