4 New Year’s Resolutions for Freshman High School Students

The New Year has long been a time for new resolutions – and a resolution is just another name for a goal.

If you’re a high school student who has big dreams for your academic future, this is an excellent time of the year to take stock of where you are, where you want to be and what it will take to get there. While college can feel like it’s still ages away, the reality is that everything you do today has a direct bearing on what happens later.

With all that in mind, what New Year’s resolutions should you make? Consider these:

1. Improve Your Grades and Challenge Yourself with Tougher Classes

You probably realize that you need to focus on your grades to get into the university of your dreams, but you also need to focus on your academic transcript as a whole.

Not all classes (and not all grades) are weighted equally in the eyes of the college admissions board. If your grades have been less-than-perfect, focus on improving your scores, first. If your grades are already excellent, aim for more challenging coursework by adding advanced placement classes and honors classes into your schedule. When the competition for a spot in a top school gets fierce, admissions officers will consider the level of your work.

2. Explore Your Interests and Get Involved in Some Extracurriculars

These days, it isn’t enough to have good grades alone. Universities want to know more about you, as a person, and they look to your extracurriculars to see where your passions lie.

That means you can’t focus solely on academics and expect to have an impressive college application. Nor should you sign up for every club or participate in a dozen sports just to put them on your transcript. Instead, you need to figure out where your passions lie and throw yourself in deeply. Not only will this help with your personal development, but it will also showcase the authentic “you” that schools want to see.

3. Take Responsibility for Your Time and Learn to Get Organized

Up until high school started, your parents probably managed most of your schedule for you – and your school controlled the rest. Now, you have a lot more autonomy over your own time, and it’s time to start thinking ahead.

High school can get very busy, so you need to start to create realistic expectations for yourself with your goals in mind. Get yourself on a schedule, start setting reasonable deadlines for things like your first ACT, PSAT or SAT prep work and work out just how much time you can devote to your extracurriculars. It’s okay to ask your parents for help when you get started, but you need to discover how to manage this process for yourself. (Consider this your training period for college, when you’ll be entirely on your own.)

4. Start Building Your Relationships and Looking for Mentors

You need guidance and support on your academic journey – and the day will come when you also need letters of recommendation for your university admission process. It’s not too soon to put energy and time into your relationships with your favorite teachers and counselors.

It’s also not too early to think about developing relationships with mentors in your areas of interest. A part-time job this coming summer or volunteer work can let you dip your toes in the waters of a specific field and help you form connections with professionals who can vouch for your work ethic, integrity and drive down the line.

Remember: You’re already halfway through your first year of high school – and the next three years will go by in a blur. The sooner you start thinking about your end goals, the easier you’ll find them to reach.