H.B. asks: I saw the recent column about what sophomores should be doing for college admissions. But what about freshmen? Anything they should be doing now?
While sophomores can get a head start on their college application journey by following these steps, students in their freshman year should use the time they have to build key relationships and take charge of their own extracurricular exploration.
Students should prioritize establishing a good relationship with their guidance counselor – a key advocate in their college journey. Counselors ensure students take the courses they need (and want) and will ultimately write a letter of recommendation to the colleges your child applies to. The earlier students start building that relationship – attending mandatory meetings, but also taking the initiative to schedule meetings on their own – the more impactful the counselor’s hand will be in your child’s college application journey.
Admissions offices understand that freshman year is a time of transition. Freshmen should be purposeful in their pursuit of different clubs, activities and opportunities that align with their interests. Some activities might not turn out to be what they thought, and some might be better than they imagined. Having that revelation earlier on enables students to be much more focused and intentional with their activity selection thereafter.
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