COURSE OVERVIEW

This course is designed for 10th-grade students who have already completed foundational college preparation planning and are ready to begin building a stronger, more competitive profile for highly selective colleges and universities in the United States.

Sophomore year is often overlooked because it does not include the transitions of freshman year or the high-stakes testing and applications of junior and senior year. However, for students targeting top institutions, 10th grade is frequently the year when interests become commitments, activities become leadership opportunities, and academic exploration becomes specialization.

This course helps students move beyond exploration and begin developing distinction. Students will learn how to deepen academic interests, pursue meaningful extracurricular achievements, build leadership experience, prepare for future standardized testing, and strategically position themselves for the critical junior year.

By the end of the course, students will have a clearer understanding of their emerging strengths, a stronger academic and extracurricular strategy, and a personalized plan for maximizing opportunities during the remainder of high school.

ASSUMPTIONS & SCOPE

Target audience level: 10th-grade students.

This course assumes students have completed freshman year and have basic familiarity with the college admissions process.

Students may have participated in clubs, sports, volunteer activities, or academic programs but have not yet developed a focused long-term strategy.

This course intentionally does not focus on:

• Writing college application essays
• Completing college applications
• Financial aid applications
• Final college selection

Instead, the course focuses on:

• Academic rigor and performance
• Developing depth in extracurricular activities
• Leadership preparation
• Summer planning
• Major and career exploration
• Building accomplishments before junior year