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SOPHOMORE STRATEGY
Sophomore year is where the story starts taking shape.
The students who arrive at junior year ready are the ones who used 10th grade with intention.
10th grade is the sweet spot: enough runway to build something real, close enough to applications that every choice starts to matter. We help your student use this year to deepen their story, strengthen their academics, and get ahead of the testing curve before junior year pressure hits.
Where this leads
Now
Sophomores who build depth and get ahead of testing arrive at junior year with a clear advantage, not playing catch-up.
10th grade
This is when interests deepen into identity, and identity becomes the thread that runs through every strong application.
11th & beyond
The college list, essays, and applications all build on what your student develops now. What takes shape in 10th grade carries forward.
WHERE WE FOCUS
Three ways we help sophomores get ahead of the curve.
This is the year to go deeper, not broader. We help your student make intentional choices about their coursework, activities, and summer so junior year is a launch, not a scramble.
01
Building Depth That Colleges Notice
Selective colleges are looking for students who committed to something and grew within it. We help your student identify the activities that genuinely excite them and develop real leadership and impact: the kind of involvement that becomes a compelling part of an application.
02
Getting Ahead of the Testing Curve
We use the 10th grade PSAT as a real diagnostic, not a throwaway, and build a personalized SAT/ACT plan from those results. Your student enters junior year with a head start on testing instead of starting from zero under pressure.
03
A Summer That Does Real Work
The summer between 10th and 11th grade is one of the most valuable in the entire college planning timeline. We help students find experiences that are meaningful to them and build a narrative: research, leadership, work, skill-building, not just resume-filling.
COMPREHENSIVE COLLEGE COUNSELING
Sophomore year is when the story starts to take shape.
Whether your student is continuing with us from 9th grade or joining CMP for the first time, we start the same way: with a thorough assessment of where they are, what they've built so far, and what the story needs. There's real room in 10th grade to shape that story: to deepen activities, find direction, build a resume that means something, and use career exploration and informational interviews to get specific about where they're headed. Our counselors work alongside your student through sophomore year and into junior year, so when testing season, the college list, and application strategy arrive, they're not starting from scratch. They're building on something.
Supporting families through college admissions since 2008
WHAT FAMILIES SAY
Sophomore year done right makes junior year
a different experience.
"Worth every penny. Applying for college today is a whole different beast: it requires real, school-by-school intelligence. CMP put us in a position to ride alongside our student and enjoy the process rather than having to be a grouchy project manager."
— Jason Sugawa, Parent, Class of 2023
"My son's practice test scores improved dramatically because he finally understood how to approach the exam, not just memorize it. His tutor was patient, thorough, and genuinely invested in his success."
— Elizabeth Buchholz, Parent, Class of 2027
Let's Talk
Let's make sophomore year count.
Schedule a complimentary 30-minute call with one of our college counselors. We'll talk through where your student is, what this year should accomplish, and what a plan looks like. No pitch. No pressure. Just a real conversation.
Schedule Your Strategy Session
No pitch. No pressure. Just clarity from someone who has done this thousands of times.
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