Core Course Planning Begins Before High School Does
If your student is planning to attend college, getting on the right track now is important when planning future high school terms, as well as when selecting and applying to colleges and universities.
Why It Matters
- Requirements may not match.
Some courses that colleges require for admission may not be required for high school graduation. Early research into college admission requirements will help your student plan the right path in high school. - The plan provides a roadmap for success.
Even if your student is wavering about attending college, it doesn’t hurt to create a tentative plan now and meet the admission standards of one or two colleges under consideration. Good grades alone don’t necessarily guarantee college acceptance. Most colleges consider how many core subject-area courses were completed in high school, in addition to the high school GPA , an ACT or SAT composite score and where your student ranks in the class. - Classes build upon one another.
Depending on whether your student has been placed in a specific track for certain subjects, such as math or science, classes taken in eighth and ninth grades can affect whether your student will be able to take corresponding advanced classes in future years. Certain tracks also require placement in a particular class during the first term of freshman year, thus setting the course for progression after that.
What Your Student Can Do Now
- Check high school graduation and program entrance requirements.
The high school handbook or website should list graduation requirements. College or program websites list entrance requirements. If your student is unsure of future plans, a good starting point is the Regent Admission Index required courses for the three Regent universities in Iowa. - Optimum preparation is best.
Your student’s four-year academic plan in high school can be built now using the information that’s been gathered so far. Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) offers a template to use if one hasn’t already been developed for your student from the career planning tool the school uses. Core coursework requirements differ among states and are typically featured on a state’s department of education website. - Keep a future career in mind.
With a couple of career options in mind, your student can compare requirements and electives to maintain a well-balanced course load each term in high school while also exploring career options.
What Your Student Can Do Later
- Iowa families may schedule a free personal advising session with ICAN.
An ICAN Success Advisor can help with career exploration and assessment in a personalized setting, which can supplement the meetings your student has with a school counselor. - Refine the plan.
With changing interests, your student will most likely have some changes to the career and academic plan. Academic success in individual classes may also result in changes as high school progresses. Each term, your student should thoughtfully consider the options available and refine the plan rather than just taking the same classes as friends or signing up for whatever seems easiest. - Consider alternatives.
If your student is interested in earning college credit in high school, exploring a skilled trade or pursuing something else but class options are limited, alternatives may be available. Community colleges often offer dual-enrollment classes for high school students that satisfy high school graduation requirements while providing college credit. A sharing agreement with another district may allow your student to take classes at a different high school. If your student is motivated and capable, AP tests can be taken after self-study. The school counseling office is the primary resource for these paths.
What You Can Do
- Discuss your student’s four-year plan.
Point out the benefits of having more than one plan in place and help determine a Plan B. Emphasize the importance of staying on track academically to be in the best possible position after high school graduation. - Clarify information.
Sometimes middle and high school students don’t understand all the information given to them, hesitate to ask questions, or prefer to listen to friends who don’t have all the facts. If your student feels frustrated or says a desired path is not possible, ask questions and encourage further investigation. - Be your student’s advocate.
Your student should learn self-advocacy by leading any discussions with teachers and school counselors. However, you can support your student by understanding the options and limitations, researching possibilities and accompanying your student to any meetings using a rational and calm attitude.
Next Steps
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Additional references, handouts and talking points are available in the right sidebar to use at your leisure. They may prove beneficial to reference now or after receiving future emails – we’ll leave it completely up to you. Use our emails like a recipe for a successful outcome — assemble the recommended ingredients and then follow accompanying directions to add flavor and depth.