Getting Into College Starts Early
Preparing the Resume Begins with Freshman Year in High School
Nov 4, 2008
Achieving an appropriate balance between academics and extra curricular activities in high school should begin in the freshman year. The college prep track ends with an often arduous application process geared toward admitting a comparatively small number of applicants, depending upon the colleges or universities applied to. Ensuring success requires early planning in a student’s high school career.
What Colleges Look For
Differentiating students from their peers should begin on the first day of the high school experience. This necessitates proper course selections as well as extra curricular activities that will enable students to demonstrate leadership, individuality, and creativity. A strong senior year resume should include:
- Progressive leadership
- Community service
- Challenging courses and academic awards
- Athletic participation
- Excellent references and recommendations
A functional academic schedule should include Honors and AP level courses. Although the current trend in many states today is to wholesale internet courses sponsored by universities or community colleges as a way for students to earn college credit in high school, the AP is still a better alternative because it is accepted by all institutions and, in some cases, is preferred over I-courses.
Progressive Leadership
High schools offer many leadership opportunities including Student Council involvement, clubs, co-curricular programs like the Model UN, Student Court, and service opportunities. Leadership should be progressive:
- Freshman year – Student Council Representative
- Sophomore Year – Class Officer
- Junior Year – Executive Committee Officer
- Senior Year – Student Council or Class President
Additionally, because it is impossible for students to be involved in every offered program and club, hard choices must be made with the aim of consistency and balance. Grades should not be sacrificed in order to fill a resume with activities.
Community Service
High schools have become far more service conscious than ever before. Opportunities like building a Habitat House of helping with Special Olympics abound. For a student contemplating a medical career, a summer internship with the local hospital looks good on a resume. Many communities facilitate teen offender programs that involve high school students in the legal process, an excellent resume builder for future law students.
Challenging Courses and Academic Awards
Students should be encouraged to enroll in four years of a foreign language, the final course being the AP. AP enrollments should be balanced, however. Given the rigors of a properly taught AP, students should assess their own time requirements and abilities in successfully completing courses. Academic awards, often presented on a yearly basis, demonstrate excellence. These include the Latin Honor Society as well as the academic National Honor Society.
Athletic Participation
Athletics foster team spirit and leadership. This is recognized by colleges. At a time when our nation increasingly focuses on healthy lifestyles, participation in sports enhances a resume. The notion of competition has long been a factor in singling out disciplined and determined students.
Excellent References and Recommendations
Sometimes a reference letter from a sports or drama coach has greater impact than one from a teacher. References should attest to the veracity of student’s claims in terms of the above mentioned criteria. Reference letters should be included in all college application packets whether or not they are required.
The blue print of success begins with careful planning when freshman year begins. In conjunction with school counselors, a long term plan can chart the desired academic progression balanced with ancillary programs that, over four years, will enable students to apply with confidence to the colleges they wish to attend.
