Hey everyone!

The new school year is coming up in a couple of weeks and if you are an incoming sophomore as I was last year, I have some quick tips for you to make sure you get a good start!

1. This year I would focus on taking more of the harder classes, and making sure you get a good grade in that class. Whether it’s a humanities, math, or a science course, you need those courses as a sort of pre-req into the classes for junior year. For example, at our high school, people who take AP European history sophomore year is oftentimes more prepared for APUSH junior year because you have the foundation of not only history knowledge, but also how to outline (* which is super important btw!!!).
2. Also, this is the time of year for you to start getting to know which sort of courses you like? Are you into more of the science classes, math, maybe English? Or perhaps it’s an elective course, like AP Seminar/AP Research/AP Comp Sci, etc. Colleges like to know what you are interested in, so it’s time to dive deep and find which courses suit or interest you!
3. The SAT requirement is starting back up at a lot of the UC schools and Ivy league schools as well! This means you should start prepping for the SAT early on, preferably starting in sophomore year summer! The information presented in the SAT may look easy at first glance, but they test you on a wide range of knowledge, so be prepared!
4. It is also time to get the extracurriculars in order as well! If you want to suceed and make your own path through high school, it’s crucial to start building a strong extracurricular profile. Whether you’re passionate about a sport, a club, volunteering, or perhaps something more unique like starting your own initiative, now is the time to dive in. Colleges appreciate commitment, so sticking with an activity and taking on leadership roles can really make your application stand out.
5. Lastly, don’t forget to also have those moments to destress. High school is tough, but it’s important to find a balance. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating well, and setting aside time to relax and enjoy your high school experience. Especially sleep!!! I know we all pull all-nighters from time to time, but sleep is important for you to function!

Good luck sophomores! Junior year awaits you 🙂