Success in high school sets students up for countless future achievements. High school is more than just the next step in a student’s education. It allows students to explore their interests, grow as individuals, and develop life skills.
With so many chances to grow and learn, students must think critically about what they want their high school to be. For many students, this means tailoring their experience to benefit their future college careers.
Here are some key areas high school students should focus on if they want to make the most of their time in high school and head off to college with a leg up:
Master Time Management Skills
Students should learn ways to manage their time to balance school work, extracurricular activities, and social time appropriately. The easiest and most popular way to do this is by keeping a planner or agenda. This allows students to keep track of assignments, tests, volunteer opportunities, extracurricular activities, and work schedules.
If a planner isn’t right, students should consider adding everything to their phone calendar or playing around with different organization systems to find what works.
No matter how they choose to keep track of their schedule, school work should always be the priority. High school creates high academic standards. It provides students the chance to prove to themselves and their families that they are ready for the responsibility that awaits them on the other side of high school.
Build Up Your Test-Taking Skills
To succeed in high school, students must take various tests and exams. Nothing is worse than walking into a high school final exam feeling unprepared, except perhaps walking out of the exam knowing things could have gone better.
Beyond that, the test-taking strategies and study habits a student builds in high school directly transfer into college with them. Students should use their four years in high school to practice taking different tests and learning testing strategies.
A few strategies that are worth trying include:
- Break down test questions into steps
- Make educated guesses
- Review answers before turning the exam in
Become Tech Savvy
Everyone expects high school students to be well-versed in technology. Students should get comfortable with all forms of technology, including computers, tablets, and smartphones, if they aren’t already.
Students should also take this as a challenge to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Technology is constantly evolving. There will come a time that a class requires new software or technology that students haven’t worked with before.
Don’t shy away from the challenge. Instead, learn to lean into it and find the fun in learning something new! This attitude will prove valuable in countless situations both in and after high school.
Don’t Take On Too Much
High school is a time to build your resume, but high school students should not feel like they need to take on everything under the sun to succeed in high school.
It can be easy to get caught up in thinking college requires near perfection, including high grades and the perfect extracurricular. While grades are important, students should still enjoy the great experiences that await them in high school.
Colleges want a student who has challenged themselves both academically and socially. Students would do well to remember this and not feel pressured to take on every opportunity that comes their way. Carve out time for friends, family, and other non-academic interests.
Participate In and Out of Class
Students should want to be active participants in their education and community!
In class, students should make an effort to engage and challenge their teachers and classmates. This active participation leads to growth and a better understanding of all subjects! It can even make the information stand out when exam time rolls around.
This same sort of involvement should translate beyond the classroom walls as well. Extracurricular and volunteer activities look great on college applications, and high school students can learn a lot from these activities. They allow high school students to try new things that they may not have done without it.
Whether volunteering at a community garden or joining an art club, high school is the perfect time for students to push their boundaries. This time and experience will allow students to explore passions beyond academics and expose them to career opportunities they may have never considered before.
Succeed in High School With The Learning Team
While it’s simple to write all of these suggestions out, the execution can feel difficult. The Learning Team works with high school students to teach them executive functioning skills such as test-taking strategies, studying techniques, memorization tools, and more. These techniques set them up for success in high school and prepare them for college.
Additionally, The Learning Team offers college counseling and teaches essay prep to help guide students when it is time to apply to colleges. After all, preparing for college in high school is only the first step. It is vital for students with college aspirations to finish high school strong and stay on top of the college application process.
The Learning Team and Grove Academy view all education as a long-term commitment to a student’s future. We value partnering with our students to set goals for their future and design long-term plans to get them where they want to be.
If you need help to succeed in high school, contact The Learning Team for a personalized tutoring program that will get you where you want to be.
