How to Prepare Yourself for College While in High School
If you’re wondering how to prepare yourself for college, there are a few good places to start. St. Agnes specializes in preparing young women for success. Learn how!
It might surprise you to learn that the number of students applying to college every year has increased significantly just within the last three years.
The college admissions landscape has always been highly competitive, but the recent influx of applications will likely further its competitive nature and require students to find new and innovative ways of standing out from the crowd.
One of the best ways to get ahead in the competitive college admission process is to proactively prepare throughout your high school years. Students can take advantage of resources and support systems to set themselves up for success during the application process and beyond.
If you are wondering how to prepare yourself for college, let’s examine some of the best ways to get ready during high school.
How to Prepare Yourself for College Applications
Applying to college is a significant milestone and one of the first major steps toward adulthood for many students. A successful and relatively stress-free application process can set you up for a more fulfilling college experience overall.
Colleges and universities consider numerous factors when making decisions, and each institution has its own unique set of requirements and preferences. While you can't predict every detail that will matter to each college, striving for a well-rounded high school experience can make you a more attractive candidate across the board.
Here are a few areas where students can work to become more well-rounded in the years leading up to college.
1. Academics
Colleges place a substantial emphasis on academic performance. Pursuing academic excellence is one of the best ways to set yourself apart in a crowded applicant pool. This step often starts with a family’s high school selection, as the institution a student attends during these crucial years plays a major role in the academic resources available to them.
Private Catholic high schools like St. Agnes Academy boast rigorous academic curricula that are specifically designed to equip students for success in college and beyond. St. Agnes also integrates theological coursework into its standard academic offerings to contribute to a student’s overall sense of well-roundedness and social consciousness.
For example, students can use the skills they learn in their advanced classes to prepare for crucial standardized tests and admissions assessments, such as the ACT and SAT.
Maintaining a strong academic performance and demonstrating high test scores and assessments can significantly increase a student’s chances of college acceptance when the time comes and help to lay a solid foundation for a student’s success in future college classes.
2. Extracurricular Activities
While academic excellence is crucial for admissions purposes, involvement in extracurricular activities is another critical component of a well-rounded application.
What you do outside the classroom is crucial because there is no shortage of high-achieving high school students in the United States. In fact, 4% of all high school students score in the 90th percentile or above on standardized tests. That’s why admissions experts are increasingly emphasizing the need for students to get involved in activities.
To that end, students may wish to join clubs and organizations at their school or within the larger community. Some of the clubs students may choose to join at St. Agnes Academy include:
- American Sign Language Club
- Book Club
- Diversity Club
- Mental Health Club
- Spanish Club
- The Feminist Knitting Club
Students can also participate in merit-based academic honor societies, such as the Future Medical Professionals Club, the National English Honor Society, the National Honor Society, and the National Science Honor Society.
Participation in these kinds of academic organizations reflects exceptionally well on college applications and establishes a student as a dedicated member of his or her academic community.
Many students also choose to participate in extracurricular activities that center around a specific interest, strength, or skill set they possess. These activities may encourage students to build upon interests in music, art, dance, theatre, computer science, and other disciplines.
Setting aside time for engagement in these kinds of extracurricular activities can help students hone new and specific skills while continuing to strengthen the well-roundedness of their college applications.
Depending on your intended college degree, it might be particularly important for you to demonstrate involvement in a related extracurricular activity, so make sure you choose wisely!
3. Community Service
St. Agnes emphasizes community service activities because they encourage compassion, social responsibility, and a sense of unity. That’s why all St. Agnes students are required to complete a servant leadership project consisting of 100 hours of community service before the fall of their senior year.
This servant leadership project is incorporated into students’ junior Theology courses and provides students with much-needed opportunities to put key principles of Morality and Catholic Social Teaching into practice within their communities and beyond.
Build a Strong College Application
Apart from engaging in activities and organizations that will help your application stand out from the crowd, there are several practical considerations to keep in mind when compiling the different components of your college applications.
Here are a few common application elements and tips for enhancing their impact.
1. Personal Statements and Essays
Most, if not all, colleges require applicants to submit essays, writing samples, and/or personal statements. Even if you do not consider yourself a particularly strong writer, there are many different approaches to crafting compelling admissions essays that you can take advantage of to help you stand out from the crowd.
Some experts suggest playing with the style and format of your essays to help maximize their impact. College counselors like those at St. Agnes can help students conceptualize, proofread, and edit their essays to ensure they are clear and well-written before submission.
2. Letters of Recommendation
Some schools recommend that you request letters of recommendation from your teachers. If a school on your list requires this type of letter, you’ll want to carefully consider who to ask. Generally, it’s best to request letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, mentors, and/or employers who know you well enough to speak to your specific strengths.
It’s always wise to sit down with your recommender to discuss what kinds of things should be included in their letters. Be sure to also provide them with sufficient notice, time, and instruction to complete those recommendations to the necessary specifications.
3. Resume
Some colleges require applicants to submit resumes or CVs that summarize their academic, personal, and professional achievements. This means that students will need to compile a list of all their extracurriculars, clubs, service organizations, and part-time job experiences.
Don’t forget to follow current guidelines when formatting your resume. St. Agnes students can seek guidance from the college counseling team for assistance in formatting and organizing their resumes.
Seek Support From the St. Agnes Staff
We often hear that it takes a village to raise a child, and it certainly takes a village to send one off to college. Students at St. Agnes have access to robust support networks to help them prepare for and navigate their college journeys.
Here is a brief overview of the student support services available at St. Agnes.
The Wellness Center
The Wellness Center collaborates with teachers, administrators, and parents on how best to support students throughout their high school journeys. Freshman-year and sophomore-year students receive academic advising through the wellness center to help set them up for success during their subsequent years of study.
The Wellness Center also offers ongoing programming designed to help students hone the life skills they need to thrive personally and academically. Some of this programming aims to help students learn good study habits and reinforce positive lifestyle choices.
The Student Success Center
Our Student Success Center specializes in helping students with specific learning needs access the resources and accommodations they need to thrive in and out of school.
The Student Success team is here to help students of all backgrounds and abilities achieve their highest potential while helping to reinforce crucial time management, study, and interpersonal skills.
The staff also oversees the administration of standardized testing accommodations to help students access the support they need to perform well on critical college admissions tests and evaluations.
College Counseling Department
St. Agnes has a dedicated college counseling department to help students prepare for college admissions season and beyond when they set foot on a college campus. Our college counselors encourage students to steer their own college searches while walking alongside families to ensure the admissions process is seamless and accessible for all.
Our team has a collective 80 years in higher education academic advising, college life, and college admissions counseling. Students and families can rest assured that they are receiving the most appropriate and up-to-date guidance on their unique journeys and future career paths.
Find Help With Preparing for College
Beyond preparing for the admissions process, attending college preparatory high schools like St. Agnes can help students develop the skills they need to be successful college applicants and college students.
If you’re preparing to embark on the college admissions process, focusing on your academics, extracurricular activities, community service opportunities, and other support resources can help set you up for success.
The college application process is a significant step toward your future, and the effort you invest now will pay off in the years to come. Remember, each student's journey is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
- Stay true to your interests and goals.
- Don’t be afraid to seek help when needed.
- Ask for help when needed!
