Starting high school is an exciting yet overwhelming time. For 9th graders, college might seem far off, but the truth is, the earlier students start thinking about their academic and extracurricular path, the better prepared they’ll be. That doesn’t mean stressing over applications now – it means laying the groundwork so that when the time comes, you have a compelling, authentic story to tell.
Colleges care about the resume starting the first day of high school. While many students wait until junior or even senior year to seek guidance, working with a counselor early can help take the steps you need to achieve your goals. Let’s go over the key steps you can take as a freshman to make the most of your time.
Identify cool extracurricular Areas
One of the biggest misconceptions about college planning is that you need to have everything figured out right away. In reality, 9th grade is a time for exploration. In order to figure out what you might major in one day, start by asking yourself what subjects in school have you enjoyed? Are there specific careers you’re interested in but don’t know much about?
Maybe you love science but aren’t sure if you want to be a doctor, engineer, or researcher. Maybe you like “business” but have no idea what that means for you. Maybe you don’t even have a career in mind, but you know you really like English class. That’s fine too!
We help students identify broad areas of interest so you can build off that foundation and start building a niche within your topic.
find your Niche interests
Once you have an idea of what excites you, it’s time to go deeper. Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom, and in fact, if you’re excited about something, you should take this opportunity to learn everything you possibly can about it.
Platforms like Coursera, Open Yale Courses, and edX offer free and low-cost courses in everything from computer science to creative writing. Taking these classes can help solidify an interest (or rule it out) and can help you figure out how to go a level deeper to the next topic. Outside of classes, you need to read! So many kids aren’t reading these days, and guess what, a lot of colleges ask questions about books you’ve read when you go to apply. Get in the habit now. There are so many approachable books for any topic you’re interested in, from philosophy to genetics. You can even watch documentaries, TED talks, listen to podcasts, keep up with current events, etc. All of this will help you in the long run – plus, demonstrating curiosity is something colleges love to see.
Get Involved
Colleges don’t just look at grades, they want students who are engaged in their school community and beyond.
If your school has a club fair, attend it! Try different academic-based clubs until you find ones that interest you. Whether it’s debate, robotics, theater, or Model UN, the key is to commit to something you enjoy. And if you can’t find something – start your own!
Don’t just join every club under the sun – we want quality here. This time is for you to explore now so that by your sophomore and junior years, you can focus on a few key passions and maybe take on some leadership roles.
Plan an amazing Summer
Many students think summer is just for vacations, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to gain experience in a low-pressure environment. A lot of institutions and universities offer summer programs for high school students, which can provide exposure to college-level coursework and show you what living on a college campus can feel like! We recommend applying to a few of these summer programs for freshman summer to see what feels best – many are pretty competitive, and you want to have options.
Outside of summer courses, you can even intern or (age-dependent) get a summer job. We help students reach out to local businesses, labs, or organizations to ask about shadowing opportunities – you’d be surprised how many would be happy to help you.
Prepare for Sophomore Year
Freshman year is about exploration, but you also need to think ahead. Schools want to see you getting the best grades possible in the hardest classes your school offers. You want to make sure you’re choosing the right courses for you, including electives that might be tailored to your interests.
This is also a good time to start working with a college counselor on a weekly basis. While we help freshmen with their summers, sophomore year is the best time to get hyperfocused on the college prep process. By working with a counselor early, you can set yourself up for success and give yourself a strategic advantage.
Final Thoughts
It’s never too early to start thinking about college, but freshman year shouldn’t be a stress point. This is the time for you to figure out what you like, how to pursue it, and create opportunities to learn new things.
Take this time to learn, get involved, and plan strategically. And if you want help? Reach out to us today.