There aren’t many subjects as popular among high schoolers as computer science. We're not sure if it's the allure of potentially coding the next big app, the fascination with how technology shapes our world, or just the fact that computer science and coding touches every part of our modern society. And if you’re here, you’re probably a freshman and want to know what you can do to help prep for college, especially since you think you like the crazy competitive major of computer science.
9th Grade College Strategy for Biology
9th Grade College Strategy for English
9th Grade College Strategy for Math
Calculus? Algebra? Trigonometry? There’s so much math, we don’t even know what to do with it! If you’re here, you think you might want to study math in college, and we don’t blame you. Math touches every single field and has applications within business, finance, education, the social sciences, and so much more. Maybe you’re drawn in by the allure of solving complex problems, the fascination with how math underpins everything in our world, or just the fact that mathematical concepts are integral to every part of our modern society. Now, you, as a 9th grader, want to know what you can do to start the college prep process.
9th Grade College Strategy for Engineering
Do you enjoy designing and building things? Well, how about the problem-solving skills that go hand in hand with engineering? We hope you're excited because it's time to dive into this blog post! If you’re here, we’re assuming you’re a budding 9th-grade engineer thinking about majoring in engineering in college. Engineering is a VERY broad field and it’s VERY popular, which means you need to become a specialist and you need to be prepared for the competition.
9th Grade College Strategy for History
9th Grade College Strategy for Data Science
Numbers! Stats! Data! Et cetera! Are you intrigued by the world of data science? Perhaps you envision yourself as a master of algorithms, diving deep into datasets with precision and finesse. Or maybe you're captivated by how data shapes our understanding of the world, seeing patterns emerge in the sea of information. Whether you're drawn to the possibilities of machine learning or just can't get enough of data visualization, we're here to guide you! Because if you're a freshman in high school with a curiosity about data science, you're in the right place.
Does Freshman Year of High School Matter?
9th Grade College Strategy for Economics
Do you dream of navigating the complex world of economics? Maybe you have visions of becoming the next big financial guru, crunching numbers like a pro. Or perhaps you're fascinated by the intricate dance of supply and demand, seeing economic principles play out in everyday life. Whether you're drawn to the allure of Wall Street or just really, really love watching "The Big Short," we've got you covered! If you're here, chances are you're a freshman in high school and intrigued by the idea of studying economics in college. Fear not, because we're here.
9th Grade College Strategy for Business
9th Grade College Strategy for Political Science
There aren’t a lot of topics as popular with high school students as political science. We don’t know if it’s the idea that one day you could roam the halls of power or your fascination with why politics makes people act the way they do, but we hear from freshmen all the time who are passionate about poli sci and want to get a jump on the college process.
9th Grade College Strategy for Psychology
If you like a lot of different topics – English, science, math, history – you might enjoy psychology! It’s a super interdisciplinary field of study that allows students to blend lots of topics together to better understand ~people~ and ~brains~ which is pretty cool. If you’re here, we’re guessing two things: you’re maybe interested in psychology for college, and you’re probably a freshman.
Freshman Year of High School Advice
How to Develop Your Extracurriculars as a High School Freshman
When you start 9th grade, college still seems like it’s an eternity away. But, as soon as you walk into your first class of freshman year, your path to getting into college starts. Yikes!! Every grade counts towards your GPA, and you have no excuse not to get involved with clubs or access resources your school has to offer. Getting started on building your specific area of academic interest (we usually call it your “niche” or “brand”) is really important, and starting now is what you need to do to get into a top-tier college.
What Classes Should You Take Freshman Year of High School?
When you’re just a freshman, you don’t really have a ton of options for different classes to take. You’ll probably have a history class, science, math, english - the typical stuff. But you might have opportunities to take advanced classes, and since colleges care about what you’ve been doing since Day One of high school, we think you should take them.
The Best Ways to Spend the Summer of Your Freshman Year
It’s finally over. The last ten months have been a whirlwind of new responsibilities and experiences, but now, you’re officially in high school now. With your freshman year behind you, you might think you have two months of rest and relaxation before classes start back up again. Wrong! Kinda! Like, you can relax, but you also need to explore some of your academic interests! It might seem early to think about college, but colleges care about what you’ve been doing since day 1 of freshman year.
9th Grade Summer Plans: Econ Major Edition
While a bunch of students freshman year are interested in the world of money, not everyone who wants to go into business has a passion for economics. Rather than learning about human resources or corporate administration, economists study the creation, consumption, and exchange of wealth in the form of currency, goods, and services. As a soft science, it combines an understanding of human behavior and history with mathematics, statistics, and accounting. In other words, an economist is more likely to make financial models that project the impact of a national recession on global markets than to make millions running a lemonade stand.
9th Grade Summer Plans: Political Science Major Edition
We hear from a lot of future political science majors early in high school. Maybe you’ve discovered your love of policy, diplomacy, and large-scale problem-solving by watching History Channel documentaries or dabbling in Model UN. Either way, the good news is that, as early as the summer after freshman year, you can start nurturing your poli-sci passion and building up your resume for a competitive edge on college applications.
9th Grade Summer Plans: Engineering Major Edition
Okay, freshmen, we hear you: you’re looking at the summer after ninth grade, and you can taste your freedom but it’s not exactly limitless. Let’s be honest — you have a curfew, you have chores, and most of you don’t have your driver’s permit. Heck, for all we know, you can’t ride a bike! (Hopefully, we’re wrong about that one, though).
9th Grade Summer Plans: Computer Science Major
Everyone thinks of summers spent in the great outdoors — and we sure hope you’re doing cannonballs into the lake and eating ice cream every night — but if you’re an aspiring computer science major you’re probably going to want to spend some quality time inside, too. Actually, scratch that — you can go frolic in a meadow if you bring your laptop and a hotspot with you.