9th-Grade Checklist

It's not too early to start preparing for college. This list will help you and your teen get started, and stay on-track.

• Help your teen start off the freshman year right by getting organized and practicing good study habits. Grades count now more than ever before because, starting in 9th grade, they become part of the official transcript. The better the grades are, the greater the college admissions and scholarship opportunities will be.
• Have your son or daughter check into the Ohio Early Mathematics Placement Testing Program (EMPT) which is designed to help high school students decide what mathematics courses to take as they prepare for college.
• Encourage your teen to meet new people by signing up for extracurricular activities.
• Make sure your child completes all homework.
• With your teen, do some career research on the Internet. Have your child talk with people in interesting jobs.
• Have your teen's interests changed? Review the career-interest inventory together. Have your son or daughter ask about the Ohio Career Information System, an online resource from the Ohio Department of Education with occupation matching tools and information about education and training.
• Ask your teen to work with the school counselor to update the career and education plans.
• With your teen, keep a notebook up-to-date about progress in planning for the future.
• Make sure your child signs up for Ohio Core courses and asks about Advanced Placement classes, the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program, and the Ohio College Tech Prep program.
• Help your teen plan summer volunteer or community service opportunities.