Freshman Year

Welcome to High School!!

• Take challenging courses-Your academic record is the most important part of your college application. Colleges want to see good grades; however, they also want to see that you pushed yourself and took the most demanding courses that you could handle. You will make your freshman year schedule while still in middle school. Pay attention when the high school counselors come to your school to discuss high school classes. Talk to your teachers and counselor about what courses will be best for you. Make sure your parents attend Course Offering Night when it is offered at your high school. Check out the Program of Studies and read about the classes you want to take next year as well as classes you are thinking about taking in the future. Some classes that you are interested in taking later will have prerequisites. Find out what they are and take them now so that you'll be able to take them when the time comes. The Program of Studies is located on the Colonia High School website under the Counseling tab in Scheduling.

• Meet your high school counselor-When you get to high school, you will be invited to meet your new counselor. Take advantage of this opportunity. School counselors are a wealth of knowledge. Feel free to ask any questions that you have about high school and/or college. Counselors are a great resource for learning about different classes, activities, and colleges. Remember, they are here to help you!

• Focus on grades-Your freshman year grades matter. College may seem like it's a long way off, but freshman grades count toward your GPA and rank. Practice self-discipline and make sure you're doing all your homework and studying for quizzes and tests. Staying home to study while your friends are hanging out doesn't seem like a lot of fun now, but you won't regret it when you receive that excellent report card which will lead to all those college acceptance letters later down the road.

• Get help if you need it -If you are having a hard time in one of your subjects, ask your teacher for help. Many teachers offer extra help before or after school or at lunch. In addition, your school also has tutoring programs available at various times throughout the day. Your teachers and counselors are here to help you so don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

• Become familiar with College Board-Your freshman year, you will create a log-in and password for the College Board website at www.collegeboard.org. On this site, you will find useful information that will help you throughout your high school career. The College Board website has information about colleges and majors. You will be able to use your test scores in order to practice for the PSAT and SAT, register for the SAT, decide what courses you should take in high school, and plan for what you will do after high school. Make sure you save it to your favorites and remember your username and password.

• Extracurricular Activities-In 9th grade you should be focusing on a couple of extracurricular activities that you are passionate about. Colleges are looking for students with varied interests and evidence of leadership potential; your involvement in activities outside of the classroom often reveals this information to the college admissions officers. Clubs & Activities & Athletics 

• Community Service Hours-It is recommended that each student complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service per year in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 for graduation. Although community service is no longer required, students who complete their recommended hours will be recognized at graduation ceremonies. In addition, a total of your community service hours will be included on your transcript. Colleges will love this! Not sure what opportunities are available to you? There is a community service bulletin board located outside the counseling office. New opportunities are posted daily. When you do your hours, don't forget to have your supervisor sign off on the Community Service Log. These forms are located on the Colonia High School website under the counseling tab and in the counseling office.

• Visit Colleges-Although you don't have to pick a college now, it's never too early to start looking. Tag along when your older sister or brother visits colleges. Happen to be near a campus? Stop by to check it out and take a tour. This will help you focus on colleges in the future as well as rule out colleges that aren't for you.

• Read--a lot!-Hopefully, you've been reading for fun for many years by the time you get to high school. The more you read, the stronger your verbal, writing, and critical thinking abilities will be. Reading beyond your homework will help you do well in school, on the SAT and ACT, and in college. Whether you're reading a magazine or a novel, you'll be improving your vocabulary, practicing your reading skills, and learning loads of new information.

• Don't waste your summer-You may want to sleep in and hang out by the pool this summer, but it's also important that you try to do something productive. Summer is a great opportunity to have rewarding experiences as well as get involved in activities that you can add to your college resume. Travel, working on fulfilling your community service hours, camps, and employment and internships are all great opportunities.