Every year of high school is an important building block in the college process. That idea is hard for some to wrap their heads around—how can what you do at 14 impacts what happens with the college you’re heading to as a legal adult? While freshman year might not seem like the most important year, the reality is, freshman year is foundational and it’s still really important if you want to get into a top-notch school, particularly the Ivy League.
Academics
We can’t stress this enough. Your academics are the most important part of your college application. If you want to get into Yale, there’s just no wiggle room on your transcript. Consider this: You’re going to be competing with the most high-caliber high school students in the country. Assume that you will be competing with someone who also has great test scores, all A’s and AP classes as an upperclassman, along with really impressive essays and extra-curriculars, just like you. You can’t let bad grades freshmen year disqualify you. It’s perfectly understandable to get B’s your freshman year, but in a world where Ivy League schools have acceptance rates in the low single-digits, every year is really going to count.
Your Personal Brand
While near-perfect academics are non-negotiable in the college application process, every other component is also important in such a competitive environment. College admissions committees spend weeks and weeks every year reading applications of thousands of students. Your job is to jump off that page and somehow become a Real Person with a personality and interests. But most of all, they’re interested in admitting someone whom they are confident will succeed professionally and make the school look good. We tell our kids that they should develop a very clear academic niche throughout high school and position themselves as an expert in this subject. Schools want to know that they’ve cultivated a class of specialists who will go on to do cool things. We actually don’t think you should know “what you want to be when you grow up.” Rather, freshman year is the time to start exploring possible niches that you will develop for the next four years—a brand you can market to colleges, if you will. Once you get into college, feel free to pursue an entirely different path.
Extra-curriculars
By now, you probably have an inkling of what subjects you enjoy most. Lean into whatever your passions are and start to see what niche might be right for you. Are you interested in American history? Do you love theater production? Whatever it is, get as specific as possible. Start to think about what clubs, organizations, and activities might reflect your niche. If there isn’t a club at your school that’s a great fit, start one. The goal here is to become engaged with 2-3 extra-curriculars and take on leadership positions in your sophomore year. You can also get creative here. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, consider starting a business. If you’re a budding YA novelist, compile a reading list and commit to reading 50 books on your list this year.
Standardized Testing
Ok, don’t freak out. We don’t think you should take the SAT this year, but starting to get organized around it isn’t a bad idea—in fact, it will only help take some of the pressure off in the coming two years. Towards the end of your second semester, maybe take a practice ACT and a practice SAT. See how well you do on each and stick with the one on which you scored higher. This way, you can focus on practicing, studying, and taking the actual exam sophomore year. We think you should take your last standardized test junior year so senior year you’re free.
The college process is an enduring one. While it might seem daunting to start thinking about it in your freshman year, we suggest getting a head start to make life a little easier down the road. What we don’t want is for you to cram everything into your junior year. You’ll be miserable. There are little things you can do this year to get ahead of the game and give your future self the best shot at getting into the college you want. No regrets.
Need help getting organized for college applications? Call us. We’re experts at helping students meet their milestones year-to-year