Resource Library
Lincoln Southwest High School, Nebraska · Photo: Joshua Srery / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped.
UNIVERSITY PLANNING GUIDE
Find your school year and see what matters now.
One guide for each year of U.S. high school, from grade 9 to applying in grade 12. Each follows three illustrative students, with this year's real dates.
Choose your year
Free to read. No sign-up needed.
Grade 9U.S. grade 9 (freshman year) · Ages 14 to 15One skill or contest you train for every week, and the year month by month.Read this year's guide 
Grade 10U.S. grade 10 (sophomore year) · Ages 15 to 16Start where you are: three students and the year's six decisions.Read this year's guide 
Grade 11U.S. grade 11 (junior year) · Ages 16 to 17This spring's top rounds, two teachers' letters, and the year month by month.Read this year's guide 
Grade 12U.S. grade 12 (senior year) · Ages 17 to 18When to apply early, who sends what, and how to compare offers by their real price.Read this year's guide
School years compared
At a school outside the U.S.? Here's how your years line up with U.S. grades.
| U.S. grade | England year | IB | India class | Usual ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | Year 10 | MYP 4 | Class 9 | 14 to 15 |
| Grade 10 | Year 11 | MYP 5 | Class 10 | 15 to 16 |
| Grade 11 | Year 12 | DP1 | Class 11 | 16 to 17 |
| Grade 12 | Year 13 | DP2 | Class 12 | 17 to 18 |
Approximate: birthdays, school cutoffs, and shorter MYP formats can shift it.
How to use this guide
Start with your year, or read ahead. Willa, Owen, and Quinn appear in every guide, so you can follow one student from grade 9 to their applications.
YOUR NEXT STEP
When a choice feels unclear, we can plan the next step with you.
Start with a free 45-minute introduction with your proposed mentor. Afterward, we’ll email you a personalized plan. If another resource would serve you better, we’ll tell you.
Arrange your free introduction