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How to Start the College Process in 10th Grade

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Sophomore year is when exploration turns into strategy. Here is a comprehensive guide to the academic, extracurricular, and planning decisions that set the stage for a strong college application—from veteran admissions counselors who have guided thousands of students. 

Why 10th Grade Is the Pivot Point

We are often asked whether it is too early to start the college admissions process in 10th grade. The answer: it is not too early—it is exactly the right time. While you should not be obsessing over specific college names or building a formal list, the sophomore year is when the decisions you make begin to have a direct impact on your college candidacy.Tenth grade is where exploration transforms into strategy. The wide-open experimentation of freshman year begins to narrow into focused commitment. The courses you choose now determine which doors remain open in 11th and 12th grade. And the relationships you build with teachers and counselors become increasingly valuable as recommendation letters and course planning conversations approach.“In ninth and 10th grade, the focus should be on keeping doors open. Students should be trying a new sport, joining different clubs, and spending their summers exploring different areas of interest. As we head into junior year, I help students focus those areas of interest into activities and academic pursuits that can really support their college applications.”— Pam Gentry, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice Want to see the bigger picture? Read our comprehensive College Advice for High School Students guide, covering the full four-year journey. 

Academics: Build Momentum and Plan Ahead

Your GPA Trend Matters Now More Than Ever

Grades remain the single most important factor in college admissions, and your sophomore year GPA carries more weight than your freshman year GPA. Admissions officers analyze trends across all four years, and an upward trajectory from 9th to 10th grade is viewed very positively. Conversely, a dip in sophomore year raises concerns about a student’s ability to handle increasing rigor.Continue to make studying your primary focus. If there were subjects that challenged you in 9th grade, invest extra time in those areas. The Great College Advice Family Handbook offers practical advice here: students who struggle with tests should put extra effort into papers and larger projects to buffer their semester grades. Semester grades on the transcript are what colleges see—not every individual quiz or homework assignment.

Maintain Rigor Without Overloading

Colleges want to see students who challenge themselves, but they also understand that balance matters. As the Great College Advice Family Handbook notes, the ideal path is to take the hard course and get a good grade. But each student is different, and sometimes it makes sense to calibrate the course load based on a range of considerations.“Recognize your student’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences when choosing high school classes. While there are some general rules in curriculum planning, your student is unique. If Spanish is more their ‘thing’ than chemistry, then find ways to extend and expand that interest and proficiency in Spanish while perhaps pulling back a bit in science.”— Great College Advice Family Handbook

Course Planning: Setting Up Junior Year

One of the most consequential decisions a 10th grader makes is selecting their 11th-grade course schedule. Your junior year GPA and course rigor will be the most closely scrutinized element of your college application—it is the last complete year of grades that admissions officers see before making a decision.“When I start working with a student in 10th grade, options for their classes become really important. We look at what they are doing in 10th grade and what they can choose to do in 11th and 12th grade. If they are aiming for more selective schools, those schools are going to want to see four years of a world language. If you want to go into business, for example, then you need to be on a math track that gets you into at least pre-calculus. Those are the kinds of conversations I have with my 10th graders.”— Pam Gentry, Senior Admissions Consultant, Great College Advice

Key Course Planning Considerations

World language continuity. Colleges do not care which language you study. What matters is sustained commitment—three to four years of the same language. Pam Gentry points out that the value colleges see in world language study is not just fluency: “It is about the process of learning another language that demonstrates the student’s ability to think about the world in a different way.”Math sequence planning. Map out your math trajectory through senior year. Students interested in business, engineering, or STEM fields need to reach at least pre-calculus. AP, IB, and Dual Enrollment options become relevant here—discuss with your counselor whether dual enrollment courses (earning college and high school credit simultaneously) make sense for your situation.AP course strategy. Plan to increase your AP or honors course load in junior year, but be strategic. Work with your college counselor to identify which AP courses align with your strengths and interests rather than simply loading up on as many as possible. A student who earns strong grades in four well-chosen AP courses is more compelling than one who scrapes by in seven.

Extracurriculars: From Exploration to Focus

If 9th grade was the year of trying everything, 10th grade is when you begin to narrow your commitments and deepen your involvement. This is the year to let go of activities that feel like obligations and invest more heavily in the ones that genuinely engage you.“The things that can fall away are the things that you feel like you are just doing to check a box. Colleges want to see things you have done for multiple years and have gotten more involved with each year. If it is something you do not like, you probably do not want to rise to be the president of that club.”— Jamie Berger, veteran college admissions counselor

