High School Freshman Checklist

I’ll be honest - I am NOT a fan of truly starting the college admissions process as early as freshman year.  Yes, there are little things you can do to prepare yourself, which is what I’ll be sharing here - but truthfully, I am an advocate of enjoying high school and not rushing into the nitty gritty college prep quite yet.  My recommendations shared here will help make your later years in high school that much easier!

Start Off Strong Academically

Yes, freshman year grades do count!  Start off strong by taking school seriously and enrolling in a class or two you know you’ll love.  It’s much easier to start strong and maintain your GPA and grades than it is to try to improve them later on!

Challenge Yourself

Don’t start off too intense - but definitely find ways to challenge yourself if you can!  Enrolled in an honors course in middle school? Try one during your freshman year in a subject you’re confident in.  This isn’t about overwhelming yourself so you feel like you’ll look good on college applications. It’s about pushing yourself a little bit at a time to grow personally and academically, which will later translate naturally during the college admissions process.

Find Your “Thing”

Involvement in something is imperative.  If you haven’t already started in some sort of volunteer work or extracurricular activity, now is the time.  Students often think colleges want to see involvement in as many activities as they can fit in their schedule - but it’s actually advantageous to find something you’re incredibly passionate about and go all in.  If you don’t have that “thing” yet, that’s okay! Spend some time during your freshman year to figure out what that thing is.

Learn To Ask For Help

Now is the time to ask for help!  As problems arise (which they will!), find your support person or resource you can go to for help.  This can be for anything - mental health, study or tutoring support, or relationship issues - but learn to ask for help now.  This will only help you throughout high school and into adulthood.

Start a “Brag Sheet”

Who knew bragging was a good thing?!  In the college admissions world, it is if it’s done right.  A brag sheet is an internal document you use throughout high school to document all of your accomplishments - big and small.  This will help you years from now when you’re putting together college applications and applying for scholarships, and it’s something you can share with teachers and other professionals when you’re asking for letters of recommendation. (Make sure you’re on my email list this month to be the first for an upcoming freebie!)

Think Big Picture

As I said, I’m not an advocate for stressing about college as early as freshman year.  But do start thinking about how all of these little details will translate and grow into something really magical in a few years!  Everything you’re working hard for now will be wrapped together with a big bow at the end of high school. Look forward, be confident, get excited, and remember: you got this!