Freshman year is exciting! You’re not a lowly middle schooler anymore. You’re a full teen. You’re close to getting that driver's license. Seniors are kind of scary. We’ve been there.
On the far distant horizon, you might see a glimpse of college. If you’re here, you are probably the kind of student who knows you need to be serious throughout all of high school, especially if you eventually want to go to a top-tier college. It’s easy to think that freshman year doesn’t matter (it does) or that it’s okay to not do so hot your first year, as long as you show improvement (not completely true). We’ve compiled our what not to do list for freshman year, and there are some hot takes in here. Don’t yell at us. We’re trying to help.
DO NOT: Fail your classes
“Uh, obviously” Silence, teen. We wouldn’t say it if it weren’t important. Having strong academics across the board is key to getting accepted to a top-tier college. That means not slacking off and failing your first year in high school. However, that doesn’t mean you can skate by with Bs and Cs, which brings us to our next point:
DO NOT: Do subpar in your classes
You need a strong performance every semester of high school. A lot of the things you learn freshman year are foundations for what you’ll learn throughout school, so it’s important to master them–not only for the grade boost, but for your own sake. If you feel yourself struggling in a class, talk to your teachers, get a tutor, watch Khan Academy videos. School is your job right now, so dedicate time to it.
DO NOT: exclusively stick to old interests
It is easy to play the role of the dismissive, uninterested teen. Our most successful clients never fall into this trap. They are curious, passionate, and voraciously consume new information. They are dedicated to finding and developing their niche academic interest. You should take stock of what you like and dislike about school, what topics you’re drawn to in TV, news you find interesting, or even what you like talking to friends and family about. These clues will help you identify other things to explore. Read books. Watch documentaries. Listen to podcasts. Be an active learner, even when you’re not in school.
DO NOT: stay uninvolved
This means both in school and out of school. Join (and actually participate in) clubs at school. Join extracurriculars that line up with those interests you’re exploring that we mentioned earlier (see the connections!!!). Engaging with clubs now not only shows consistency and dedication on an application but paves the way for a future leadership position in those clubs down the line. You could even start a club!
DO NOT: slack on your summer plans
The summer between freshman and sophomore year is key to developing your niche. As a high school student, you have a lot more access to explore your interests. Often, programs and classes have age limits or minimums that might have excluded you before. Now, you have a ton of options. We recommend taking classes, reading, getting a job or internship, and/or going to a summer program for a few weeks. The sky is the limit, but make sure you are choosing wisely. Doesn’t make sense to go to STEM camp if you’re a wannabe film and TV major.
DO NOT: Play sports (with some exceptions)
Okay, so we’re onto the “hot takes” or “controversial” part of this post. Listen, we know all the so-called benefits of sports. Teamwork. Exercise. Friendship. However, they literally do not matter for college admissions. The only way being all-state in track is going to help you is if you’re being recruited. However, the majority of students who play sports do not get recruited. Over ½ of all high school students play sports, it does not set you apart from the crowd in any way. The time spent at practice and at tournaments and meets and regattas could be used to develop your niche and do impressive extracurriculars.
DO NOT: Post on social media
ANOTHER ONE! We know you hate this one. We recommend not having social media at all. If you just have to have accounts and you just have to post, lock it down. Like seriously, lock it down hard. We have all heard horror stories of kids getting admissions rescinded because they posted something stupid online, and we’ve also heard stories of kids posting deeply inappropriate (read: bigoted) content online and getting served with major consequences. Don’t be that kid.
As a freshman, you have so much time to explore any and everything you want. Don’t squander this time to get started. Use this time to figure out what you might want to do in life! And guess what? If you realize you hate it? You can go back to the drawing board and find something new. That’s the beauty of starting as a freshman.
If you need help developing your extracurriculars and strategizing for college admissions, reach out to us today.