--- title: Springtime for Sophomores description: Seniors have heard back from their schools and are finalizing their college choice in preparation for the May 1 deadline. Juniors are taking the ACT or SAT, SAT subject tests, and AP exams. Those two grades have clearly defined paths to college, but what about Sophomores? While spring of sophomore --- [Skip to content](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores#main-content) ![Get Smarter Prep Logo](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GSP_Logo_color_072513.png?width=2096&height=548&name=GSP_Logo_color_072513.png) - Home - Products - Pricing - Blog - Company Open main navigation Close main navigation - Home - Products - Pricing - Blog - Company - [Contact us](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores#contact) [Contact us](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores#contact) Apr 11, 2013 9:57:33 AM # Springtime for Sophomores [Get Smarter Prep](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/author/get-smarter-prep) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores) [Twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/springtime-for-sophomores) Seniors have heard back from their schools and are finalizing their college choice in preparation for the May 1 deadline. Juniors are taking the ACT or SAT, SAT subject tests, and AP exams. Those two grades have clearly defined paths to college, but what about Sophomores? While spring of sophomore year seems far away from applying to college, there are three things you can do to strengthen your future college applications. #### **1. Take an ACT and SAT practice test and determine which test is a better test for you.** We recommend that the students take both an [ACT and an SAT practice test](https://getsmarterprep.com/free-practice-tests/) near the end or just after their sophomore year. That way, you go into fall of junior year with a plan. Are you in range to be a National Merit scholar? If so, you can sign up for one of our summer classes in preparation for the PSAT. Do you play a winter sport and a spring sport? Another great reason to prepare in the summer and take one of the fall tests! Every student is different. Taking a practice test at the beginning of the summer ensures your student has time to decide which test and test date is best! #### **2. Finish the year with your highest possible grades.** Yes, this seems like an obvious one, but it really is important! If you have a bad test day, you can retake your SAT or ACT or driver’s license test, but once sophomore year is over, you are locked into those grades. Grades are a key piece of college admissions puzzle, so it is crucial to do your best. #### **3. Take advantage of the summer.** While it is tempting to spend the summer relaxing before the stress of junior year, you post-sophomore year summer is a great time to get a jump start on college. You are interested in botany but your high school doesn’t offer it? Take a course at a local college or community college. Not only will it look great on your resume, but it will be really interesting! Want to start saving money for college? Get a job! Jobs look great on your resume and give you a great opportunity to make business connections. An anecdotal example: my grandfather worked as a delivery runner for a law firm one summer; after graduating law school, he was hired by that same law firm! Too busy to have the set schedule of a job or class? You can always volunteer, write a paper to submit to your favorite magazine, research colleges, or take test prep! Most sophomores have no idea where they might want to attend college, and that is perfectly okay! Following these three steps will ensure that when they do choose where to apply, they will have the highest amount of possibilities.   [College](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/college), [ACT](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act) ## Related posts [![College Prep Timeline: What Sophomores and Juniors Should Be Doing Now](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/hs-fs/hubfs/College%20Prep%20Timeline.jpg?height=200&name=College%20Prep%20Timeline.jpg)](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/college-prep-timeline-what-sophomores-and-juniors-should-be-doing-now) [free practice tests](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/free-practice-tests), [ACT Prep](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act-prep), [ACT Practice Test](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act-practice-test), [ACT test dates](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act-test-dates) ## [College Prep Timeline: What Sophomores and Juniors Should Be Doing Now](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/college-prep-timeline-what-sophomores-and-juniors-should-be-doing-now) [Get Smarter Prep](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/author/get-smarter-prep) May 13, 2025 12:05:19 PM At Get Smarter Prep, we understand that preparing for college isn't something that happens... [Read more](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/college-prep-timeline-what-sophomores-and-juniors-should-be-doing-now) [College Admissions](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/college-admissions), [College](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/college), [AP Classes](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/ap-classes), [General Information](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/general-information), [free practice tests](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/free-practice-tests), [ACT](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act), [ACT Practice Test](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act-practice-test), [Course Prep for ACT](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/course-prep-for-act) ## [To The Class of 2027](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/to-the-class-of-2027) [Get Smarter Prep](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/author/get-smarter-prep) Jun 7, 2024 10:30:07 AM Your Sophomore Year is most likely going to be awesome! You may start to think about college in the... [Read more](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/to-the-class-of-2027) [COVID-19](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/covid-19), [ACT](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/act), [Class of 2021](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/tag/class-of-2021) ## [What’s Next for Students?](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/whats-next) [Get Smarter Prep](https://blog.getsmarterprep.com/get-smarter-prep-blog/author/get-smarter-prep) Jun 16, 2020 11:04:23 AM With so many things happening this year, you might be left saying, “What’s Next for Students”? 2020... 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