What Experiences Should I Look for in High School? | Coalition for College

By Harvard College

High school is an exciting opportunity to continue learning and growing as a student. It’s also where many students begin thinking about college. This is because high school is an important step in your educational journey to help you prepare for college as well as to develop your skills as a student and as a community member. Below are four pieces of advice to follow as you go through high school so that you can get the most out of your experience, have a number of college options during your senior year, and graduate feeling prepared to continue learning and growing. 

1) Challenge Yourself in Classes 

In high school, you should challenge yourself to the best of your ability in your classes. You don’t always have the flexibility to choose your subjects, especially at the beginning of high school, but sometimes you can choose the level of the course. When you can, you should challenge yourself by enrolling in levels that are more difficult in your school’s curriculum, such as honors, AP, IB, or courses at a local college. When admissions representatives read your application, one question they’re asking themselves is how you would perform as a student in their college. They look at your high school transcript and your course rigor to help determine this. Sometimes there are very few, or none of these options available at high schools, and colleges take that into account, too. You might also be interested in learning about some new topics on your own, which also counts as challenging yourself as a learner! All of the skills you build in high school provide an important foundation for your life after high school graduation. 

2) Get Involved in Your Community 

Whenever possible, you should try to get involved in activities at your school or in your surrounding community. This could be a job, playing a sport, participating in a school club, doing community service, being involved with a community organization where you live, or caring for your family. This helps admissions representatives understand how you would contribute to their college community. What you choose to do outside of your classes is completely up to you; college representatives do not have any preferences for what your involvement in your community looks like, and they understand that your activities may vary depending on what is available at your school and in your community, and what your home responsibilities are. Anything that you do when you aren’t in class can be another opportunity for you to support your community in some way, and to learn and grow as a person as well. 

3) Set Goals Throughout High School 

The first year of high school can be challenging, so it’s okay if it doesn’t go perfectly. Maybe your grades aren’t as strong as you’d like, or maybe you didn’t get involved in as many activities as you had hoped. If this is the case, there is no need to worry—you will grow immensely each year of high school. Throughout your time in high school, try to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and set some goals for the coming year. Maybe you’ll try a new club, maybe you’ll raise your hand more in class, or maybe you’ll get a promotion at your after-school job. Colleges aren’t looking for a perfect record from your first day of high school, they’re looking to see how you handled challenges and grew throughout your time there. Each challenge that you face in high school and how you approach it is great preparation for college and life afterwards, too. 

4) Explore New Opportunities 

When you begin high school, you may find that you have more freedom and flexibility in your schedule than you did when you were in middle school. If you find that these possibilities are available to you in high school, try out a new class, learn a new skill, or meet a new person. Developing curiosity and intrepidness in high school will enable you to get more out of your time in college and can also introduce you to people and opportunities you may not have otherwise encountered. 

Hopefully, these four suggestions were helpful to you. You may also find that there are other goals that you set throughout high school that do not fall under this list. As long as you do the best that you can and continue reflecting on your progress throughout your time in high school, by the time your senior year arrives, you will not only find yourself ready for college with many good options for you to choose from, but you will also contribute greatly to whichever community is your home after high school graduation.