When in high school, students experience a universal worry about whether or not they are doing the right things to be accepted for college. The idea of working towards a transitional period in one’s life can seem very scary, especially with the amount of work college applications entail. However, don’t fret yet. Here are some tips and tricks that will (hopefully) help underclassmen in the quest for what they want to do in the future.
- Extracurricular activities
When students and college admissions officers on Youtube say “follow your passions,” they truly mean it. Students often trap themselves in the idea that if they do a specific extracurricular activity, it will significantly affect whether or not they get into a college of their choice. However, this is not the best way to go about building a college resume. In countless interviews, admissions officers often stress consistency, growth and curiosity in the fields a student is involved in. This is why picking an activity that a student genuinely enjoys is the best path. From there, a student always has the option of branching out and expanding their scope of involvement and fields of interest.
- Testing
Although test scores are a large area of concern for high school students, they are just a way for colleges to assess academic readiness in comparison to the rest of test takers. Underclassmen may take the Practice SAT (PSAT), which gives them an opportunity to practice before taking the SAT. As alternative options, students may consider the ACT, another standardized test. Juniors usually take standardized tests more than once in order to super score, or take the best scores and sum them to get their final test score.
- College lists
Students should also start to research colleges. College advisors recommend a list of about 10 colleges with an equal number of reach, target and likely schools. This means that schools on a student’s list should vary in comparison to their test scores, GPA, and acceptance rates. Likely schools include those that a student is very likely to get in, Target schools mean the test score and GPA of the student matches that of the school and Reach schools mean that there is a low likelihood a student gets accepted because of low acceptance rates. Students should also consider researching scholarships and dual enrollment programs.
- Summer Programs
Summer programs are a great way to introduce students to new fields of study, show community service or live on a college campus. Students should utilize these opportunities to show interest in a specific college or make better use of their time during the break. If a student really wants to get into a specific program, applying early usually helps in the admissions process.
- Sports
Something that often helps students in their college application process is the mention of sports. Students can join one of the organized sports offered on campus to foster a sense of community or even choose to pursue something outside of school. Sports on a college application show athleticism, time management and discipline, which also helps student athletes with recruitment to college level teams.
- Competitions
It is great to show merit in an area of interest through awards. Consider researching contests and submitting works, videos or portfolios that will be judged. By having this experience, students improve their communication through writing and test the quality of their work.
- Resume
Students must keep track of all their accomplishments, activities, officerships and classes in order to make senior year easier. By starting a college resume early (even as freshmen), students make it easier on themselves later on. Once a template is typed out, achievements and experience can just be added as a student progresses through their academic years. Oftentimes, summer programs, competitions, scholarships, college applications and teachers ask to see resumes, which is why it is good to have something already on hand.
A final piece of advice is to remember to have fun. High school is the time to make lasting memories and connections with friends, enjoy fun events and develop character. Students shouldn’t tie their hearts to a specific school and think that everything they do contributes to college applications. Instead, they should strive to have a well rounded education and a balanced social life.
College tours are another helpful resource students should take advantage of. Students get the opportunity to talk to admissions officers and students in order to become more familiar with the college. Yale University, located in New Haven, Conn., is a research institute that is considered an Ivy League school. From doing research at libraries housing important historical documents to playing church bells every Sunday morning, students at Yale find ways to connect with their communities at Yale. (Photo Credit/Alina Sukhovskaya)
