What should every 10th grader know

For selective schools, your ultimate goal should be to take as many AP classes as you can by senior year that you can handle , taking more classes each year. So, to make a plan, you might want to start with the maximum number of APs that you could take in senior year. In junior year, you might want to take , and in sophomore year you want to take somewhere between 1 and 3.

AP classes are an important factor in the admissions process because they have relatively standardized curriculums across all schools, which allows admissions officers to easily compare the rigor of your high school course schedule with that of other applicants. Thus, you should be trying to take as many AP classes as possible, taking more each year of high school.

The answer is that the number depends greatly on the number of AP classes that your school has to offer. Admissions officers consider the context of your school, and want to see that you made use of all the academic resources at your disposal. So, if your school offers 10 AP classes total, you want to take as many of those 10 as possible over your entire high school career, probably at least 8 for admission to selective schools.

You have two main options for the summer: you can participate in an organized activity like a summer program, or you can craft your own path. Either option is equally valid in the admissions process, as long as you spend your time learning something whether academic or life skills and exploring your interests and passions. There are also study abroad and leadership programs that provide great experiences to write about in your eventual college essays. You could get a part-time job, which shows admissions officers your ability to maintain a schedule and work hard and also earn some money!

You could start a personal project or teach yourself a new skill You could explore internship or volunteer opportunities at local companies or non-profits. Our mission is to provide all students with free, quality guidance! We know the decisions you make right now will impact you come college application time — which is why we can help you make a plan now. There are many versions of digital flashcards that can help your child expand her vocabulary.

Use different strategies to understand new words and phrases; for example, use context as a clue; use related words as a clue conceive, conception, conceivable ; consult a dictionary or thesaurus online or in print.

Write arguments to support claims on important topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. Develop claims and counterclaims fairly, providing evidence for each while also pointing out their strengths and limitations. Write informative or explanatory papers that examine a topic and express ideas by carefully selecting and analyzing information.

Use precise language and content area vocabulary to express ideas. Write stories or narratives about real or imaginary experiences. Set out a problem, situation, or observation; establish one or more points of view; and develop story elements such as characters, a well-sequenced plot, and descriptive details.

Use technology to produce and publish writing, to work with others on writing, and to link to new information. Use basic rules of English grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in written work. Initiate and participate in class discussions about complex 9th and 10th grade topics, texts, and issues. Be prepared to draw on textual or research evidence when expressing ideas, to respond thoughtfully to diverse perspectives, and to make new connections based on evidence and reasoning that others present.

Identify faulty reasoning or misleading evidence. Make school supply list shopping easy! Your child has learned his way around the mammoth high school building. He has settled into a group of friends and gotten a handle on the high school juggling act of classes, activities, friends, and family.

But he still needs his mom and dad. By now, a student should be on a path to a technical career, college, or even a highly selective college. Still, students have choices in electives and, more important, the level of challenge in core courses. Hartline advises parents to intervene based on the stakes involved. If you force your child to take a class, the end result might be an F.

But in other cases, Hartline sides with the parents. Some families may also choose to incorporate the literature component with social studies. So a student studying world history in tenth grade would choose titles associated with world or British literature. A student studying U. Students may also analyze short stories, poems, dramas, and myths. Greek and Roman mythology are popular topics for tenth graders. Continue to provide students with a variety of writing practice across all subject areas, including science, history, and social studies.

Most colleges expect four years of high school math credit. A typical course of study for 10th-grade math will have students completing geometry or Algebra II to fulfill their math credit for the year. Students who completed prealgebra in ninth grade will usually take Algebra I in 10th, while students who are strong in math may take an advanced algebra course, trigonometry, or precalculus. For teens who are weak in math or who have special needs, courses such as basic mathematics or consumer or business math can fulfill math credit requirements.

If your student is college-bound, he will likely need three lab science credits. Common 10th-grade science courses include biology, physics, or chemistry. Most students complete chemistry after successfully completing Algebra II. Interest-led science courses may include astronomy, marine biology, zoology, geology, or anatomy and physiology.

Other common topics for 10th-grade science include the characteristics of life, classification, simple organisms algae, bacteria, and fungi , vertebrates and invertebrates, mammals and birds, photosynthesis, cells, protein synthesis, DNA-RNA, reproduction and growth, and nutrition and digestion.

Many tenth-grade college-bound students will study United States history during their sophomore year. World history is another option. Homeschool students following a traditional curriculum will explore the Middle Ages.

Other alternatives include a U.