As I reflect on my own daughters’ high school experiences, I worked to support them with all the tools possible to instill preparation for their college journey. Part of that journey was defining and executing which colleges would best support them in their personal, professional, and social needs. My biggest goals included that my girls had a rigorous curriculum so that they would be able to handle college. I also strived to support them to be balanced in their passions to enjoy the high school experience. Ultimately, I now realize that what I created is the package each student needs to be competitive in today’s college application process.
If you have a student who is entering high school or is in high school, the first step is to be sure that they have a solid four year plan that supports their interests and their college major. For instance, if your child is planning on a premed or an engineering major, it is critical that their math and science classes align to these majors. The colleges want to see sequence and depth in their curriculum. Simultaneously, your child’s extracurricular interest to include summertime activities is a critical part of this portfolio.
The summer months provide time to boost your child’s interests to build their profile. The student can do an ample amount of programs to further support their goals. For instance, the options may include:
1. Boosting their sports or theater by taking advantage of traveling teams, club sports,
workouts, city plays and musicals….
2. Take classes at the local community college or enroll in accredited online programs to
further the academic knowledge in the field they love
3. Do informational interviews, job shadow, find an internship or do research on a topic
that supports their interests
4. Do volunteer work
5. Have a paid job
All of the above can demonstrate your child’s passions, perseverance, and the ability to be responsible. Each activity is proof of your student’s dedication to learn and grow. Finally, summer is a great time to plan college visits. If your family goes to Disneyland for example, UCLA, UC Irvine, Long Beach State, Loyola Marymount and several other colleges are within an hour’s drive from the Disney Park. Visitations are key to inspire your child and also to get a sense where he/she feels good about attending. If this sounds too complicated, EYHLifeCoach strives to manage the stress for you and your child. Reach us, your professionals, in the coaching journey. We guide families in each step of the process. We would love to travel this road with you.
By Christina Dalton, MS, PPS, PCC, EYH Life Coach
