.png)
It’s never too early to start planning for college. In this edition of our monthly blog, we will talk to young achievers entering their freshman year of high school. Summer is certainly a time to let your hair down and enjoy a break from the annual schedule of class, homework, studying, sports, etc. This is also a time when you can spend some valuable free time focusing on the future and getting some work for college out of the way as early as possible. We help students and families navigate the college planning process and we always recommend starting the process as early as you can, to ensure your child’s investment is as productive as possible.
Let’s look at what students entering their freshman year of high school should be doing this summer to get prepped for their college future!
Find Your Passions (They Will Change)
We know it’s pretty early to start mapping out what a 9th grader should be doing in 4 years, but it's just the beginning. The tale will be long, but this is the introductory chapter of a student’s college life. This is a period where a freshman in HS can branch out and try a bunch of new things. Find who you are and who you care about. This will help to build a plan for a major, and also get you to know yourself at a deeper level. They will almost certainly change by the time you are a junior or senior in high school, but some kids find their major in this period.
Research Course Requirements and GPA Needs for Your Ideal College
You don’t need to know WHERE you’re planning on going to college yet, but you should start thinking about what type of college you may be interested in. Start looking into what types of degrees these schools offer, and what types of grades you're going to need to get in. This will impact what courses you take in HS for the next four years as you’ll want to prepare yourself for the right courses in college, but also make sure your GPA is on par with other students applying for your major/college. Be prepared now!
Attend a Summer Camp
Whether you’re in sports, music, art, science, scouts, or whatever you’re into, consider going to a camp this summer. Summer camps are a great place to meet new people, grow your soft skills, and learn new things. Take advantage of your free time this summer to attend a camp or two and learn more about your favorite (or new) area of interest.
Complete Your Summer Reading (& double it)
This one is somewhat of a necessity, as you’ll need to do your summer reading to do well on your tests in the fall. Reading is so important and growing as a reader is something you can do while also reading something you enjoy. If you have 2 books to read over the summer, consider doubling that as a goal to make yourself an even better reader. Reading not only prepares you for SAT and ACT tests, reading can help to build empathy, and critical thinking, and open you up to new worlds. When you get to college, you’re going to need to read and self-teach yourself when not in class, so start preparing the time now!
Consider a College Visit
It is certainly too early to start taking college visits to choose WHICH college you want to go to, but it’s not too early to get an idea of the ambiance of a college campus. High school will be a lot different than college. Whether you have 30 kids in your graduating class or 2000, college will be different than what you’re used to. Talk to your parents about taking a little trip to drive around a few local or nearby colleges so you can get an idea of what it would be like. You may find yourself desiring to attend a smaller campus, or being impressed by a larger one. Study the points around campus and start imagining where you can see yourself being successful!
These are just a handful of things that freshmen in HS can do to prepare themselves for college. We’ll be back on the blog in the future with tips for students who will be sophomores in HS, and what they can do to be prepared. If you or your student need any help with college planning, be it test preparation, tutoring, college financial planning, or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out via our contact form or by phone! We look forward to meeting you! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Linkedin for more college planning tips for WNY students!
Comments