Advice for the High-Achieving Freshman

So as a high school senior, I do quite a bit of reflection upon the previous three years in terms of academic or social advice. Some of this advice pertains specifically to the high school I go to, Evergreen Valley High School, whereas other is general. Also, because this advice is something I would give my freshman self, it will be focused toward the college-bound, academic rigor seeking, and resume building, student.

1. AP National Scholar (https://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/awards/ap-scholar)

In order to get an award for taking lots of APs, the AP National Scholar Award is given for taking 8 AP exams and scoring an average of 4 or higher on them; basically take 8 AP exams and score 4 or 5 on all of them and you’ll get it. This award is the only one that is worth it, there are other awards listed on the College Board website, but they all pale in comparison. The reason I want to get this out of the way is that I myself only took 7 APs, only one short of being AP National Scholar. So for those looking to take lots of APs, 8 is a good number to strive for

2. Evergreen Valley Community College

As a high school student, you can actually take classes at EVC! All classes are free for high school students! This might surprise few people, but this is not the same as your typical remedial summer school math classes. During any time of the year, summer, fall, or spring (EVC runs on two semesters per year, spring and fall, with a summer break) you can choose from their course catalog. Of course, morning classes are a no, so that limits some of the options. Plus, night classes can be tiring after 6 hours of school, so EVC classes during the school year are definitely going to fill up your schedule. To get a class you want:

1.     Register as a student at EVC. This can be done by submitting a paper registration form at the Office of Admissions & Records, but it is much easier to register through the website online. (http://www.evc.edu/future-students/apply-now)

2.     Find the class you want. The course catalog (http://www.evc.edu/current-students/schedule-of-classes) for the upcoming semester should be taken a careful look through. Select the right class and right time.

3.     Fill out the R-40 form. This can be found in the counselor’s office in a black cabinet that is full of many different types of forms. The R-40 form requires a counselor signature, which will be obtained after filling out all other parts and handing it to the lady at the desk in the counselor’s office. Counselor signature can take up to three weeks, so I’d suggest turn in the R-40 form ASAP.

4.     Go to Office of Admissions & Records and turn in the R40 form. The building is in the center of campus, is open weekdays, and closes around 5:00 PM most days. You might have to take a placement test or submit supplementary information, which a records lady will tell you about. A placement test is usually English or Math and taken on the computers adjacent to the internal office of the building.

5.     Yay, you are now officially enrolled in one class at EVC!

FAQs

1.     What if I don’t get all my forms/testing done and the class has started?

Don’t worry too much. Go to the first class meeting anyways. Obtain an add code from the professor, which is something the professor gives out if there is extra space in the class. Then use the add code to get yourself added to the class.

2.     How much homework do most classes have?

This depends greatly on the class. Math and science classes can have problem sets that can take up to two or three hours to complete. Typically the humanities are much easier, more writing for the English classes, but otherwise nothing too difficult.

3.     Can I get high school credit for taking these classes?

Yes you can! If you ask for it on the R-40 form, then hopefully the counselors will give you credit. However, this usually does not work if you are simply taking the class to get out of taking a certain class or as a prerequisite for an AP class, but it HAS been done. You simply need to negotiate. Note that even if you take a class for enrichment, and you originally wanted to take the class for credit, once you finish the class, you can get an official transcript and either hand-deliver or have it mailed to the school. The counselors will not remember what the R-40 originally said and will most likely give you credit.

4.     How do I get a transcript from EVC to send to my colleges?

There’s a form in the front desk of the Office of Admissions & Records that titled “Transcript Request Form” and the instructions are explained clearly there. Unfortunately, because there is a carbon copy underneath, you cannot get this form online.

3. Science Classes have Prerequisites

Choosing your science class might seem trivial at first, but please note that the science class you take freshman year can impact how your four year science experience will look like. Unfortunately the course catalog is no longer accessible on the website. This is the series I took my science classes: Physics, Chemistry, AP Chemistry, and Biology.

The AP sciences work like this (Class- Prerequisites):

AP Physics 1- None

AP Physics 2- AP Physics 1

AP Physics C- AP Physics 1

AP Chemistry- Chemistry

AP Biology- Biology, Chemistry

So, let’s say you really enjoy biology and physics You might take Biology, then AP Physics 1, then AP Physics 2, but senior year, you can’t take AP Biology (unless you take regular Biology at EVC during the summer). Typically most students will not encounter this problem as the prerequisites make sense. One should take Chemistry before AP Chemistry.

So for those students who know what field of science they are most interested in, this is just some information to help you plan ahead.

4. Clubs/Extracurriculars

This topic will consist of general advice, because each person has a diverse set of interests, so there will be no one-activity-fits-all. Colleges value participation in your community, whether that is through a leadership role at a club or involvement in outside extracurriculars. Note that even though I say “club,” this advice is applicable to extracurriculars in general. General tips:

1. DO NOT try involving yourself with every club under the sun. This is just logistically not possible. Put lots of effort into a few.

2. Some people say that clubs are only created to bolster college applications, and this is true. However, your club experience should at least somehow prepare you for college or the real world. This takes commitment, which you won’t have if you just create a club to add another extracurricular to your Common Application.

3. Try new things. This is such a cliché aphorism, but it is still great advice. Step out of your comfort zone a little, and hey, maybe you’ll find a new passion.

5. Romance

*sigh* I’m not the person to comment on this, but I can say one thing for people who are focused on the prize, college, that romantic relationships should be avoided as a whole. Gossip and reputation bouts can tear apart your mental and psychological self, and it is not worth the pain to do so. Love is something extremely powerful, and the feeling of love is something truly unique and ineffable. Of course, some people manage to maintain a healthy relationship while still being high-achievers, but when it comes to the point at which you are crying every night, and the next day, you can’t bring yourself to take a math test, is it worth it? You have to decide.

6. Standardized Testing

Alright, let’s see, here we have the monster standing in front of college entrances. Standardized testing is a royal pain in the a$$, and most people detest it. DO IT EARLY! This is important because if you are taking the SAT or ACT senior year, you will NOT have more time to study and do significantly better. I recommend the “College Board minus one year.” College Board recommends you take it spring of junior year and fall of senior year. I recommend taking it spring or summer of sophomore year, and fall of junior year, with spring of junior year being the latest. These tests are a matter of studying, which I will elaborate more upon in another post. Senior year is a year of high stress during fall semester due to college applications, and you do not need to add the stress of studying for the SAT or ACT on top of that. One more note, many colleges are starting to not require standardized test scores, which should be investigated by a student.

If you see this, then you’ve somehow made it past all my advice. Hopefully you picked up something new after reading, and best of luck freshmen. Almost everyone in movies say high school was the worse time of his or her lives, but it only takes a positive attitude to make it a positive experience!