<p>One thing nobody said is that colleges really only have 3 years of grades to look at. So freshman year grades are important. </p>
<p>I agree with mathyone, there is a sign posted in our doctor’s office stating that anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. </p>
<p>Our doctor requires payment and our kids didn’t have credit cards in high school.</p>
<p>As a teacher who teaches seniors, I ask them at the end of their senior year what they would have done differently if they had it all to do over again. Almost every kid says the same thing,“I wish I had gotten involved and I wish I had payed mored attention to my grades.”</p>
<p>As a ninth grader your S shouldn’t be making too big a deal about college right now. He should be enjoying his teenage years as much as possible. They go by fast. But the fact is the college admission drums are already beating in the background and that college admission decisions are often initially made based on a student’s first 3 years in high school as students typically apply before first semester senior grades are available. So S can’t be blasé about college. And from OP it appears S is on solid pathway. I would suggest S take the hardest possible courses that he can take AND ALSO do well in. Also keep in mind that some later high school courses may have prereqs that need to be satisfied first. </p>
<p>Good luck to your S.</p>
<p>Let your child be a teen and support his/her interests. </p>
<p>Look for summer activities; they do not have to be academic. Having a summer job is great. Volunteerimg is great. Going to camp is great. The idea is to prevent summers where your child is just lying around playing video games. If he is into art, going to an art camp or being a counselor in an art camp could be a possibility.</p>
<p>Now that Harvard has dropped them, things may change. But assuming some colleges will still require them in four years, have your child take the SAT II subject tests when he completes the relevant class. Don’t wait until his junior year. Have him take Math II after Algebra II or pre-calc. Seriously, ask the biology teacher if the students would be ready for the SAT II exam after taking the class. </p>
<p>The book “Admission Possible” by Marjorie Hansen Shaevitz is a great resource, simple language, easy to understand process. I highly recommend it. It is a great read for you now, as a parent, and will be helpful to your student down the road.</p>
<p>Find a parent or two with a student a year or two ahead of your child. Maybe they will have already sent an older child off to college. Take them out for coffee and ask questions. Listen to their experiences, both good and bad. Pay attention to where the seniors at your child’s high school are heading after college. </p>
<p>It helps to know your instate options, and it doesn’t distract your child if you do research on your own, not involving them. As your child expresses interest, find out which schools offer that major. What is the reputation of the art department, etc? As you interact with others and the word college comes up, ask “where do you/your child attend? What do you like/not like about it?”</p>
<p>And what will your child’s job prospects be if they pursue a career in xyz interest? It could be there are job opportunities that you didn’t even know existed (art therapist?) or you find out the job market is flooded and unemployment is high. It doesn’t mean your child can’t pursue that interest, but you might be more careful about amassing huge debt load, and look for less expensive ways to graduate without debt.</p>
<p>Some states offer dual-enrollment, and that could start as early as 11th grade, so check into that possibility. A student could take online or in person classes at a local college and receive both high school and college credit for the courses. Most colleges allow you to take up to about 30 hours of college credits in high school and still apply as an incoming freshman. </p>
<p>The only reason you would need to micro manage starting in 9th grade is if your student had any interest in applying to a military college. That admissions process is highly complicated and very strict, and you want to get informed asap if that is a possibility.</p>
<p>My D made all her college decisions, after we as parents gave her the financial talk of what we could afford. I am a research person, my D isn’t. She was glad for me to present her with information when it was time for her to be informed so she could make a decision. And she made all contacts with the college admissions offices, set up all details for campus visits, etc.</p>
<p>Best of luck to your family. </p>
<p>Op,
Haven’t read all the posts, but a book that I like is “How to be a high school superstar” by Cal Newport.
Also get 1 or 2 books on college admissions. I read <a href=“http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-College-Admissions-Officers-ebook/dp/B000JMKRIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408966781&sr=8-1&keywords=new+on+college+admissions”>http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-College-Admissions-Officers-ebook/dp/B000JMKRIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408966781&sr=8-1&keywords=new+on+college+admissions</a>
and
<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=a%20is%20for%20admission&sprefix=a+is+for+ad%2Caps%2C307”>http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_11?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=a%20is%20for%20admission&sprefix=a+is+for+ad%2Caps%2C307</a></p>
<p>I’ll edit that the 3rd book is only needed if you think that your kid might want to apply to a uber competitive college.</p>
<p>Just want to offer that I didn’t read any books about what to do in high school to impress colleges and that also worked out fine. </p>
<p>Just make sure your kid gets involved, explores interests, and takes the most rigorous classes available that you both feel your child is capable of handling. Do something in the summer other than laze around on the sofa. </p>
<p>Identify as many schools of possible interest now as you can and look up admissions requirements to make sure your child is on track with coursework, and make sure you understand the special requirements of arts programs. Research finances to understand your options and limits. </p>
<p>If it appears that SAT2 subject tests may be needed, then think about which ones your child will take and plan to take them in may or june of the year they complete the highest level course. This wouldn’t normally apply to freshmen, though I do know of students who took bio as a freshman and took the sat2 at the end. Allow plenty of time to study for the SAT and/or ACT and take it junior year. If you expect your student to have very high test scores, then make sure to take the PSAT as a junior and prepare for that. It could be worth a lot of scholarship money. Think about starting college visits as a sophomore or when convenient with your other travel plans.</p>
<p>Just try to develop EC’s, maintain grades, and be aware of upcoming honors or similar classes</p>
<p>Just try to develop EC’s, maintain grades, and be aware of upcoming honors or similar classes</p>