College Preparation

What you can do now to prepare for college

• Middle school
  • Take career, personality and strength assessments to help get an idea of where your talents and interests intersect.
  • Shadow someone in a career field you like and ask lots of questions!
  • Begin challenging yourself early. Talk with your guidance counselor and consider enrolling in courses that can count toward high school credit such as Algebra I or a foreign language.
• Ninth Grade
  • Create a challenging class schedule to take advantage of AP, IB, dual-enrollment, advanced or Honors classes.
  • Explore scholarship opportunities. While it may be a bit early to apply to some, others are ongoing scholarships that award amounts based on achievements throughout high school.
  • Take advantage of extracurricular activities that will allow you to gain leadership experience or explore your interests such as clubs or sports.
• Tenth Grade
  • Take classes that are both challenging and fun.
  • In all your classes, strive for good grades. Performing well in challenging courses is an important factor in determining your competitiveness for admission to Clemson.
  • Make note of up to 10 colleges you might be interested in visiting.
  • Explore major programs, locations and other factors at colleges you might be interested in to help you narrow down your list.
  • Take Career Center classes for hands-on experience or language courses to develop an academic foundation for future required courses.
  • Take the PSAT.
• Eleventh Grade
  • Make a list of your top five colleges or universities (consider several factors such as hands-on experiences, alumni outcomes, etc.).
  • Learn more about your top two major choices at each college.
  • Visit campus (do a virtual visit first and come prepared with questions for student tour guides and your area’s admissions counselor).
  • Take standardized tests and take advantage of preparatory courses or online resources such as the Khan Academy or ACT Academy.
• Twelfth Grade

  Apply to Clemson by submitting the digital application form through one of our three platforms, self-reporting your courses and grades on your transcript, and uploading any other additional materials you would like.

  Application Tips:

  1. Apply early. Clemson’s Early Action application opens on August 1.
  2. You can submit the application and go back later to submit materials.
  3. Only submit one application per school.
  4. Use a personal email address, not a school one.

  Taking steps to prepare for college early in your academic career will help alleviate stress that goes along with such a big decision and life transition when it is time to make your college choice.

  And remember, we are always here to support you in your journey to higher education at Clemson.

  Contact Clemson Undergraduate Admissions