Pursue Leadership—But Authentically

Sophomore year is when leadership opportunities begin to emerge. Connect with current leaders in your organizations, as you may have the opportunity in 11th grade to step into those roles. But remember that formal titles are only one way to demonstrate leadership. The Great College Advice Family Handbook notes that students can show leadership by managing a website, leading a fundraising effort, or finding other ways to enhance their organization—even without an official position.The key distinction colleges look for is depth of commitment and impact. A student who identifies a problem within their club and builds a solution is far more compelling than one who simply holds a title.Paul Wingle, a member of the Great College Advice community and frequent contributor on extracurricular strategy, often reminds families that the Common Application provides space for only ten activities. Students do not need to fill all ten slots—what matters is the quality of what goes into each one. Fewer activities with genuine depth and demonstrated growth over multiple years is always stronger than a long list of surface-level participation.— Paul Wingle, Great College Advice Community

Build a Resume or “Brag Sheet”

Halfway through sophomore year is an excellent time to draft a resume. This is not about impressing anyone yet—it is a diagnostic tool. Listing your activities, responsibilities, and achievements helps you see patterns in your interests, identify areas that could use more attention, and prepare for summer planning. Ask your school counselor for tips on formatting, or find templates online.

Standardized Testing: Lay the Groundwork

Depending on your high school, you may have taken a PSAT in the fall of 10th grade or will be taking the PSAT 10 this spring. These early tests do not count for anything in the admissions process—they are purely diagnostic. But they are extremely valuable as a baseline for planning your junior year testing strategy.

Use PSAT Results Strategically

Your PSAT score serves as a guide for determining which test format (SAT or ACT) may work better for you. The Great College Advice Family Handbook recommends taking a full practice test of each in a test-like environment before committing to one. Some test prep companies offer free practice tests as a diagnostic—take advantage of these.

Plan Ahead for Junior Year Testing

Begin researching test preparation options now: private tutors, courses, or self-study programs. The official first SAT or ACT should ideally happen in the winter or early spring of junior year, leaving time for a retake if needed. Although many colleges remain test-optional, some of the most selective schools have begun requiring scores again. And at many schools, merit-based financial awards are closely keyed to test scores.“At many colleges and universities, merit-based financial awards are closely keyed to ACT and SAT scores. For families that seek merit scholarships, it is worth trying to raise scores in order to win a bigger scholarship. Investments in test preparation can really pay off, as a few more points can mean thousands more dollars in scholarships.”— Great College Advice Family Handbook 

College Exploration: Start Thinking About Fit

You should not be building a formal college list in 10th grade, but now is the perfect time to begin exploring what matters to you in a college environment. Big or small? Urban or rural? Strong Greek life or none? Generous with merit scholarships? Close to home or across the country? These preferences will form the foundation of a strategic college list in junior year.

Visit Nearby Campuses Over Break

If you have a few days during spring break or a long weekend, visit one or two local campuses. The goal is not to evaluate specific schools but to experience the basic differences between a large research university and a small liberal arts college, or between an urban campus and a suburban one. Sign up for a tour through the admissions office, or simply walk around and observe.Ask yourself: Can I envision spending four years somewhere like this? Does the energy feel right? These early impressions, while informal, are surprisingly useful when the time comes to build a real college list.

Attend a College Fair

College fairs offer efficient exposure to a wide range of schools. Introduce yourself to admissions representatives, ask questions, and sign up for email distribution lists at schools that interest you. The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) hosts fairs across the country, and regional organizations schedule additional events in most areas.A community member in the Great College Advice group shared that visiting two very different campuses during spring break of sophomore year was a turning point for their student: “She realized she wanted a smaller, more collaborative environment rather than a huge lecture hall. That one insight saved us from wasting time on the wrong schools later.”— Great College Advice Community

Summer Planning: Make It Count

The summer after 10th grade is a critical bridge to junior year. Colleges care about how students spend their summers, and this is the last summer before the college process becomes a central focus of your student’s life.Meaningful summer options include getting a job or internship, volunteering or community service, attending academic enrichment programs on a college campus, playing organized sports or attending specialized camps, pursuing creative interests like theater, art, or music, and traveling or participating in adventure programs. A job demonstrates commitment, responsibility, and maturity—all qualities admissions officers value. There is nothing wrong with working at a local restaurant or retail store if the student takes it seriously and grows in the role.The questions to ask when choosing summer activities are the same ones that guide extracurricular decisions: What do I genuinely enjoy? What am I passionate about? How can I demonstrate achievement or leadership? Summer may also offer opportunities to pursue interests that are not available during the school year.Summer Strategy Plan your summer before school ends. The best opportunities often require early applications or registration. Use this summer to deepen the extracurricular interests you have committed to during the school year—a sports camp, an academic program, a volunteer commitment that extends your school-year involvement. 

