Pullman High School

 Check your high school classes to ensure you are taking courses to meet graduation requirements and postgraduation plans. Contact your counselor if you have any concerns.

 Develop a serious attitude toward your studies. Your grade point average (GPA) and class rank are important considerations for college acceptance as well as several scholarships.

 Develop good study habits! If you are struggling at any time – first, consult your teacher; second, seek tutoring assistance; and third, consult the academic counselor.

 Set personal goals for academic achievement. Evaluate and re-assess frequently to make sure you are working toward your goals.

 Review your interests; explore careers and their potential. Discover what type of education requirements there are for your interest area. Have your parents of counselor help you with this, if needed. These inventories should be available on your WOIS profile if you took Information Technology as a freshman. You may also have other take other free inventories on college planner websites found on the PHS Counseling pages.

 Update your High School and Beyond Plan. Upload it to WOIS.

 The PSAT is administered in October. Please check which date your school will be administering the PSAT. PSAT scores are required if you plan to take any Running Start classes in your junior or senior year.

 Encourage your parents to attend OPEN HOUSE so they can become familiar with your schedule, your teachers, the administrators and your counselor.

 Familiarize yourself with the PHS Scholarship pages (if you haven’t already). Plan out any scholarship applications you want to submit for as a junior.

 Take the ASVAB – (Armed Services Vocational and Battery).

 Update your High School & Beyond Plan and upload to WOIS.

 Assessment information

 Become familiar with resources on PHS Counseling webpages for career and post-secondary exploration and information.

 Plan ahead for project deadlines and semester exams.

 Visit people employed in your career interest area. Ask questions about job tasks, helpful skills, advantages and disadvantages; also ask about employment opportunities.

 Plan your extracurricular activities carefully. They will be needed on your resume for college or for work. You also want a healthy balance of academics, activities and interests for yourself.

 Begin to compile information to develop a resume. Activities, GPA, Class rank, special programs, internships and school awards or scholarships should be included, as well as any work experience.

 Begin thinking about your Course Selection Process for next year – Consider earning college credit in high school through Advanced Placement (AP), Running Start, College in the High School and/or Tech Prep. Pay attention to your classes required for graduation and post-secondary plans.

 Review your academic skills with your teachers. (Strengths and Weaknesses)

 Request recommendations in areas you need to improve or have a deficiency.

 Discuss your career or educational goals with your parents and counselor.

 Continue exploring career information and what will be needed after high school for your career interests.  Make a list of schools, jobs, & colleges to which you may want to consider applying.

 Check the entrance requirements to schools listed above.

 Review or retake interest inventory and analyze the results against possible career choices.

 Plan ahead for major project deadlines and semester exams.

 Set aside time for reading EVERYDAY during the summer. This will help prepare you for higher education or college. Request suggestions from your teachers for reading that will also benefit you in course work for the upcoming year.

 Use your time wisely. This is a good time to find a job, volunteer or explore your career interests and go to Summer School

Plan out your testing schedule for PSAT/SAT/ACT. These scores are requested for many scholarship applications, so be sure and take these tests according to the timeline you need for both college and scholarship applications. Get PSAT/NMSQT tips and a free practice test (Collegeboard test prep tool).

How many times should I take the SAT®?

Most students take the SAT® twice — once in the spring of junior year and once in the fall of senior year. You should practice for the SAT before you take it. Use the free online practice materials available to get an idea of what the actual test is like. You may want to take the test a third time if you think you could significantly improve your scores.

Identify your interests; explore careers and their potential. Discover what type of education requirements there are for your interest area. Visit sites like CareerKey or StudentAid that offer free interest inventories and college planning information. Make lists of your abilities, preferences and personal qualities. List things you may want to study and do in college.

Get job skills in high school by considering Job Corps, internships, job shadowing, Junior ROTC, occupational classes, preapprenticeship training, or other community service volunteer work.

Start your college search. Start thinking about your college plans and make a list of the colleges you are interested in. Check the college websites for their Cost of Attendance. Attend college night and financial aid night at your school. Use financial aid calculators to estimate your aid eligibility and college costs. arch. Go to college fairs and college preparation events, and presentations offered by college representatives.