Making high school count

This course is a part of College admissions, a 7-course Topic series from Khan Academy.

Whether you're just entering 9th grade or in the thick of your junior year, it's never too early to begin thinking about college. Find out how your academic record, extracurricular activities, and standardized test results impact the college admissions process.

This course contains 4 segments:

Introduction: Making high school count

Hear from Sal and admissions officers on what it takes to make the most of high school. Then, begin planning your own high school-to-college story with a timeline for making high school count.

High school classes

Take the challenging class or get the good grade? Learn more about what admissions looks for on your high school transcript and how current college students navigated the process when in high school.

Extracurricular and leadership activities

Whether you play sports, act in theatrical productions, or babysit younger siblings - extracurricular activities include everything you do when you're not in class. Admissions officers explain how they evaluate these activities in the context of your college application, and current college students tell their stories of extracurricular activities in high school.

Standardized tests

Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of students aspiring to college quite like the SAT/ACT, standardized tests that many schools require as part of their application package. Overcome that fear now by getting a primer on what these tests cover, how they are scored, and the impact they have on college admissions.