15 Ways Savvy Sophomores Can Get the Advantage in College Planning
Ask any current or past college student if they wish they had had more time to prepare in high school, and you’ll get a resounding YES!
Most college-bound high school students view college planning as something that can wait until their junior year—or even the start of their senior year. It can’t.
Students who wait to map out their plan for college take a lot of risks:
enrolling in the wrong high school courses
missing opportunities to earn college credits early
waiting until the last minute to get involved in meaningful extracurricular activities
The longer students wait, the more pressure and stress mount. As a result, these students often find themselves scrambling to get everything completed in time.
Students who start planning for college as underclassmen have a huge advantage. They have a map of what their high school experience should look like in the early stages: the courses they should take, the best way to earn honors and credits, and what extracurricular and community service to get involved with. As time for college applications and acceptances gets closer, these students will naturally be better prepared than their peers.
For rising sophomores, right now is a stellar time to start planning for college and reap the benefits of their early efforts.
Here are 15 ways sophomores can take action, achieve success, and get the most out of their high school experience:
1. Take the PSAT®/NMSQT and/or the PreACT® in the fall of sophomore year.
2. Meet with the high school guidance counselor. Students should take the time to develop a relationship with their high school guidance counselors; school counselors are a major resource for college-bound students. Students should make a habit of meeting with their counselors routinely to keep close tabs on their progress.
3. Make smart course selections with higher education in mind. Students should be choosing the right courses that align with their academic growth and college plans.
4. Stay focused on academics: grades for underclassmen matter!
5. Build on the cornerstones of academic skills: vocabulary, comprehension, math.
6. Learn and improve essential soft skills to improve academic performance.
7. Start preparing for the ACT®, digital SAT®, or both!
8. Get involved in meaningful extracurriculars and community service.
9. Find opportunities to showcase talents and skills through leadership roles in the high school community.
10. Keep a folder of copies of important documents: test scores, transcripts, academic and extracurricular honors and awards, community service, letters from various mentors, coaches, or teachers.
Side note: letters of recommendation are not just for upperclassmen to request, they can be requested by students throughout high school. Students should take the time to get to know their teachers and have an active role in their classes in order to build and foster academic relationships. This can also prevent the time-crunch that comes with waiting on overburdened teachers to churn out last-minute recommendations before application deadlines close in.
11. Attend college-related functions like college fairs, college nights, college presentations—both in person events and online. These functions are typically free to attend and often offer a treasure trove of information to college-minded students.
12. Start checking out colleges—especially local and in-state colleges that are easy to drive to. This exposure will help students get an idea of what types of colleges they’re interested in, which will help them narrow down their search more easily when it comes time to make a decision.
13. Create an email address or an email folder specifically filtered for college planning and admissions. This level of digital organization will be particularly important as more and more information fills the inbox.
14. Keep a notebook and folder for personal notes and information on colleges and universities. Back this up digitally with labeled pictures or scans so they are easily searchable and accessible.
15. Keep social media platforms clean. Online personas matter. Remind students that any content posted now can (and probably will) be viewed during the college admissions process. My rule: If you can’t show it to Grandma, don’t post it!
An early start on college planning means more time to research, strategize, pivot, and change course if needed—that’s a huge advantage for college-bound students!
If you’ve not been marketing your test prep and tutoring services to PSAT® and PreACT® test takers, you’re missing out on a prime opportunity to expand your reach and the scope of your test-prep business. Likewise, offering college planning services to underclassmen is a great way to attract college-minded students and their families to your business. Being able to shepherd them through the college planning process is a significant value-add that can help your business stand out from the more impersonal, test-prep giants.
As always, thank you for reading! If you’ve found this post helpful, check out some of our related posts:
The Benefits of AP Courses and How to Succeed in Them
High School Doesn’t Offer AP Courses? Alternatives for Students Who Don't Have Access
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