Your Guide to Building a Strong High School 4-Year Plan

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How do you start preparing for college now? It may feel like it’s a long way away, but there are steps you can take to prepare yourself for the future. Building a plan that you can use throughout high school will help you succeed and meet your goals.

Read on to learn how to keep your grades up, choose strong extracurriculars, develop good habits, use a support system, and create well-thought-out goals.

Academics and Grades

Choose classes that complement your interests and challenge you. Your schedule should include plenty of APs , though be careful not to overload. Develop a plan for keeping your grades up. This will take some navigating as you adjust to a more rigorous curriculum and course load.

As you advance through high school, you’ll take on more difficult course work and will need to prepare in order to meet the new challenges it will present.

Even simple steps like using a planner can help you organize your academic and extracurricular schedule. Check out How Using a Planner or Calendar Can Make Your Life Easier for tips on choosing the right system for you.

Learn what environment works best for you to study and do your homework. Perhaps you work best at the library. Maybe studying in the park frees your mind from distractions. Find the place and routine that best fit your needs.

You’ll also need to learn how to prioritize commitments and work—as well as learn how to learn . What exactly does learning how to learn mean?

Actively learning requires you to be engaged with your courses and curriculum. Instead of passively absorbing information, or sometimes not paying attention at all, active learning means that you’re interacting the material, asking questions, and finding connections.

Using active learning tips won’t just improve your grades, but will also allow you to gain more from your courses, which will help you discover your interests and passions and serve you well in college and your career. Here are 5 Ways to Actively Learn During Class .

Daily Habits

Make sure you develop good habits now. They can support you in high school and beyond. Here are key habits you should work on:

• Studying: If you don’t do as well as you’d like freshman year, you have time to get back on track . However working on developing study habits now will help you later on.

• Health and wellness: Your well-being is crucial to your success. Make sure you don’t neglect your health in favor of excelling in school; in fact, being healthy will help you excel in school. Exercise , for instance is important for both physical and mental health.

• Meeting with teachers: You should routinely meet with your teachers to make sure you’re on track, especially if you’re struggling. You should also check in with your guidance counselor regularly, not just if you have a problem.

• Time management: High school is a busy time. Use these time management tips to help you make the most of the time you do have.

• Practice relaxation exercises: You’re going to be stressed and anxious from time to time. However, you shouldn’t let stress take over your life. Relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing and meditation, can help you cope with especially difficult times. More more tips, check out 6 Techniques for Dealing with Stress in High School .