SOPHOMORES
Sophomore year is a time when you need to start taking more personal responsibility for your academic and social development. You should begin to think about what courses interest you the most and begin to identify what your strengths and weaknesses are in the classroom. Also, sophomore year is a second chance to become involved in co-curricular activities.
Sophomore year is an important year as you plan ahead for life after Curley. As such, we provide opportunities for you to explore potential colleges and careers and also offer individual counseling related to post-secondary planning. Earning high grades and further developing strong study habits are essential steps to take in your sophomore year to best prepare you for college and life after Curley.
ACADEMICS
Students and parents should be aware how important sophomore year grades are in the college admissions process. The grades you earn as a 10th grader will make up 1/3 of the Grade Point Average colleges will look at when you apply early in your Senior year.
Generally speaking, four year colleges are looking for at least a 3.0 GPA which means you should set a goal of earning at least an 83 average in all of your course-work. Below is a conversion table that shows GPA values for number grades
| GRADE | G.P.A. |
|---|---|
| 92+ | 4.0 |
| 91 | 3.9 |
| 90 | 3.8 |
| 89 | 3.7 |
| 88 | 3.6 |
| 87 | 3.5 |
| 86 | 3.4 |
| 85 | 3.3 |
| 84 | 3.2 |
| 83 | 3.0 |
| 82 | 2.9 |
| 81 | 2.7 |
| 80 | 2.5 |
| 79 | 2.4 |
| 78 | 2.3 |
| 77 | 2.2 |
| 76 | 2.1 |
| 75 | 2.0 |
| 74 | 1.8 |
| 73 | 1.6 |
| 72 | 1.4 |
| 71 | 1.2 |
| 70 | 1.0 |
Steps to take for having a strong sophomore year in the classroom:
- Be prepared to work harder on your academics than you did during 9th grade.
- Ask your teachers questions when you do not understand material.
- Sophomore year typically involves taking Geometry and Chemistry which present many students with problems that require extra help from teachers and additional time for studying.
- Go for extra help before and after school for classes that are most difficult for you.
COLLEGE PLANNING
Sophomores can do the following in order to best prepare for college:
- Work hard to further develop strong study and time management skills.
- Participate in co-curricular activities that involve your interests. Seek out leadership positions within these activities and organizations.
- Talk to your counselor about careers you may want to pursue. Ask questions about college majors that relate to these careers. Discuss these careers with your friends, teachers, parents, and school counselor.
- Attend College Fairs and Open Houses in the Spring.
TESTING
PSAT/NMSQT
We offer the PSAT to all 10th-11th graders only on the National Testing day in October. We offer the PSAT for several reasons. First, taking the PSAT is one of the most effective method for preparing for taking the SAT. Second, the PSAT results will allow each student to see where his strengths and weaknesses concerning the material on the test. Finally, since each student takes the PSAT two times, each student should be able to determine how much progress they have made in their test taking abilities since the previous year.
Scores
During the 10th-11th grades, Curley students take the PSAT once a year. Scores are available to students and their families beginning in early January.
The PSAT/NMSQT shows skills students have learned and skills students may still need to work on before going to college. It does not expect you to perform as well as students in eleventh grade and you still have time to learn and improve. The best way to improve your scores is to work diligently in your classes and to read as much as possible.
Another way to improve your scores is to make educated guesses rather than guessing blindly. Educated guessing means eliminating answers you know are incorrect and choosing from the remaining options. Use this strategy and you have a good chance of improving your scores.