May 29, 2013: As I walk through a sea of blue, past rows of my classmates sitting patiently, we are all ready for a moment four years in the making. I look around to see caps and gowns, some featuring Honors Tassels signifying high academic achievement, Honors Cords and Stoles awarded to students who were involved in clubs and honors societies, and Medals symbolizing a completed pathway. It was up to us to step up to the challenge and many of us did. Now, as a rising freshman, it’s your turn to get connected to your future success. Four years from now, you’ll be putting on your own cap and gown. Will you have an honors tassel, stole, cord, and/or medal?
How to get your honors tassel? Focus On Your Grades. A high GPA is one of your most important assets when applying for scholarships and/or to college. Two questions I hear a lot are “Should I take easy classes and get an A? Or take difficult classes and get a B?” And the answer is: neither – get A’s in difficult classes. Colleges like to see students who have taken rigorous honors and AP/IB courses and performed well. You might think I’m crazy for recommending getting an A in a difficult class, but I know you can do it. Taking a little extra time to study, going in early to prepare for the class, and taking diligent notes during class are all essential for success in a hard class. Resources are also available for AP classes such as Barron’s Books, 5 Steps to a Five, and a few other options you can find at your local book store or online. (Sometimes teachers will take test questions from these resources.) These classes are not impossible; they are designed to challenge students. So get prepared and rise to the challenge, get the A in a difficult class.
How to get your cords and stoles? Get Involved. Whether you’re interested in culinary, medicine, marketing, or engineering, there is an extracurricular for you. Your high school offers Career and Technical Student Organizations – or CTSO’s – for you to get involved in. DECA is one of the biggest CTSO’s in Forsyth County. Although it is an association of marketing students, you don’t need to be interested in marketing to get involved as it offers a range of business, communications and leadership activities. DECA, and other CTSO’s, also offer students opportunities to get involved in community service and participate in fun events. Colleges love to see extensive student involvement, and CTSO’s are an ideal way to get involved at your high school.
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How to look rockin’ in your cap and gown? Stay Active. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to be on a sports team. Some teams – such as cross country – don’t even have tryouts! Not only do you have fun and make lifelong friends on these teams, but you also build healthy habits for the future.
How to make college applications a lot easier? Prepare for standardized tests. Yes, you are only a freshman with a few years before you start applying to college. However, if you want to make the application process easier, start preparing for the SAT and ACT now! Tests scores are one of the most important parts of the application process; they can make or break your acceptance. Strong SAT or ACT scores can help you win scholarship money from both colleges and outside programs. Start preparing now! During your sophomore year, you get to experience a standardized test when you take the PSAT. If you study and prepare for this test, you can potentially earn National Merit Scholarships. If you start preparing for these tests as a freshman, it will be a lot less stressful when you are a junior balancing a heavy work load plus preparing for these big tests. (Hint: A great way to prepare is to simply buy The Official SAT Study Guide and/or The Real ACT Prep Guide and do the practice tests, analyzing your results each time for understanding and improvement.)
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How to ensure your success in high school? Surround Yourself With Good Influences. As you enter your freshman year of high school, you’ll be warned about the consequences of falling into the wrong group and yielding to peer pressure. However, peer pressure can actually be a positive thing if you are in a good group. By surrounding yourself with students who share the desire to succeed, you will find yourself doing better in the classroom and making better decisions.
Four years from now, will you have an honors tassel, chord, stole, and/or medal? Will you have stepped up the challenge your high school has to offer? Will you be preparing to attend your dream college? It’s up to you.
