9th Grade
9th Grade
The Start of Your College Career
Congrats, you've made it to 9th grade! You're getting closer enrolling in college. In fact, you've begun your college career.
This is the grade where colleges will start to evaluate your candidacy. Whatever happened in middle school, doesn't matter as much here. Especially, if you slacked off. What matters now is your game plan to getting colleges to accept you, and how you will pay for your tuition.
This school year, you will lay the foundation of what you will do over the next 3 years. Don't worry, we created a guide to help lead you this school year!
The Record of Your Career
Your Resume. Yes, the scary thing your teacher mentions every now and then. It's time to create yours. No, you're not applying for jobs, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't create one. This will be the record of all the achievements, activities, and clubs you participated in throughout high school. No, you can't put the chores your parents made you do, your number of Instagram followers, NBA 2K experience, or your Call of Duty K/D ratio on your resume.
Start Building Your Resume
Become involved as a student. Joining an afterschool club or activity, are great ways to pad your resume Be sure to update your resume anytime you join a club or activity.
This will not only keep your resume up-to-date for when you need it, but it also eliminates work you will have to do later.
Getting things done earlier, is a great habit you should be building early on.
The Basics of Your Resume
Your resume is almost like your Instagram profile. It has a way to contact you, your name, and all the things you have done. Here are the things you need to have on it:
Summary or Opening
Summarize your experience and talk about what you can offer based on those experiences.
Contact Information
Your name, address, email, and phone number.
Certifications
Education
Add the various schools and degrees or diplomas you have attained. Along with the month and year of it.
Add any certifications you have.
Awards
Add any awards you have received.
Internships/Volunteer/Paid Work
Any Internships, volunteer, or employment experience you have.
Skills
References
Be sure to collect references when you work or volunteer. So you can add them to your resume.
Skills such as leadership, time management, languages, MS Office, Coding, etc.
Quick Tip
Create a professional email address. No bribeenbhad@gmail.com, memedealer420@gmail.com, daddylong3rdleg@gmail.com, or smittyislitty@gmail.com. Create one that utilizes your first and last name--so receivers of your emails know who you are.
Example of a Professional email
Example Name
Tierra Green
Possible Emails
Meet Your Resume Reader
Why Your Future Resume Might Get Rejected
Did you know most companies and colleges don't look at your resume?
Thousands of resumes get sent to organizations every day. Having a human review 100,000+ resumes can be daunting and expensive. Many organizations use an automated system that scans through your resume, to determine whether you get rejected or not. Often times a job or college candidate can lose their candidacy, by having a specific keyword in it.
Would you like to learn about creating a killer resume, that bypasses cold-automated systems and sends it to a warm-blooded human to evaluate it? Click below to see when we're having our next resume workshop
What Wins Colleges
Remember those activities your parents forced you to go to after school or during the summer? Now you need to find one you actually like to go to!
Clubs and Activities
Being academically strong is no longer the sole requirement that gets you into top colleges. Colleges love candidates that contribute to their local community. Especially ones that are well rounded.
When you're writing your college or scholarship essay, you will need a story to tell. It's hard to write about good grades and awards you have won. However, it is entirely easier to write about your experiences. That's where clubs, activities, and community service comes in.
You have to differentiate yourself from the sea of students with good grades and amazing awards. The only way to stand out is by participating in your community outside of school.
Colleges love to see students who aren't only focused on themselves, but students who help better the lives of others. Solving a solution in your community can be a start. Especially if it's relevant to your interest and the major you will pursue.
Merely joining a club or organization to impress colleges will only hurt your chances. That why it's important to select an activity that aligns with your own interests.
Selecting a club or activity
Look at the clubs in your school or local activities in your area. See which are the most related to your interests and degree. When you join, consider taking a leadership position. Being a leader in your club will provide you with great experiences that you can write about later on.
If there are no clubs in your area or school, become a trendsetter and start one with friends or other students.
Example of a Student
Major / Interests / Problems in Community
Computer science and
Business Administration
Building apps
Creating websites
Playing the violin
Traffic
Bad Public Transportation
Gun Violence
Clubs or Activities
Offer tutorials to retirement communities on how to use their iPhones
Fix computers for retirement homes
Join the toastmasters club
Teach children to play the violin instead of with guns
Tutor kids at the boys and girls club on how to make a business plan
Show kids how to build an app with MIT app inventor
Advocate for better public transportation at the town hall meeting
The Basic Requirement
For scholarly success in high school and college, you have to maintain good grades.
Good Grades
Nowadays, it has never been harder and easier to maintain good grades as a student. With the advent of the internet, smartphones, and social media. Students have a harder time prioritizing and focusing on their school work.
As we mentioned earlier—good grades are only a basic requirement for getting into college. Maintaining good grades makes it significantly easier to get scholarships and colleges to accept you. It will also save you time and money later in life.
Work Before You Play
Develop the discipline to complete your homework and studying, before going on your phone, watching tv, or playing video games. In 9th grade, you will need to develop good study habits.
Getting your brain in the groove of doing your homework when you get home, will serve you for many years. As your bad habits will compound over time. Causing major issues later in your college career.
Good Grade tips
Take good notes
Good notes can make studying easier and helps you to remember what was taught.
Study Spot
Find a comfortable area in your home or room to study. This area should be free of distractions, so you can focus. This will make it easier for your mind to get in study mode when you need it to.
Review
Reviewing content and notes you took every month, can keep the material fresh in your mind. Making studying for a test easier.
Attendance
Attending class should be a no brainer. Try to limit your absences. Missing class will only give yourself more work, as you will have to catch up.
Knowledge Gaps
Identify what you don't know, after a lesson. If you don't understand something, see the teacher after class or research it at home. Subjects like math require you to know prerequisites to learn. Having knowledge gaps in math makes it difficult to learn more advanced subjects. It's best to fill in the gaps sooner than later.
Flash Cards
Use flashcards to study. Apps like Quizlet or Anki makes it easy to create them.
Be Early
Complete projects and homework early. Not only will it give you more time. But it can lower stress, as you don't have to complete things last minute. While everyone is rushing turn in and complete assignments, you would have already done it.