It’s not too early to start planning for college—in fact, you already are!
The courses you’re taking and the ways you’re spending your time are already preparing you for what comes next.
As you look for opportunities to get involved during your high school career, we encourage you to keep this question in mind: How will this help me identify the right college, major, career, and more?
Stay engaged with IU Bloomington—and your academic progress—with the following resources:
Keep learning
Visit outside resources such as Khan Academy to keep learning at your own pace. You can also participate in virtual science programs through Bloomington’s own WonderLab.
Listen to world-class musical performances
Stream archived performances—recitals, concerts, and operas—from the IU Jacobs School of Music.
Explore the Eskenazi Museum of Art
Look through the collections online and participate in a Virtual Art Therapy Open Studio.
Tour the Wylie House Museum
Learn about IU history with a virtual visit to IU's Wylie House Museum and explore exhibits online.
Experience past Little 500 races
Watch archival video of the first two Little 500 races, which took place in 1951 and 1952.
Check out our many archives
Watch archival videos and hear archival audio in IU’s Media Collections Online.
Things to consider doing now
- Talk with your family about why going to college is a good idea for you. If you know a college student (or recent college grad), ask them what it’s like. Plan to go for a visit if you can.
- Meet with your guidance counselor to plan out your coursework for the next four years. Think about including some challenging courses in your schedule. Your counselor can help you decide if honors or AP courses will be the right match for your interests and abilities.
- Make high school fun and meaningful! You should spend time building your leadership skills, joining clubs and organizations that interest you, or volunteering in your community.
- Start looking at college websites to learn about admission requirements and to get an idea of when you’ll take tests like the PSAT and/or PreACT. Although the SAT/ACT are optional at IU and some other schools, you may decide that taking them is right for you. Use free resources through College Board and ACT to practice.
- Attend a college fair to learn about the benefits of each college. Collect materials and ask questions. Speak to admissions counselors. Learn about the subjects you can study. Find out about other opportunities.
- Start keeping a list of the honors you’ve received and the activities you’ve been involved in. This will come in handy when you get ready to start applying.
Get revved up for IU
- Make sure you know what high school courses are required for admission to IU.
- Start thinking about your interests. Search by your interests and design a career path that is right for you with our ahead-of-the-game Career Communities.
- Get on our mailing list so we can keep you updated with need-to-know information.
- Experience IU by checking out a precollege summer program.