Start Early
It All Begins Freshman Year
Whether preparing for undergraduate or graduate admissions, it is important to start early. A common misconception is that Senior Year is the most important. However, when it comes to applying for higher education, college and graduate school, it may be the opposite. Senior year may actually be the least important year. The most critical senior year tasks all pertain to drafting strong applications, forming relationships, and selecting/preparing for your next institution. The academic foundation is primarily set in the years prior.
Though coursework is extremely important senior year, applications are typically due before first semester grades are recorded and certainly before second semester’s are. This means that, in most cases, the GPA reported on applications is set by the end of Junior Year; and while senior year courses can be reported, their grades cannot. Focus on selecting Senior year courses that are challenging and closely aligned with your long-term interests; not on padding your GPA.
Freshman Year > Senior Year
College prep starts at high school enrollment and grad school prep begins at college enrollment. That’s Freshman Year. It turns out that a slow start can be critically detrimental to your prospects of acceptance. A low freshman year GPA is tough to rebound from. Poor course selection early on alters your entire path through school, leaving less time for exploration down the road. Additionally, wasting summers, even early, can be looked upon poorly by competitive colleges and graduate programs.
Starting Freshman Year, leverage the resources available to you at your school: meet with academic advisors/guidance counselors, seek advice from upperclassmen, pursue tutoring and help from instructors (if necessary), and look for challenging summer opportunities. Each of these will set you up nicely for a strong senior year completing applications. Waiting until the last minute, like many students, will put you at a disadvantage.
Get going on planning your next steps before it is too late.
