9th Grade | The School Counselor

Class of 2024

9th Grade Timeline!

Here you will find a list of grade-specific activities that you should be doing based on your grade level.

Also included are resources to help you complete the process, (videos, handouts, presentations, links)

To find out more information and get specific dates/deadlines for these activities, just click on the links below.

Navigating your High School Experience!

Ninth grade is an important year in a student’s college-preparation journey. Learn how a student can have a well-rounded experience in high school and how a parent can support his or her child.

Students:

Take challenging classes in core academic subjects. Most colleges require four years of English, at least three years of social studies (history, civics, geography, economics, etc.), three years of mathematics, and three years of science, and many require two years of a foreign language. Round out your course load with classes in computer science and the arts.

Work with one of your parents to estimate your financial aid using FAFSA4caster and be sure to save for college.

Get involved in school or community-based activities that interest you or let you explore career interests. Consider working, volunteering, and/or participating in academic enrichment programs, summer workshops, and camps with specialty focuses such as music, arts, or science. Remember, it’s quality (not quantity) that counts.

Ask your school counselor or teachers what Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses are available, whether you are eligible, and how to enroll in them.
- Check out the SDHS AP Page. Check out the SDHS IB Page.

Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s career search tool to research your career options.

Start a list of your awards, honors, paid and volunteer work, and extracurricular activities. Update it throughout high school.

Check out KnowHow2Go: The Four Steps to College, which suggests some actions you can take as you start thinking about education beyond high school.

Learn about managing your money.

Explore reasons to consider college, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from your parents, school counselor, and older students as you prepare.

Parents:

Talk to your child about college plans as if he or she will definitely go to college.

Keep an eye on your child’s study habits and grades, stay involved.

Encourage your child to take Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), or other challenging classes.

Add to your child’s college savings account regularly; and make sure you are fully aware of the provisions of the account.

Address your concerns about whether your child can or should go to college. Also, its never too early to start researching Scholarships & Financial Aid Remember, financial aid usually refers to scholarships and grants. This is money for college you don't have to pay back.

Course Selection & Planning - The San Diego High School course selection process for the 2020/2021 school year has begun. The following information will help guide you through the process. We know when it comes to choosing classes that it is important for students to:

Be aware of the academic course sequence for all of the different pathways.
Know graduation & program requirements.
Understand how the choices being made now can expand or limit the options available to them later.

We also know that this process of course selection is often times stressful for many students and we want to ensure our students not only have the information needed to make wise choices but also know how to identify people who can be a support in helping them achieve their goals. School counselors are an instrumental part of this process and are here to answer all of your questions along the way. The San Diego High School counseling team can help students:

Understand the importance of rigorous high school course-work and how that connects to college admission.
Know graduation and program requirements, course prerequisites and academic sequences necessary to succeed in those courses.
Better understand the impact of choices on aspirations.

The information below is a breakdown of the course planning & selection process including the timeline. If you should have any questions along the way, please do not hesitate to contact one of the San Diego High school counselors. Click on the "contact us" tab at any time to find contact information for your school counselor.

Students will request courses by way of the grade-level course request form.

Course selection for for the The Class of 2023.....click here!

Parent & Students:

Please review the following prior to picking classes!

How to Complete the Course Selection Form

Timeline of Activities (class of 2021, 2022, 2023 only)

Course Planning & Selection Packet

SDHS Sample Student Schedules by Pathway

Advanced Course Option Overview

AP vs IB: Whats the Difference?

Course Request Change Form

College & career Readiness:

How U Prepare Makes a difference!

There are some steps you can take as a 9th grader to make sure you're on the right track for college.

Create a four-year high school plan. Think about what you’d like to accomplish in the next four years. Make sure you know which high school courses are required by colleges, and that you’re taking the right classes as early as the ninth grade. You can ask your school counselor about what those “right” classes are.

Get to know the levels of courses offered here at SDHS. Start thinking about your life after school, including the types of jobs that might interest you. Of course, these will change but it’s good to start thinking about the possibilities now.

Identify your interests, likes and dislikes, not just in classes but also in every area. This will help you focus on your goals.

Talk to other people, such as your school counselor, teachers, recent college graduates who are working, professionals in the community, etc., about careers you might find interesting.

Meet with your high school counselor. Your school counselor knows how to help you get the most out of high school. Be sure to take some time during the school year to discuss post-high-school plans with him or her.

Participate in extracurricular activities. Academics aren’t everything. Explore your interest in a sport, school club , music or drama group, or community volunteer activity. Remember that colleges would rather see real involvement in one activity instead of a loose connection to several.

If you’re interested in playing sports in college, research the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility requirements. The NCAA requires completion of certain core courses; you can find the specifics at NCAA Clearinghouse.

Save for college. It’s not too late to put money aside for college. Every little bit helps! Learning about financial aid early on can also help you down the road.

Explore summer opportunities. Look for a job, internship, or volunteer position that will help you learn about a field of interest.

Get familiar with the PSAT, SAT, and the ACT . Most four-year colleges consider applicants’ scores on college admission test. Download the free Daily Practice for the New SAT app to get a feel for the kinds of questions you might face on SAT test day.
- SDHS PSAT exam information page.
- What is the SAT Exam - The SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since it was debuted by the College Board in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
- What is the ACT Exam - The ACT test is a curriculum-based education and career planning tool for high school students that assesses the mastery of college readiness standards.

Log onto Naviance - Naviance is a comprehensive college, career and life readiness solution that helps align student strengths and interests to post-secondary goals, improving student outcomes and connecting learning to life.