Plan your four-year high school program carefully.  Continue study in all academic areas at the most challenging levels you can realistically manage.  Don’t specialize in high school, regardless of intended college major.  Colleges look for a challenging, well-balanced program of studies in high school.

READ, READ, READ!!!!!

Work at developing your basic writing skills.  Do whatever it takes to become a competent writer in high school.

Hone your critical thinking skills.  Learn how to analyze and evaluate.  Learn to present logical arguments.  Support your beliefs and opinions.  Have some opinions!

Develop your research skills.  Explore area libraries.  Be thorough and critical about how you use the Internet.

After years of trying to be like everyone else, start to distinguish yourself from others.  Analyze your strengths and weaknesses.  Direct your efforts and involvements to maximize your strengths and strengthen your weaknesses.

Get involved!  Whether it’s in athletics, drama, clubs, internships, community service, or hobbies, use your extracurricular time doing what you enjoy.  Depth is what is important here, not quantity.  Choose a few involvements which are of real interest to you and pursue them in depth over several years.    The passion and endurance factors are important.

Become a good time manager.  Don’t waste time.  Unplug the television.  Colleges will want to know what productive use you have made of your time in high school.  In particular, think about internships, jobs, pre-college programs, or enrichment courses that can be taken over the summers.

Take appropriate tests at appropriate times:  PSAT, SAT, ACT, SATIIs (previously called Subject Tests).  Make sure to review and practice before the day of the test.

Get to know yourself.  Be able to articulate who you are, what matters to you, what you are good at.  Where are you headed?  What are your interests academically and otherwise?  What makes you unique?

Be a considerate and honest person.  Extend yourself to others.  Really think about and live what it means to be a “Man for Others”.

 

To contact the College Counseling Office Online, write to:
cco@gprep.org