When to Bring In a College Counselor

One of the most strategic decisions a family makes is when to engage professional college admissions guidance. Our consultants consistently recommend late sophomore year or early junior year as the optimal starting point.“The most typical time that we start working with people is late sophomore year or early junior year, and that is a really great time if you are hoping for advice about the entire college process. That said, if you sign up with us in January of junior year, we can no longer advise you on things like course selection as a sophomore or your testing timeline. The sooner you sign up, the more types of advice we are able to provide, and the sooner we are able to intervene.”— Sarah Farbman, Senior Admissions Consultant & COO, Great College AdviceJamie Berger adds that he personally prefers to start working with students after sophomore year, with engagement intensifying heading into and through junior year. He cautions, though, that starting too early can make a young person “get too obsessed too early in the process.”Sarah Myers, Senior Admissions Consultant at Great College Advice, reinforces the value of early engagement: the longer a counselor works with a student, the stronger the relationship and trust become. That rapport matters when it is time to write personal essays, navigate difficult decisions, and build a balanced college list.

What Parents Should Know About 10th Grade

Get to Know Your Student’s Counselor

Your student’s school guidance counselor will be an integral part of the college process. For many colleges, a counselor’s letter of recommendation is required. Encourage your student to schedule a one-on-one meeting so the counselor can learn more about them as a person—their interests, goals, and challenges. Building this relationship now makes the counselor a much more effective advocate later.

Support Without Over-Managing

The Great College Advice Family Handbook is direct on this point: “The parental role, tough as it is, is to push the baby birds from the nest.” In 10th grade, this means encouraging your student to self-advocate with teachers, make their own decisions about which activities to continue or drop, and begin taking ownership of their academic planning. If there is a grading issue, let your student address it before stepping in.

Have the Financial Conversation

If you have not already, begin an honest family conversation about how you plan to pay for college. Understanding whether merit scholarships, financial aid, or full-pay is the likely scenario will shape the testing strategy (merit awards are often tied to scores), the types of schools on the eventual list, and the level of urgency around financial planning. This does not need to be a single stressful conversation—it can unfold gradually over the year.

Monitor Stress Without Creating It

Your 10th grader should not be stressed about college admissions. If they are feeling overwhelmed, something needs adjustment. Tenth grade is still a time for personal growth, friendship, and developing interests. Let your student know that enjoying the process is not only acceptable—it is essential. Students who are burned out before junior year even begins are at a significant disadvantage.

A tip for parents

Sophomore year is about gaining momentum—not sprinting. Support your student in making thoughtful academic choices, narrowing their extracurricular focus, and beginning to develop a testing plan. The formal college process accelerates in 11th grade; use 10th grade to build the foundation that makes that acceleration manageable. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How important are 10th grade grades compared to other years?

Very important. While freshman grades carry somewhat less weight, your sophomore and junior year GPA receive particular scrutiny from admissions officers. An upward trend from 9th to 10th grade is a positive signal. Most critically, your 10th-grade performance determines which courses you are eligible to take in 11th grade—the year that matters most.

Should my sophomore start test prep now?

Full-scale test prep is typically best started in the second half of sophomore year or early junior year. In 10th grade, focus on taking the PSAT as a diagnostic, determining whether the SAT or ACT format is a better fit, and researching prep options. The Family Handbook recommends completing as many full-length practice exams as possible before the first official test.

My student wants to drop an activity. Is that a problem?

Not at all. Dropping activities that no longer interest your student is exactly what should happen in 10th grade. Colleges want to see a focused, multi-year commitment—not a long list of one-year participations. Jamie Berger advises: “Narrow down to fewer clubs the next year. Do something in the summer related to the ones you liked.” The goal is depth, not breadth.

Is it worth visiting colleges in 10th grade if we are not building a list yet?

Yes, exploratory visits are valuable. Experiencing different campus environments helps your student develop a vocabulary for what they want. The formal evaluation visits come in 11th grade, but the casual exposure in 10th grade makes those later visits far more productive. Even visiting just two or three local campuses over a break is worthwhile.

What if my student has no idea what they want to study?

That is perfectly normal and not a cause for concern. Many students do not solidify their academic interests until well into college. In 10th grade, the goal is exposure—taking a variety of rigorous courses, exploring different extracurricular areas, and paying attention to what naturally excites them. The clarity will develop over time, and that is exactly how it should work.

Sophomore Year Is the Ideal Time to Start

Our team guides families through every stage of the college process. A conversation now means stronger guidance on junior year course selection, testing strategy, and extracurricular planning.Schedule a Free Consultation

Continue the Grade-by-Grade Guide

College Journey Overview: College Advice for High School Students: The Complete Guide Previous: College Admission Tips for 9th Grade Next: 11th Grade College Admissions Guide
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Jared Hobson

Jared serves as President of Great College Advice, where he sets strategic direction for the firm as well as being involved in sales & marketing and college consulting. Jared has an MBA from Cornell University, where he served on its Student Admissions Committee. His consulting philosophy emphasizes personalized attention to help identify the right college fit for each student.
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