The 10th Grade Game Plan

Tenth grade occupies a unique position in the college planning timeline. It's early enough to still make meaningful changes, and late enough that the patterns you establish now will define your application.

In 9th grade, the goal was exploration. In 11th grade, the goal is execution. Tenth grade is the bridge, the year to take what you learned about yourself and start building something with it.

This means less trying new things and more going deeper on the things that have proven to hold your interest. A sophomore who's been in robotics club for two years and is now leading a project is far more compelling to admissions officers than one who's tried eight clubs in two years.

The grades you earn in 10th grade carry significant weight because they represent you at your most formed (academically speaking) before the truly high-stakes 11th grade year.

If you underperformed in 9th grade, 10th is your recovery year. Admissions officers look closely at grade trends. A genuine upswing from 9th to 10th grade tells a strong story.

For course selection, 10th grade is when most students can begin taking their first AP courses, if available. The most common first APs are AP World History, AP Environmental Science, and AP Human Geography, all relatively accessible. Choose one or two you're genuinely interested in, not the maximum possible.

The goal is not to take as many APs as possible. The goal is to demonstrate that you can handle rigorous coursework without sacrificing performance. A student with 3 APs and A's is more competitive than one with 7 APs and B's.

By 10th grade, you should have identified one or two activities you're committed to. Now is the time to move from participant to contributor.

What does depth look like? It looks like taking on a leadership role in an existing club, even a small one. Starting a new initiative within an organization you're part of. Earning a position, rank, or recognition within your activity. Teaching or mentoring others.

It does not require a prestigious title. A student who spent sophomore year training younger club members, overhauling the organization's social media, or leading a community event at their workplace demonstrates initiative and leadership regardless of what the activity was.

Be intentional about what you're adding to your record this year. Every activity you list on a college application should have a story attached to it.

The PSAT (taken in October of 10th grade) is commonly misunderstood. Students treat it as a low-stakes warmup, and in terms of consequences, it is. But it's actually a valuable diagnostic tool.

Your PSAT score tells you where you stand relative to the SAT/ACT target you'll need to hit for the schools you're interested in. It identifies specific content areas to work on before you start formal test prep junior year.

More importantly: if you score in the top 1% in your state, you become a National Merit Semifinalist contender the following year (when the qualifying PSAT is taken in 11th grade). This is a meaningful academic distinction that appears on college applications and can come with scholarship money.

Prepare seriously for the October PSAT. Not with months of prep. Just a few practice sessions so you're doing your best.

Competitive summer programs (university pre-college programs, research opportunities, leadership institutes) have application deadlines that fall between January and March of sophomore year, for programs that run the following summer.

Most students don't find this out until it's too late.

In the fall of 10th grade, start researching summer programs in your area of interest. Prentice's opportunity database is built for exactly this search. Look for programs that are selective, structured, and connected to your stated interests.

A strong summer after 10th grade does two things: it deepens your knowledge of a subject you care about, and it gives you a specific, compelling experience to discuss in applications. It also signals to admissions readers that you've been intentional about your preparation.

College applications require letters of recommendation from teachers who know you well. The time to start building those relationships is now, not senior year when everyone is scrambling.

In 10th grade, identify two or three teachers in subjects you're performing well in and genuinely engaged with. Go to office hours when you have questions. Participate in class. Let your curiosity show.

You're not asking for a recommendation yet. You're making a deposit in a relationship that you'll draw on in 18 months. Teachers write better letters for students they actually know.