Dear Second Term Seniors,

Congratulations! You are a second term senior. College applications are over and you have nothing to do. Now what?

We have been receiving emails  from many overachieving high school seniors asking us what they should be doing with their new freedom. We decided to put together a list of some ways you can prepare for your transition into college.

1) Take Calculus.
If you are taking AP Calculus I would strongly advise that you focus your efforts on that class. Even if you plan on being a humanities major, many colleges require students to take at least a semester or quarter of math. I’ve found that many students have trouble adapting to how math is taught in college. If you don’t have a strong math background you will be at a disadvantage.

2) Read the news.
Know what is going on in the world. Make sure you know what is going on in our economy and are up to date with issues such as global warming. You don’t have to become an expert. Just know enough to make conversation about it.

3) Look for scholarships.
You would be surprise to find out that most high school seniors don’t even apply for a single scholarship. You can ask your guidance counselor for more information or go to fastweb.com

4) Volunteer.
It is an extremely rewarding experience to be able to give back to your community or your school. Find a cause that you are passionate about and do what you can do to help it.

5) Thank your teachers.
Stop by one of your old teachers room just to say, “Hi.” Thank them for all they have helped you with. Tell them about what you have been doing. Let them know where you applied and what you want to do. A little conversation can go a long way.

6. KEEP UP YOUR GRADES!
You may think second term senior year don’t grades count, but they do. If you get waitlisted, you will probably give them an update of how you have been performing academically. In addition, if you want to transfer these grades are going to matter. Remember that your acceptance is conditional which means colleges have the right to rescind your admissions. This is not to say go paranoid if you receive a B. The unwritten rule among many top universities is don’t fall below a B. Once you drop below that your case can be reviewed.

These next few months will be memorable. Make sure you enjoy your time with your high school friends because some of them you will never see again. Enjoy prom and all that crazy stuff seniors do. However, use your best judgment. Don’t get arrested and don’t do anything that questions your ethics. Something like a criminal offense can quickly leave you without a college.

Enjoy senior year– it only happens once.