Parent Action Plan: 10th Grade

As your teen settles into the high school experience, it’s a great time for them to take on new challenges. It’s also not too early to explore colleges, college majors and career goals. Use the list below to help make 10th grade count. 

Fall 

• Encourage your teen to set goals for the school year. Working toward specific goals may help them stay motivated and focused. 
• Explore careers in more depth. Moving from general interests to specific careers helps your teen know what to expect in terms of education, skills, and pay — making future decisions feel more real and less overwhelming. Browse Career Search. 
• Start exploring colleges. Getting an early look at academic and career alignment, financial feasibility and value, and campus culture will help your teen begin to find options that might be a good fit — and avoids last-minute stress or surprises down the road. Start a College List. 
• Look into college savings plans and scholarship requirements. Starting early gives your family more options. Learn about BigFuture Scholarships. 
• Take the PSAT 10 or PSAT/NMSQT. The PSAT/NMSQT (offered to 10^th and 11^th graders in the fall) or/and PSAT 10 in the spring givesyour teen low-stakes SAT practice and a score report showing exactly what to work on. A PSAT assessment in 10^th grade is good practice for the official, scholarship-qualifying PSAT/NMSQT juniors take in October. Learn more about the PSAT/NMSQT. 
• Make sure your teen meets with the school counselor. Your teen's counselor is a key partner for class selection, graduation requirements, and college and career exploration. The earlier they connect, the better.  
• Register for BigFuture Live virtual events to get advice from experts how to help your teen find their fit. 

Winter 

• Understand the value of AP courses. AP classes can strengthen a college application, and your teen could earn college credit before they even graduate. Understanding how AP fits into your teen's plan now helps you make a more informed call when course requests come around.  
• Discuss next year’s classes. Make sure your child will be challenging him- or herself and taking the courses college admission officers expect to see. Learn more about the high school classes that colleges look for. 
• Explore careers and interests together. When your teen knows what they're working toward, school starts to feel more meaningful. Early exploration builds motivation and connects everyday classes to real-life goals. Encourage your teen to take the Career Quiz to get some ideas. 
• Review PSAT 10 or PSAT/NMSQT results together. Log in to the student score reporting portal or BigFuture School with your child to learn what she or he is doing well and which skills your child should work on to get ready for college and career. It will also connect your child to free, personalized SAT study tools, AP courses, and college and career planning resources. 
• Start learning about financial aid. It’s not too early to look into types of aid that could help you cover college costs. Find out how to pay for college and bookmark helpful resources to look at throughout the year. 
• Check in regularly about schoolwork. Staying on top of tests, papers, and assignments will help you catch problems early and give you a reason to celebrate wins together. The habits your teen builds now can open doors: stronger grades, access to more classes, and more choices down the road. 
• If your child was not offered the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall as a 10th-grader, they may be offered the PSAT 10 in the spring. 

Spring 

• Make a college wish list together. Talk with your 10th-grader about academic and career needs, campus culture and personal priorities the are looking for, including location and size. Check out How to Find a College That Fits You to learn more about deciding on college must-haves. 
• Help your teen make summer plans that keep them motivated. Real-world experiences help your teen turn curiosity into clarity. Volunteering, job shadowing, and work build confidence, sharpen interests, and give your teen a head start on finding the path that's right for them. 
• Grow your teen's circle of support. Trusted adults like teachers, coaches, and mentors can open doors, offer new perspectives, and be a source of encouragement your teen can count on. Other sources could include school counselors and community mentoring programs. 
• Use the Net Price Calculator to get an idea of how the colleges your teen is considering may cost. Learn more about net price and how it can help you estimate your true cost of college. 
• Encourage your teen to qualify for BigFuture Scholarships. Make sure your teen starts their college and career lists to be eligible for monthly $500 and $40,000 scholarships from BigFuture. 

Summer Before 11th Grade 

• Learn about options for life after high school. There's no single right path after high school. Exploring all the options — 2-year colleges, 4-year universities, trade programs, military, and the workforce — helps your teen find the path that fits who they are and where they want to go. 
• Seeing a college campus in person — even a nearby one your teen isn't seriously considering — helps make college feel real and exciting instead of far off and abstract. It's a low-pressure way to get the conversation started. Watch these college visit tips before you go! 
• Continue learning what college costs. You may be surprised at how affordable higher education can be. Start by reading Understanding College Costs. 
• Support your teen in building new skills over the summer. Visit your local library, bookstore, or community center to get ideas through reading, volunteering, or getting creative together. 

• Give your teen room to recharge. Summer's a good stretch for camps, jobs, or programs, but don't let the calendar fill up completely. Unstructured downtime matters too.