Here are the key tasks you should be doing in Grade 10 to prepare for applications beyond Halcyon in Grade 12.
Continue to develop your extracurricular activities and track these on the ECA Tracker
Continue to develop your super-curricular activities and track these on the Super-curricular Tracker
Continue to track and reflect on your character development using your Character Traits Tracker
If you are applying to US universities, sign up to take the PSAT in October.
At http://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test and http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html there are entire batteries of career and personality tests that will allow you to zero in on your interests and possible majors/courses of study. Take one, take them all, they’re free.
Consider starting a list of colleges/universities to consider. Use virtual tours or campus websites and begin thinking about universities you might like to visit overseas.
For the US, the “US News and World Report” website offers links to the universities, virtual tours, financial assistance, and more. To search universities collegeboard.org has an excellent search tool.
For the UK, look at the UCAS website (ucas.com) to see the entry requirements for particular subjects/universities and plan your schedule accordingly. Go to opendays.com for a list of open days.
For other countries, consult the relevant sites (educanada.ca, studyinholland.nl, etc.) and start researching universities.
Talk to your Counsellor about what you might be looking for in a university. Also talk to teachers about majors/courses that might be of interest. The more information you acquire, the better informed your choices and decisions will be.
Plan your summer. Find programs or camps to attend. Make your summer productive. If possible, look for activities that relate to a course or career that might be of interest.
Select appropriate DP courses in consultation with your teachers, IB Coordinator and University Counsellor.
Speak to visiting universities and attend university open days
Develop your academic CV
Utilize your Unifrog account to search for universities, develop an understanding of your skills using the Quizzes section, explore subjects and do MOOCS.