- Study Skills
- Interest Inventory to begin to explore possible career areas
- Explore College/Career Matches
- Resume Building
- Monitor High School/Community Performance
- Career Exploration
- Job Shadowing Activities
- Financial Aid Planning
Springwell's 9th Grader Program
Why start planning for college in 9th grade?
The transition to the 9th grade is often a difficult one for students. When they arrive in high school, they move into a completely different educational environment. In high school, students are expected to be responsible in their decision-making and to already have the skills necessary to perform in an academic environment. Students are expected to stay on top of their responsibilities for each class.
Unfortunately, many students do not have mastery of these necessary skills and are not ready to make decisions that are in the best interest of their academic success. Consequently, they often require some direct guidance through this adjustment period. GPA is the number one criteria for college admission, and the academic success a student has during the freshman year will set the stage for the rest of the high school experience. It will likely determine the college or university they will be able to attend. The sudden increase in workload can be particularly difficult for students who found grade school and middle school relatively easy and have not learned the study and organizational skills they need.
What does Springwell do for 9th graders?
How 9th graders address the challenges of high school will be reflected in their grades and the success of their applications to college. Springwell helps prepare students with Study Skills to help students really learn how to stay on top of their workload.
We also begin to identify the field of potential target colleges in order to refine their high school coursework selection and ensure that they are building the proper resume for acceptance to school.
Finally, we begin an exciting opportunity of community involvement including job shadowing and volunteer activities, which we help arrange for students. This allows 9th graders to learn about the types of jobs that interest them and to begin to understand what will be required of them for success. This invaluable experience helps them articulate their interests more clearly and effectively and helps them focus on their unique skills. Finally, Springwell's financial aid experts are an invaluable resource to the parents of college-bound students by assisting with the planning process and clarifying the options available for financial aid.
