Many students are fearful of taking a challenging course load in ninth grade.  The rationale often used is that the student needs time to adjust to the new school and an easier course load will allow that to happen. Thinking in those terms can create long-term ramifications that can be deleterious to the student's high school career. It can also directly impact his/her college path as well.

Research shows that many middle school students don’t know what courses they need to graduate from high school, let alone be prepared for college. A college admission counselor should work with students to clearly communicate expectations about what college-prep courses they should take and, if students are not getting this support at their middle schools, a college admissions counselor should help students develop a four-year course plan that will prepare them for a four-year college.  Students also need to be explicitly taught the skills and behaviors that will help them navigate the unfamiliar and more demanding terrain of high school, including problem-solving skills, time management skills, organizational skills, self-advocacy, and understanding where and when to seek help.

Colleges look for a challenging curriculum when assessing a student's profile.  It is in the best interest of the teenager to take as many honor courses in ninth grade as he/she can handle well.  Why is this important?  By not starting out strong in ninth grade, the opportunity to excel in later grades is diminished.  The student will not be considered for AP courses in tenth grade and beyond. Not only will this hurt your teen's chances of gaining admittance into a competitive college, it could cost you money in the form of merit scholarships or additional courses in college to compete his/her academic major in four years.
However, your teenager needs to balance his/her academic rigors against overdoing it.  If his grades are poor in honors or AP classes, it is better to take the normal load and get good grades.  Not doing well in honors or AP classes will diminish his/her high school record. What to do?  Look carefully at the classes your teenager excels in throughout middle school.  If the math and science areas are strong, begin with honors classes in those areas.  If English and history are strong, take honor classes in those areas. 

When a student steps in the door of their new high school, they will have to contend with increased academic demands, as well as changes in the physical environment, the social environment and the way instruction is organized. Students will be better equipped to deal with these changes and challenges if they know ahead of time what the environment will be like and what is expected of them.