Your Guide to the Sophomore Year of High School

Last Updated on January 5, 2024 by Jill Schwitzgebel

I’ve heard students refer to their sophomore year of high school as being “the invisible year.” In some ways, they are correct. There is less excitement about this school year, as compared to their freshman year, when they were new to high school. And for the most part, during the sophomore year, they are also not getting asked a lot about where they want to go to college yet.

So during the sophomore year, especially during the first semester, most sophomores are feeling like pros at the high school thing, and not yet feeling the college pressure that seems to hit the closer they get to Junior year. The “Invisible” year can be a good place to be!

However, this IS the year that families should begin to think more about the college search process. And by the end of the sophomore year, you really can’t afford to ignore it any more. Here are some steps that students can be taking during this invisible year:

1. Take the PSAT for practice

All high school juniors will be taking the PSAT in October and it can open up some scholarship opportunities. Most schools offer the opportunity for sophomores to take it as well. So, students should use this opportunity to take it as a practice test.  But often, they don’t offer it to all of them and only allow sophomores to take it if they sign up in advance. Don’t miss the chance to sign up. 

2. Participate in extracurricular activities

This is pretty self-explanatory. But, if your child still hasn’t found a club, activity, or sport that they enjoy, encourage them not to give up trying.  Or, encourage them to find a part-time job or a regular babysitting gig.  Any of those will enhance their college application.

3. Schedule wisely

Often, junior year is the first time students do not have a tightly prescribed schedule and so sophomores get to make many choices when it’s time to schedule for the next school year. They should consider taking electives in areas that may be of interest for a potential college major. And importantly, they should choose challenging courses that continue to demonstrate academic rigor. No, they do not all need to be AP classes!  But pay attention, because high school graduation requirements don’t always align with college admissions requirements.

4. Dip your toes into the college search

Visit some nearby colleges starting at the end of the sophomore year to get a feel for what your child likes and does not like in a college. Maybe consider purchasing a college guide and look through it together to help you determine college priorities.

5. Get a baseline ACT and SAT score

Taking both the SAT and the ACT toward the end of this year will provide your student with important information. They’ll learn which test they prefer and should focus on studying for in their junior year. It can also give you an idea of which colleges they should be targeting, or whether they may prefer to apply to colleges that are test-optional.

Accomplishing the five steps above will put your student in a great position as they head into their high school junior year. Getting a head start during their invisible year will remove some of the stress typically associated with that academically challenging junior year.

For more information about what students will be working on related to college admissions during their junior year, check out Your Guide to the High School Junior Year.

Do you need help getting started with the college search and admissions process? Now is the time to Contact Me!