Flashback: Advice for Freshmen and Sophomores
I've noticed that this blog might be incredibly unhelpful if you're not an upperclassmen, so I thought I could take the time to give some underclassmen some college-related advice.
Obviously, being a freshman and sophomore is stressful enough (trust me, I've been there). But here are some things I recommend you do during these two years as you start to barrel towards your junior year.
As a Freshman...
1. Toy around with career interests, and maybe the kind of schools that could fit those tentative plans.
I get it. You're fourteen. Senior year is far away. Even my eager self who jumped at a career path in my sophomore year had no idea what she wanted to do when she was a freshman. At the same time, you don't want to be a senior approaching college apps without any clue of what your career interests are. Take the time as a freshman to just lightly consider it. It's probably been itching at the back of your head at some point, right?
2. Meet with your counselor in the beginning of the year.
More often than not, counselors are pretty excited to meet up with you, since most freshmen don't actually even know that have a great, accessible, college-related resource. Do it as early as you can, as getting your counselor on the same page as you is key in making future communication as easy as possible (for more in-depth tips on communicating with your counselor, click here).
3. Don't slack off.
If you're burning out in your freshman year, good luck trying to survive your last two years in high school. Strike a nice balance in your freshman year. Get good grades, get involved at school, and take care of yourself physically and mentally.
As a Sophomore...
1. Start thinking about testing.
You don't really need to start studying for them (unless you really want to). Actually, I recommend you don't start studying for them, because testing fatigue is a real thing. Instead, consider if you want to go the SAT or ACT route. Maybe think about taking both. Consider what your plans are regarding SAT Subject Tests. Depending on what courses you're taking, you might actually be able to take subject tests in your sophomore year (i.e. if you're taking pre-calculus, you should definitely study for the Math II Subject Test). None of these are necessary, in a sense, but standardized testing is still a very key part of your college application.
2. Be wise about scheduling next year.
I'm not going to going to sugarcoat this: junior year is very stressful. You are naturally taking harder courses, and you will lose some hours of sleep. Worrying about college-related stuff without any sense of reprieve is not enjoyable. Be realistic about what classes you'll be taking as a junior. Striking a balance between challenging courses and giving yourself room outside of school is important.
3. Do everything that I suggested you do as a freshman, but with a greater intent.
That means considering career options and schools more seriously, meeting with your counselor with a greater sense of purpose, and continuing to not slack off. My transition from my freshman year to my sophomore year was quite the academic shock, largely due to the fact I took my first AP class as a sophomore. The things I learned as a sophomore helped me a lot as a junior, so don't take sophomore year lightly. Congrats on getting halfway there.
Obviously, being a freshman and sophomore is stressful enough (trust me, I've been there). But here are some things I recommend you do during these two years as you start to barrel towards your junior year.
As a Freshman...
1. Toy around with career interests, and maybe the kind of schools that could fit those tentative plans.
I get it. You're fourteen. Senior year is far away. Even my eager self who jumped at a career path in my sophomore year had no idea what she wanted to do when she was a freshman. At the same time, you don't want to be a senior approaching college apps without any clue of what your career interests are. Take the time as a freshman to just lightly consider it. It's probably been itching at the back of your head at some point, right?
2. Meet with your counselor in the beginning of the year.
More often than not, counselors are pretty excited to meet up with you, since most freshmen don't actually even know that have a great, accessible, college-related resource. Do it as early as you can, as getting your counselor on the same page as you is key in making future communication as easy as possible (for more in-depth tips on communicating with your counselor, click here).
3. Don't slack off.
If you're burning out in your freshman year, good luck trying to survive your last two years in high school. Strike a nice balance in your freshman year. Get good grades, get involved at school, and take care of yourself physically and mentally.
As a Sophomore...
1. Start thinking about testing.
You don't really need to start studying for them (unless you really want to). Actually, I recommend you don't start studying for them, because testing fatigue is a real thing. Instead, consider if you want to go the SAT or ACT route. Maybe think about taking both. Consider what your plans are regarding SAT Subject Tests. Depending on what courses you're taking, you might actually be able to take subject tests in your sophomore year (i.e. if you're taking pre-calculus, you should definitely study for the Math II Subject Test). None of these are necessary, in a sense, but standardized testing is still a very key part of your college application.
2. Be wise about scheduling next year.
I'm not going to going to sugarcoat this: junior year is very stressful. You are naturally taking harder courses, and you will lose some hours of sleep. Worrying about college-related stuff without any sense of reprieve is not enjoyable. Be realistic about what classes you'll be taking as a junior. Striking a balance between challenging courses and giving yourself room outside of school is important.
3. Do everything that I suggested you do as a freshman, but with a greater intent.
That means considering career options and schools more seriously, meeting with your counselor with a greater sense of purpose, and continuing to not slack off. My transition from my freshman year to my sophomore year was quite the academic shock, largely due to the fact I took my first AP class as a sophomore. The things I learned as a sophomore helped me a lot as a junior, so don't take sophomore year lightly. Congrats on getting halfway there.
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