<p>OP, we’ve all been in your shoes. It’s rather like drinking from a fire hydrant to read here at first. You’re reading the financial aid forum, right? The money piece is very, very, very important to understand early on. </p>
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<p>Yes, she should be keeping track of service hours, any honors or awards, and any activities she’s involved with. This will be of enormous help when she is filling out applications. Journals also have their place. My HS senior daughter was required to keep a journal for a summer program last summer, and she ended up quoting from it extensively in her application essays. </p>
<p>The important thing about the SAT IIs is to take a subject test at the end of the class if your child has finished the highest level of that subject. For example, the Math 2 SAT II covers math through trig and precalc, but not calculus. Your D should plan on taking that SAT II shortly after she finishes precalc, which will be halfway through her junior year. Another random example would be a student who takes regular chem in 10th grade and AP Chem in 11th. That student should wait till the end of 11th grade to take the Chem SAT II. A student who took AP Chem in 10th grade (such people do exist) would take the Chem SAT II at the end of 10th grade.</p>