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First off, congratulations on making it through your first year of high school! You are now a seasoned high school veteran.
The next mountain to climb is sophomore year. For many universities, to be a competitive candidate you will need to maintain a high GPA, earn top test scores, succeed in your extracurriculars among many other tasks. You may be thinking that you do not need to think about college applications until junior or senior year. We're here to tell you that there's still so much to do and you should start now!If you start early and plan your time well, you can be a competitive applicant and still have a fantastic time in high school! Here’s a handy checklist to think about in order to succeed.
1. Prioritize
You just spent a year trying different clubs, sports, and extracurriculars. Now, trim some of those activities loose that simply are not that interesting or you do not believe that you will do well in. Your time is more valuable than ever, so ask yourself what you really want to active in each and every one of your extracurriculars. Why are you doing this activity? Are you on track to active your goals within the extracurricular? If you cannot come up with answer, then you probably shouldn't be doing it.
2. Study
You have already made it through one year of hard work, so keep pushing through. Keep challenging yourself and doing well, I promise you it will be worth it in the end.
3. SAT Subject Tests
Compare your current coursework with the Subject SAT offered, and you may surprise yourself on what you know and ready to take. For instance, if you are taking Precalculus, then you can take Subject SAT Math Level 2 at the end of the school year. For some subjects – mostly science and history – you may have to teach yourself extra information, but it will be worth it, as you will have one less thing to do junior year.
4. Volunteer
If you do not already volunteer, find a place to give back to the community. Colleges want to see that you are a good, caring person so be one. Try to find a volunteering opportunity that aligns with your career goals or other demonstrated interests.
5. PSAT
The PSAT you take your junior year of high school will be one of the most important standardized tests you will take during your high school career. While it is just your sophomore year, take the PSAT seriously. Then spend your sophomore summer learning and improving your PSAT score.
Not a sophomore? Check out our first year and junior year checklists!