College Prep Series: High School Freshman

Most of us can look back on our freshman year of high school with fondness (and a bit of residual anxiety if we’re being honest). There are so many important, and often overwhelming, realizations that hit during freshman year of high school – not the least of which is that I am responsible for my own choices (from friends to activities to coursework) and I will determine whether or not I succeed. Gone are the hand-holding days of elementary and middle school. If I want to do well, I’m going to have to work at it. Oh and by the way, I also need to figure out where to sit at lunch, what hall my locker is in, and how to avoid the seniors! As if this all isn't enough to send most 14 year olds into an epic tail spin, freshman year is also a good time to start making plans for college. Here are the top 5 things freshmen can do to prepare for college during their first year in high school:

1. Make sure you’re taking challenging courses. It’s tempting to take easy classes and breeze through with straight A’s. But college admissions officers will want to see that you were challenged, and set the bar high for yourself. If you didn’t test into college prep or AP courses before school started, but believe that you’re capable of meeting their rigorous challenges, talk to your counselor about moving into those classes – especially in core subjects like English/Language Arts, Math, and Science.
2. While you’re at it, talk to your counselor about all of your college plans! If you have any idea what you might like to study in college, or where you’d like to be (local or out of state), now is the time to make sure that you’re taking the right classes, and making the best choices to increase your chance of admission. Do you have an interest in how buildings are made or freeways are held together? Your counselor may suggest studying structural engineering. Think it might be cool to find a cure for the common cold? Perhaps you might consider applying as a Microbiology major. Whatever your goals, your counselor should be able to put you on the right path to achieve them. Your counselor can also show you the freshman “profile” of a particular college (i.e. a summary of accomplishments, scores, and general traits of college freshmen for that year) so you can begin to prepare yourself. Plus, you can find out what the relative cost of college will be and get ahead of the financial curve while you’re at it - start looking for scholarship opportunities, create a savings plan, find a job to start squirreling away funds!
3. When it comes to jobs, try to find opportunities that are aligned with your college and career goals. Look for summer internships (paid or unpaid). Reach out to local companies that do what you want to do and see if they would be willing to let you shadow an employee, or volunteer hours at their firm. Ask your counselor (Seeing the trend here yet? Being on a first-name basis with your counselor is a good idea!) if he/she can make any suggestions about where to start your search. Not only will this help solidify your passion and interest in a given field, but it will look great on your resume when it comes time to apply for college!
4. Get involved – but with a purpose! Most college-bound students seem to understand and accept that after school activities, clubs and extra-curricular experiences are beneficial to college acceptance. But it’s not enough to just join a club, or 20 for that matter. Here is where substance matters more than volume. Instead of joining every club that you can think of, find 2 or 3 that you’re really passionate about and find out how you can get involved beyond just membership. Take on leadership positions. Volunteer for the project that no one else wants, and make it a success. Offer to organize the meetings, or solicit new members. The point is to be involved, not just participatory.
5. This one might spook some of our test-phobic freshmen, but it’s never too early to start practicing for the ACT or SAT. [Yes, really!]  Most schools will offer the PLAN or PSAT (ACT and SAT pre-tests, so to speak) starting in the 10^th grade. But the earlier you introduce yourself to these important college entrance exams, the better prepared you’ll be when you have to finally submit scores to your preferred colleges. Schools will generally accept your best scores from each of the tests, regardless of how many times you took them. So better to look at them now than wait until the pressure is really on to perform well. Plus, since both tests measure subject material that is often introduced to you as a freshman, this is your chance to show what you know, while it’s still fresh in your mind!

  There are so many important steps to ensuring a successful high school experience, and transition into college. But try to remember to enjoy yourself along the way! High school only happens once (hopefully!) so try to enjoy every minute of it, even the awkward or embarrassing ones. Besides, those are all character building moments – and who knows, they might even provide material for your college application essay.