We’ve written about the importance of sophomore year and have even written up a checklist for you to track your progress through milestones that occur during this important year of high school. Here’s what to expect sophomore year, and what makes it different from other years:
A bit more work than you’re used to.
Sophomore year means harder classes (see our next point) and as a result, more work than you’re probably used to. We know that homework is annoying, but we also know that you’re more than capable of getting what needs to get done, done. It’s a priced-in essential in this game of life. We also know that time management can be tough and is something that isn’t easy for a lot of people. If you’re one of those students, don’t give up. Take it slow and figure out what strategy works best for you. For example, paper planners: useless to some (inevitably ends up at the bottom of the backpack with all sheets crumbled), and a lifeline for others. Studies show that writing things down pen to paper-style increases your brain’s likelihood of remembering the item. If you’re one of those people, use a planner. If you swear by Snapchat and are always on your phone, use a Google To-Do list and Calendar with lots of alerts to keep track of everything and to keep you on task. Procrastination is inevitable, but avoidance leads to missed deadlines. Getting organized and staying consistent with your note-taking, scheduling, and communication methods will help everything feel and stay connected.
Harder classes (and that’s a good thing).
We always advise that our students take the most challenging classes available to them and that they know that they can succeed in. This doesn’t mean that you should avoid AP classes because they’re daunting and you might get a B, but it does mean knowing yourself and building out a balanced schedule. By balanced, we mean you should really be pushing yourself in your strongest academic subjects. If you’re a humanities person, be sure you’re fighting to get the OK to enroll in that AP Psychology or AP Literature course while taking the appropriate levels of math and science. If you’re a STEM person, push yourself to enroll in an extra science course or tackle AP Biology in that class with mostly juniors because you know that you can work hard and achieve a good grade. Colleges want students who are willing to push themselves. It’s sophomore year and it’s time to step it up. You’re adjusted to high school. You’re going to be fine. You can do it.
College is getting closer every...single....day.
Sophomore year means that college is just that much closer--2 years and change away, to be exact, depending on where you are in sophomore year. This means that you’re just on the cusp of your college preparatory work kicking into high gear. If you haven’t already taken the PSAT, you will soon, which will quickly transition into the other “stuff,” by which we mean: testing (SAT/ACT), essays, activities, Common App, and bigger leadership positions in your extracurricular activities. That said, you’re already doing a lot of the required work for college which means you should start to think seriously about how you’re spending your time.
Think of freshman and sophomore year as your foundation--they are setting the tone for the rest of your high school career, and by extension, your college application. Don’t get freaked out. It just means that colleges love consistency, so if you’re going good, solid, meaningful work now, then that’s great. It just shows that you’re motivated and can continue that motivation as time goes on. If you’ve been slacking, there’s still time to turn it around and show that you’ve built a solid foundation that colleges are intrigued and impressed by.
Call or email us if you need help or have any questions about how best to frame your thinking about sophomore year.