Your College Journey · Grade 8 to Decision Day · Lesson 1 of 2

Meet Ari. Grade 8 to Decision Day, one year at a time. Plan the year, then make it happen.

Plan your year.

“Plan the year you’re in, with the end in mind.”

Plan your year means: start from the end · fit over pressure · depth over a long list · real cost · check with the right people.

Interactive lessonsReal family situations10-concept check · 100% to move onCollege Studio toolsA certificate for each grade

This year, month by month

Typical US timing for the grade you picked above. Your school and each college set their own dates, so check them on official sites.

FallYouStart a weekly routine and one planner.Your familyStart a ten-minute weekly check-in.

WinterYouHigh school info night; learn the course sequences.Your familyGo to parent night; ask how sequences work.

SpringYouChoose Grade 9 courses with teachers’ advice; PSAT 8/9 if your school offers it.Your familyStart a family folder; first calm money talk; save a little if you can.

SummerYouOrientation, reading, rest and a small project.Your familyPut Grade 9 dates on the family calendar.

Grade 8 to Decision Day

Each year has a few clear jobs. Plan the year, then make it happen.

Grade 8

Courses that keep doors open, a weekly routine, one curiosity, and a first money conversation.

Grade 9

A strong start on the transcript, one or two activities done well, an activity log, early help.

Grade 10

One fitting step up in challenge, a deeper role, real net-price numbers, a summer with purpose.

Grade 11

Tests on a calendar, a balanced and affordable list, recommenders in spring, aid paperwork ready.

Grade 12

Applications in your own voice, aid forms on time, offers compared by net price, Decision Day.

How the course works

Five grades, two lessons each, one story.

Why

Applying to college is a five-year journey, not a senior-year scramble. Students who plan each year, keep records and understand real costs make calmer, better choices.

When

Grade 8 to Decision Day: five grade levels (8, 9, 10, 11 and 12), each with the same two lessons at the right depth for that year.

What

Per grade: “Plan your year” and “Make it happen”, each a short interactive story with Ari and a 10-concept check (100% to move on, unlimited fresh retries), plus a College Studio artifact and a month-by-month calendar. Both lessons and both artifacts earn that grade’s certificate.

Who

Students in Grades 8–12, on their own or with a parent. The parent course tells the same story from Dana’s side.

How

Start at your child’s current grade, or at Grade 8 to see the whole journey. Lesson 2 opens after Lesson 1 reaches 100%. Artifacts are self-reviewed with a 4-part rubric. No rankings, no timers, no public scores.

Where you live

The planning habits work everywhere. The admissions and aid steps differ by country.

United StatesThis course follows the US system: high school transcript from Grade 9, SAT or ACT where required, the Common App and college applications, the FAFSA on StudentAid.gov, the CSS Profile at some colleges, and May 1 Decision Day at many colleges.

CanadaAdmission is mostly based on Grade 11 and 12 marks and required courses, through provincial application centres (for example OUAC in Ontario or EducationPlannerBC). Most Canadian universities don’t require the SAT. Aid comes through provincial student aid and Canada Student Financial Assistance; an RESP can add the Canada Education Savings Grant. The habits, records, cost thinking and family system in this course apply fully.

IndiaAdmission depends on board exam marks and entrance exams such as CUET-UG, JEE and NEET, with their own dates from the official agencies. Scholarships are on the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in). The habits, planning, honest records and family system in this course apply fully; for US colleges from India, the US steps here apply directly.

Other editionIndia edition of this course ›

Other editionCanada edition of this course ›

What the research says

The methods in this course are informed by published research. The research supports these methods; it does not prove that this new course works. We’ll pilot it and report what we find, honestly.

Grade 8 · U.S. Department of EducationClifford Adelman’s “Toolbox” studies found that the strength of a student’s high school curriculum, especially math beyond Algebra II, was one of the strongest predictors of finishing a bachelor’s degree.

Grade 9 · University of Chicago Consortium on School ResearchStudies of Chicago students found that Grade 9 course performance (being “on track”) strongly predicts high school graduation, more than test scores or background.

Grade 10 · Purdue University and Washington University in St. LouisResearch on retrieval practice and spaced study (Roediger, Karpicke and colleagues) shows that self-testing builds longer-lasting learning than rereading.

Grade 11 · Stanford University and the University of VirginiaCaroline Hoxby and Sarah Turner found that clear, low-cost information about colleges and net prices helped high-achieving, lower-income students apply to and attend more selective colleges.

Grade 12 to Decision Day · Harvard University and Stanford UniversityBettinger, Long, Oreopoulos and Sanbonmatsu found that helping families complete the FAFSA increased college enrollment, showing how much the aid forms matter.

For parents

Ask one question after each lesson: “What’s one thing you’ll try this week?” Listen before advising. Every money activity works with made-up numbers; keep real finances private. Your own course, College Admissions Roadmap for Parents, follows the same five years from the parent’s side.

Original Global Yuva content: stories, characters, illustrations, questions and tools. Narration uses your device’s built-in read-aloud voice. Dollar amounts are made-up teaching examples. Dates are typical timing; your school, each college and official agencies set the real dates and rules, which can change. For informational and educational purposes only; not admissions, financial-aid, tax, legal or mental-health advice, and no admission, scholarship or outcome is guaranteed. Verify every requirement, cost and deadline with official sources such as your school, each college and StudentAid.gov. If you or someone you know is unsafe or in crisis, contact a trusted adult or local emergency services. The grade certificate recognizes completion of a Global Yuva program and is not an academic credential.