10th Grade

Welcome to high school! There’s a lot to learn, and it’s never too early to start planning your next steps after graduation.

Stay on track to graduation

• Learn about high school graduation requirements in Washington State. (OSPI)
• See your school counselor to learn more about your high school’s graduation requirements.

Set yourself up for success along the way

• Keep your grades up—they’ll count toward your high school grade point average, or GPA, that colleges will see when you apply.
• Consider taking classes that are more difficult, so you stand out to college admissions officers.
• Pursue your interests and leadership opportunities by trying out for activities and joining clubs.
• Learn about minimum college admission standards at public four-year colleges in Washington.
• Compare required high school credits with minimum credit requirements for admission at a public four-year college in Washington, and academic requirements for the NCAA.
• Find out about admission requirements at colleges you’re interested in.
• Identify teachers, coaches, mentors, or members of your community who could write you letters of recommendation.
• Consider which extracurricular activities can make you stand out.
• Think about how you will pay for education after high school.

Find out about dual credit opportunities at your school

Earning college credit in high school can save you time and money when you get to college. Dual credit courses challenge you with college-level work, which is good preparation for your plans after high school. And you may be able to get college credits on your transcript. Visit the dual credit lookup tool to find out how your AP, IB, or Cambridge test scores apply as college credit.

Milestones

10th grade

• Prepare for the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) or PreACT.

11th grade

• Sign up to take college entrance exams, like the SAT or ACT.
• Pass state tests or approved test alternatives.
• If you score a 3 or 4, you may be able to place out of remedial classes and general placement exams in college.  

12th grade

• Get help with college applications and applying for financial aid.
• If you scored a 1 or 2 on your Smarter Balanced tests, ask your counselor about Bridge to College courses.  
• If you scored a 3 or 4 on your Smarter Balanced tests, consider taking a dual credit class.