Don’t blink, High School goes by quickly…
Freshman year is your chance to try new activities and immerse yourself in all the excitement that high school has to offer. Join a club, play a sport, audition for the big high school theater production; get involved! Colleges want active students who take chances and try to make their school a better place.
While freshman year is a time to explore, it is also a time to develop the good study habits that will serve you well throughout high school and beyond. It may also be an appropriate time for testing, depending on your goals for the future.
Now, as a sophomore, you start to narrow your range of extracurriculars, focusing on those activities where you want to ultimately become a leader. You can’t just focus on extracurricular activities; your primary goal is to take the most challenging course load that you can while maintaining high academic standards. Colleges want students who can handle a full slate because the college experience will pull your attention in many directions.
If you plan to take SAT Subject Tests this year (talk with your teachers and your school counselor), you need to register for the tests early in order to secure a seat at your desired testing site.
Be sure to enjoy your time as a sophomore before the pressure builds junior year!
Junior year is rightfully considered the most challenging year of high school. You will take the PSAT in the fall, followed by the SAT and/or ACT in the spring. You may also take SAT Subject Tests. In case that isn’t enough, you will begin to assume leadership roles in the one or two school or community activities that you’re focusing on and take the most challenging course load of your high school career.
During junior year, you will also meet with you school counselor, first on an individual basis and then with your parents, to formulate an appropriate college list. This list needs to be based on your abilities, personality, and desires.
Time for all your hard work to pay off. College applications can be completed and submitted anytime after August 1. You must be aware of all deadlines, and the summer is not too early to start the application process. Be sure to submit teacher recommendation requests early in the year because your teachers will soon face stacks of them. You may wish to retake the ACT, SAT or possibly SAT Subject Tests.
Don’t slack off academically; mid-term (and possibly final) grades will be sent to colleges. You may wish to revisit colleges or attend accepted student days prior to making your final college decision (deadline May 1). Once you have made your decision, you can finally relax, confident in the knowledge that all your work has enabled you to attend a college that is right for you.