Top 10 College Prep Tips for High School Sophomores
“Live more. Laugh more. Sophomore!”
The second year of high school means sophomores have approaching the half-way mark of their high school careers. It also means that sophomores are approaching the 2/3 point for taking the classes that most colleges will consider. Sophomores are often finding new levels of independence as this is probably the year they are going after their driver’s license. This is also a key year for college prep as many students take the PSAT, a pre-cursor to the SAT for many college-bound students. See my Top Ten tips below for college-curious and college-bound sophomores and see how you are doing.
#10 - Continue building relationships with teachers and coaches
Strong relationships with teachers and coaches is only getting more important. Be sure to find time to ask your teachers, coaches, and other mentors about their college experiences. These people will help you better understand how others made decisions about where to attend school and what to major in. The more you ask, and share, the better prepared these people will be when you approach them in the next year or two and ask for letters of recommendation for scholarships and college admissions.
#9 - Continue meeting with your guidance/academic counselor
Nothing new year from your first year. The school’s guidance/academic counselor will play a significant role in your overall college planning. From scholarships to letters of recommendation, your counselor is someone who should know you well and help you achieve your future goals. The guidance counselor also knows lots of information about where previous students, students like you, attended school. This includes where they were accepted and rejected. Knowing this kind of information can help you start to form ideas for an effective college list.
#8 - Focus on academics
Continue challenging yourself with interesting classes. You are now approaching the 2/3 point for most of the classes and grades that you’ll complete at the time you apply for college. Make the most of it! Does your school offer AP classes or the International Baccalaureate program? If so, these types of courses are one way for you to enhance the rigor of your high school coursework in a way that is very familiar to and favorable with even the most selective universities. This may also be the time for you to take the PSAT so ask your guidance counselor about dates. Students who do well on the PSAT can be recognized as National Merit Scholars and be eligible for scholarships later in their high school career. Remember, what you do academically in high school is more important than what you may do on the SAT and/or ACT standardized tests.
#7 - Attend college fairs and talk to college reps
Many high schools welcome college admission reps and may even host a college fair or two. If your school doesn’t host a fair directly, talk to your counselor and learn if there are any in the area. Fairs are a great bang for your buck as you’ll get to meet with reps from many schools, including schools from outside the area. Individual college reps visiting your school are there to answer your questions about majors, location, and anything you can imagine. Often these reps are very enthusiastic. Think of them as marketing ambassadors for their particular school.
#6 - Keep that job going!
Stick with your employment - even if just a few hours a week. Some kind of a job will get you in the mindset of earning money for your personal expenses and even saving for college. You’ll also start developing critical life skills that colleges and future employers appreciate. This can be painting in the summer or walking your neighbor’s dogs on the weekends. Make the job something you enjoy and you’ll find numerous benefits. Talk to your friends and start doing something together, like creating a dog-walk in your neighborhood or shoveling sidewalks when it snows. Hopefully you can put some money away for college expenses while paying now for things you enjoy doing.
#6 - Stay organized
Get used to using a planner/calendar and figuring out how you spend your time. Everyone you know, regardless of how much money they have, has 168 hours in a week. That’s right, even Elon Musk. No one can buy or sell time. Understand how you use your own time and you’ll be much better at managing it when your life gets busy.
#5 - Learn about yourself and your interests
Colleges are always looking for well-rounded, successful students. Start demonstrating leadership by becoming an officer in a club and not just a member. Participate in clubs, sports, community service, or other activities that interest you. This will help you develop important skills, such as leadership and teamwork, and will provide you with experiences to talk about in interviews. Like big events? Join your student programming board and help put on events like prom, Homecoming, and more. Like animals? Consider volunteering for the local animal shelter. I was an advisor for student council and student government for nearly two decades. This is a great experience for students who want to make a difference at their school regardless of what they may major in at college.
#4 - Explore connections between education and careers
Again, this is not the time where you should feel like you need to know what you’re going to do with the rest of your life. No one does. Yet you can start learning more about the connections between education and careers and there are free resources to help you. One site I recommend is the Occupational Information Network (O*Net). Used by millions of people every year, this resource from the U.S. Department of Labor, has a plethora of information and free resources, including industry information and a free Interest Profiler. Check it out and you are on your way to learning about careers that may be a good fit for you based on your interests.
#3 - Get real about college costs
Talk to your parents/family about your ideas for college. Planning now will pay off in the end and save you money in the long run. The average student load debt is $30,000 per graduate and some parents have taken on considerably more through Parent PLUS loans. Start talking now so you and your family can work together to realistically meet your educational goals.
#2 - Learn from others
Have a sibling or friend who is already in college? Talk to them about their experience. What do they enjoy the most? What are their struggles and what do they wish they had known more about? Why did they choose the college they are attending? Talk about college with your parents and family, too, but realize that college today is different than when they attended. Input from more recent college graduates and current college students is super helpful.
#1 - Continue having fun!
Yes, this is definitely number one! Don’t spend too much time thinking about college - be a high school student. This should be a time for fun! College will be there and you’ll be just fine. Seriously. (Hint: you will see this tip again.)
