High School Timeline

Your Year-by-Year Roadmap

A comprehensive guide with specific tasks and milestones for each year of high school

Freshman Year

Build Your Foundation

Academics
  • Take challenging courses — honors or pre-AP when available
  • Aim for strong grades from day one (GPA starts now!)
  • Explore different subjects to discover your interests
  • Develop strong study habits and time management skills
  • Meet with your school counselor to plan your 4-year course schedule
Extracurriculars
  • Join 2-3 clubs or activities that genuinely interest you
  • Try out for sports teams if interested
  • Start volunteering in your community
  • Consider student government or leadership roles
  • Begin exploring potential career interests
College Prep
  • Start a college prep folder to save important documents
  • Begin researching colleges casually — what appeals to you?
  • Take the PSAT 8/9 if offered at your school
  • Attend any college fairs or information sessions at school
  • Start thinking about what you want in a college experience