Preparing For College As A High School Freshman
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As a freshman in high school, your are just getting started in high school, but you need to start thinking about college. It may seem like a long way off, but you will be better off if you start preparing for college now.
Your freshman year should be about laying the foundation for what is to come. You will need to design your curriculum so it meets the standards of most colleges, develop relationships with your teachers, counselors and parents and become an involved student.
Planning Your High School Experience
You can't wait to decide the classes you'll take your senior year until your senior year. Since many colleges have stringent curriculum requirements for high school students, you will need to plan ahead.
For instance, many colleges require three years of a foreign language (not all). If you do not begin this track in either your freshman or sophomore year, you'll be unable to attend that college!
It's imperative that you find out the courses available to you and pick those you need as well as those that interest you. College administrators like to see a diverse, well-rounded student with many interests and your class schedule should reflect this.
It is also advisable to take the hardest course load you can handle. College administrators also like to see that you are up for the challenging course load you will be expected to complete during college. Taking honors classes shows that you are, indeed, up for this challenge. Plus, you have the advantage of being thoroughly prepared for college level courses after taking a rigorous high school curriculum.
You can expect to have to take courses like the following:
English: Consists of courses like Composition, Creative Writing, American Literature and English Literature. You will need four years of English courses.
History: Consists of courses like U.S. History, World History, and Geography. You will need two years of History courses*.
Government and Economics: Consists of courses like U.S. Government, Civics and Economics. You will need one to two years of Government courses.
Math: Consists of courses like Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry and Calculus. You will need three to four years of Math courses.
Science: Consists of courses like Biology, Chemistry and Physics. You will need two to three years of Science courses.
Foreign Language: Consists of courses like Spanish, French and German. You will need two to three years of Language courses.
Electives: Consists of courses such as Art, Psychology and Music. You will need one to three years of Electives courses.
Each college has its own admissions requirements. Be sure to talk to a counselor about individual college requirements to ensure you take the proper courses throughout your high school education.
Meet With Your Counselor And Disscuss College
Don't let your freshman year pass by without seeing a counselor. It may be a dreaded activity to you to schedule an appointment and sit down to discuss your future, but you'll be glad you did.
Nothing impresses a guidance counselor more than a student that is prepared. By visiting them during your freshman year, you show initiative and a real drive to obtain a quality education.
Write down questions you have for the counselor before the meeting. It is also good to go over this list with you parents to see if they have any additional questions. This also shows that you are thinking about your future and not just when you are asked about it. This sort of drive shows counselors that you care and help motivate them to do the most they can for you including a recommendation letter.
Make an effort to let your counselor know who you are. While they attempt to get to know all of their students, counselors see many students each day and it can be hard to keep track of them all. Make yourself stand out by sharing your interests, your summer plans and goals. When it comes time to ask for a recommendation letter, your counselor will have a wealth of information to work from. A generic letter is far less impressive than one with personal touches.
It is also a good idea to bring along a notepad to your appointment. You'll probably want to take a lot of notes. Keeping track of what your counselor says allows you to make better use of the time you spend together. You can better prepare yourself and come up with more detailed questions if you keep a record of the information you've already obtained.
Extracurricular Activities For Your College Application
Completing your high school education with a 4.0 GPA is impressive, but not as impressive as doing so while in a club or as a member of a sports team. Colleges look at what you do with your time outside of the classroom as well. Being a diligent student is one thing, but do you manage your time well'
To put yourself above other college applicants, you can join a club during your freshman year. Many high schools offer a wide range of activities and clubs to join, everything from foreign language club to golf.
It may be difficult to balance your new high school curriculum and activities, but it can be done. It just takes a bit of discipline.
To stay on track try making a to-do list for everyday or buy a planner. Write down all of the things you absolutely must get done for each day in priority order. Many people also find it beneficial to keep track of the amount of time it will take to complete each item on the list. You can stay ahead in school and be involved on campus. It will just take some adjusting at first.
Why do colleges like to admit students that are active on campus' Because colleges want to have a well rounded student body that is active and involved. Also, showing such dedication and discipline while in high school makes it likely that you will be able to handle the rigorous demands of college courses alongside a job, activities and adult responsibilities.
College Financing
Now is the right time to begin the discussion about funding for college with your parents. While you can't do much about securing financial aid during your freshman year, you can come up with a plan for how your family will go about paying for college.
Your parents may have been saving for your college education since you were little. Or, they may not have been so fortunate. Either way, you'll need to sit down as a family and discuss the reality of the situation. How much are your parents willing to spend on your college education' How much do they expect you to contribute' About how much do you expect to get in financial aid'
Answering these questions early on save a lot of grief during your senior year. You don't want to fill out the FAFSA and realize in the April before you start college that you cannot afford to go due to lack of funding. There is always a way to get through school. You just need to start planning early to account for any difficulties along the way and to make sure both you and parents are on the same financial page.
Research Colleges
While you won't be applying to colleges for a while, you can still get a leg up on the competition by taking virtual campus tours for colleges of interest. Knowing what campuses look like, what their buildings look like and where things are located can put your mind at ease. Plus, it shows you how beautiful some colleges really are.
The best part about it is you don't have to leave the comfort of your home. Just visit the websites of colleges you're interested in and click on the virtual tour link (or something similar). You'll learn a lot and won't have to spend a dime. Plus, it can be kind of fun to browse around these different campuses.
Above all else, you'll be further preparing yourself for the college experience. Just the act of searching through college websites and locating the virtual tour section is a good exercise. You'll need to become increasingly efficient when using college websites.
Volunteer
Just lazing the day away during the summer might sound nice, you should continue to work toward making your college application look appealing. You can do this by volunteering for a community organization.
Many students' excuses range from they can't find volunteer opportunities to they don't know how to volunteer. Rest assured, the organizations you'll be working with will be glad to have your assistance. Many high schools even post volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
You can also find volunteer opportunities by visiting:
http://www.servenet.org
http://volunteermatch.org
volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
These sites allow you to search for volunteer opportunities of interest to you volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
You'd be surprised. There are plenty of organizations and companies out there that would absolutely love to have your help. All you need to do is ask. The added bonus is that doing volunteer work on your own time shows dedication, commitment and empathy for the cause of others. Plus, you'll start up a good networking base that could lead to potential employment later on. volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
College administrators love to admit students that care about their community, can balance their schedules and work well with others. Add these excellent qualities to your resume by putting in some time with a volunteer organization. volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
Learn To Type (College Essays Are Harder When You Hunt And Peck)
If you don't already know how, get a handle on typing. Being able to type fast and accurately helps to keep you up to speed with your classmates and better prepares you for college. volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
You can take a typing class at your high school as an elective to really hone your skills. The old 'hunt and peck' method may have worked for your parents, but it certainly won't work for you. With term papers, essays and applications to fill out, you'll need to have a good typing speed to keep up with the workload. volunteer opportunities on campus. Check news bulletins and boards in the office for such opportunities.
Remember: practice makes perfect. Don't worry if you're not flying through page after page right away. After a few months of diligent practicing you'll be a pro, and ready to tackle anything with a word processor.
