How to Prepare for College in High School

If you’re in your grad year then you’re likely already thinking about what to do afterward. If you decide to go to college, it likely has been something you’ve thought about a lot. But before you even start applying for college, you can prep now in many ways. If you want to make the most out of your college education, that is. To help you, below are tips to prepare now for college.

Know Your Counselor

The first thing that you need to do is work with your high school counselor. This person will be supporting you over the next year and they may also ask you about your career plans.

Draft a plan of some of the more realistic choices that you have. Also, make sure that you are aware of the training required to work in those positions too. When you do so, you can then get a realistic idea about the courses that are out there. And you can also enroll in any additional training that might be available.

Extracurricular Activities

Colleges really do value those who are willing to take part in extracurricular activities. Therefore, it’s important that you find an activity that really suits you.

There are usually some pre-college summer programs out there for you to choose from. And you might be surprised at how easy it is to enroll in them.

Don’t limit yourself to what would benefit your career either. Sometimes cooking school or even a sports program can help you to let loose and it could benefit you in the long run in ways you never imagined.

Internship

Internships will give you a glimpse into a potential career path, and they might even help you with your professional future. When you walk away from your internship, you will have a much better understanding of the realities of the industry.

Furthermore, you’ll probably know which college program you should be applying for soon. This is a fantastic way for you to choose a course that is going to benefit you, and it will also help you to get a much better handle on what’s available.

Practice Your Note-Taking Skills

Your listening and note-taking skills need to be absolutely on-point when you go to college next year. The professor that you have will probably talk very quickly. They also likely won’t repeat lessons either.

Sometimes it is possible for you to record the lecture on your smartphone. While that’s one option, it can drain your battery quickly and it may even involve hours of transcribing too. Thus, make sure that you are ready for that when you enroll.

Develop Your Writing Skills

You really need to make sure that you develop your writing skills. Start doing so now! And make sure you take your writing assignments very seriously as you’ll have to do so in college.

As for what to expect in college with term papers, often teachers provide a list of guidelines. And you can then do your research based on that. Start in high school to learn about how to properly reference things, such as internet sources, in your papers.

Remember too that many first-year projects in college, at least from my experience, are done in groups. Thus, it’s okay to work with your classmates; in fact, I encourage it as in the real world you often work as part of a team on the job rather than alone. Even my job as a writer involves communicating with clients and using the services of other freelancers.

Lastly, if you do fall behind next year on coursework, know that you can talk to your instructors about getting extra help and your classmates can provide assistance too. You’re not alone; a support network is important in the classroom, just like it is in reaching health goals.

Time Management

Try and keep a computer file of how you are using your time. Doing so will help you make the most efficient use of your day on studying, writing, reading, and more.

For example, if you want to study for 90 minutes a day, then create a document that will break this up into smaller and more manageable segments. It will vary, depending on your lifestyle; it might include spending 40 minutes in the morning and then 50 minutes at night, as one scenario.

When you do coursework, it also helps to detail how long each high school assignment takes you. Likely your college projects will take a bit longer.

Now you can start to plan out how long different school tasks will take you in the future, and you will be able to prepare for any heavier course loads too.

Speaking Skills

Speaking up in class might not be something that you are entirely comfortable with and this is completely normal. I was the same way in the last year of high school. But it’s something that you are going to have to get used to when you further your education.

To help you feel more confident about speaking up, think about what you want to say before you put your hand up. Also, speak up as much as possible. The more you do it, the better you will feel and the easier it will be for you to speak up in class.

Research Colleges

Finally, prepare for college as much as possible by learning about their requirements and considering any prerequisites too. Work with the high school counselor to make sure you meet the program requirements for next year.

Also, if the college that you plan to attend is far away from where you live, then you need to figure out the cost of your accommodation. You also need to plan out whether you want to rent and, if so, whether you want to share the space with a roommate or two. Another option is to live with your parents.

College Prep while in High School

By making decisions like this, you can start to plan out finances and how to save money. You’ll also get a good idea of what you want from your time at college. If you’re concerned about the college lifestyle, then look into the collegiate recovery program.

What do you wish you had known before your freshman year of college?