Some people believe preparing their kids for college is never too early. This is especially true when they hope their child gets into an Ivy League school. Knowing how hard it is to get into Dartmouth, for example, some people start their child’s preparation in kindergarten! That might sound extreme, but the idea is that when you start depends on the school you’re targeting and what degree you’re interested in.
The more elite the school and the more challenging the degree, the more early preparation will pay off. Does this mean you have to put your child into private school as early as elementary to prepare them for college? Not necessarily. There are things you can do starting at every level of their education. In this article, we will give you some things to think about.
Junior High School
Some people believe that it is far too early to start preparing for university before high school. After all, it is difficult for eighth-graders to know what they want to study when applying to colleges. Not only that, but it is very rare for any grades in junior high to be relevant to an admissions officer in a university.
However, there are many things they can do that will increase the odds of getting into the school they become most interested in later on. For instance, if a student entering eighth grade is enrolled in primarily advanced placement courses, they are likely already achieving at a high school level. As such, they may qualify for high school courses, earning credits in advance.
High school
Course selection when starting in high school is very important. No matter what degree they eventually go for, their grades and class types will count a lot. Try to take as many advanced placement classes as you can. Just help them avoid getting in over their heads, as you have to be able to manage the course load. This will help with going for a service like Going Ivy college admissions to give them a chance at an elite school.
Participating in extracurricular clubs demonstrates initiative. For example, joining the math club or engaging in science projects if math and science pique their interest will look great to an admissions officer.
Junior year is when it is getting close to the time to decide on a school and what kind of degree they want to go for. It’s time to concentrate on the right types of classes but also some volunteering. Internships might be premature, but it is still possible to work within a company related to your field of interest.
As a senior, it is not an ideal time to do much in addition if they haven’t already been putting the pieces in place beforehand. They could do an internship in the summer before senior year, but during the school year, it is best to focus on their grades, so they are perfect and stand out. Then, visit some of the colleges they are interested in to zero in on the right ones to apply for.
