The Importance Of The Freshman Year

Grades
All too often, I would hear from students, "I really slacked off during my freshman year." unfortunately, there is no way to go back in time and undo the damage done to a student's GPA. The GPA that is established during the freshman year accounts for one third of the GPA that will be used when applying to college. If a student has a rough freshman year, it's difficult to recover.

Students should also consider taking advanced courses in subjects that they have talents/strengths in (these courses are usually designated as PreAP, AP, Honors, or IB). They are usually "weighted" courses and can provide extra points being factored into students' GPA's.

If you're not happy with your GPA at the end of your freshman year, all is not lost. You still have opportunities to change your study habits and improve your grades. One of the biggest predictors of success in college is your GPA. This shows historically, the type of student you are and your work ethic over the course of your high school career. If a student good study habits and time management skills in high school, that trend should continue in college (unfortunately, the opposite is also true.

Testing
Freshman have access to the PSAT/NMSQT and really should sign up to take this test. This test covers critical reading, math, and writing. The PSAT/NMSQT helps students practice for the SAT and gives students the opportunity to become familiar with the kinds of questions and the directions they will see on the SAT. It's also great practice for taking a timed test and how to pace oneself accordingly. Students receive their scores and test booklets back so that they can review their answers and focus on areas that need improvement.

Students can also elect to start receiving information from colleges by checking "yes" For Student Search Service.

Read, Read, Read!!!
Read books outside of school (not just the ones you are assigned!). Read books from a variety of genres. Reading builds vocabulary and will make you a more thoughtful/better writer.

Finally.....
And of course, 9th grade is also the year to make new friends, get involved in extracurricular activities, and have fun!

Back to School More Than School Supplies

As the close of summer approaches, it's the time of year most parents start thinking about back to school shopping, class schedules, and fall sports.  But it is also time to start planning for your child's college and career.  Whether they are entering 7th grade or their senior year of high school, here are some tips to start the year right.

1. Have your child create or update their resume to keep track of work or volunteer hours from the summer.  Community service is an important factor in the college admissions process and the sooner your child starts giving back, the better it looks on their application.
2. Be sure your children finish up the last of their summer reading/projects.  Students will want to start the year right--especially important for incoming freshmen.  While most 9th graders are just happy to be in high school, they need to hit the books hard as freshmen.  Grades from this year factor greatly into their overall GPA.
3. Investigate options for clubs/extracurricular activities.  If possible, seek out leadership positions in clubs and organizations.  If your child has a unique interest or hobby, look to see if it is possible to start a club.  Colleges will look favorably upon students who take the initiative to start a club. 
4. Post a calendar for the upcoming school year.  Keep track of dates for athletics, testing (PSAT, PLAN, SAT, ACT, TAKS),  meetings, college fairs, etc.  For seniors, list the dates that scholarships and applications are due (and bump them up by a week or two).  You don't want to meet the deadlines, you want to beat the deadlines!
5. Have your child establish a separate "professional" email address for college applications/admissions and scholarships.  Have them sign up to receive scholarship and college information at sites like fastweb.com or zinch.com, etc.
6. Visit several college web sites.  Compare and contrast the admissions criteria, if listed.  Investigate different majors and the careers they lead to.  Research salaries and the job outlook for those professions. 
   

   

   You're never too young to be thinking about college!

7. Consider adding a college t-shirt from your favorite school to your list of school supplies.  It's never too early to start building a desire and expectation within your child that college is part of their future.
8. Meet with your counselor to discuss plans for college and career.  If necessary, revise your schedule to accommodate the classes you will need.  For high school students, request a copy of your updated rank/GPA.  You will want to know where you stand after the prior academic year.

While this might not be a complete list of things to think about for your future college student, it's a few things that will help get their planning off to the right start.

Paul Harris is the founder of Polaris College Prep and an Associate Member of Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).  For more information, please visit www.polariscollegeprep.com.