Making the transition from middle school to high school can be intimidating for some students. And rightfully so! We know that making this change means elevated academic expectations, a new social setting, and the start of a record that will be viewed by college admissions offices.

Each year, we host a Successful Start to High School event to help students and their families with this important transition. Our goal is to set students up for success and give them the outline of a game plan for a successful high school career. Goals are better achieved with a plan and we recommend building these tips into yours.

Stay on top of grades.

If there is only one thing you take away from this blog, remember this: the freshman GPA is the foundation of a student’s overall GPA.

It is much easier to maintain a high GPA than to come back from a low GPA, so freshman year grades are arguably most important. Many students have looked back on their high school career and wished they made more of an effort their freshman year.

Did you know that when applying to college as a rising senior, the admissions office will only see 9th, 10th, and 11th year grades on the transcript? Take it from us, get off to a good start and ace those freshman courses.

Take challenging courses.

We are often asked which courses to take freshman year. We recommend that freshmen sign up for honors courses in their strongest subjects for both 9th grade and 10th grade. That leaves junior and senior years to take AP or college courses in a student’s strong subjects. Just remember that coursework should not be so challenging that students are pulling all-nighters or getting low grades. Know your student’s strengths and work with an advisor to make a plan that best suits your student’s abilities and goals.

Get involved in extracurricular activities early.

The transition to high school opens the door to many new and exciting extracurricular activities. Freshman year is the time to explore those new options: clubs, groups, sports, activities.

Once your student finds a passion, commit to those activities and dedicate time to where there are leadership opportunities. Involvement in 9th and 10th leads to those leadership activities in 11th and 12th so do not skip getting involved early.

Utilize your summers.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – maximize those summers! Summer is the perfect time to explore interests and begin building a college resume. Line up volunteer work, attend a college summer camp, job shadow or complete an internship, or get a part-time job. The smartest students fully utilize their summers to grow, learn, and set themselves up for further success.

Don’t stress about test prep yet.

We are the biggest cheerleaders for preparation and planning but going into freshman year is not the time to think about the SAT or ACT. Freshmen have one full year before preparing for the PSAT test during sophomore year. For now, focus on classes and getting strong grades.

Start thinking about colleges.

College probably feels like a lifetime away. Even so, students will be working on college applications in two short years. As a freshman, students should begin thinking about what they are looking for in a college, begin a list of colleges to visit, and start discussing the cost of college as a family and who will be paying for it.

Class 101 experts recommend starting early.

Class 101’s experts in Carmel, IN and in Bloomington, IN are currently helping students transition to high school starting as early as 8th grade. Contact us today to start now!