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1. Make a plan of what the next 4 years should look like. Think ahead and be positive.

2. Get involved! Be part of your community by joining a club, sport or volunteering at local events. Don’t just help at your school, be recognized as a superstar volunteer in your community. Colleges, future employers, recruiters etc., all love to see “real involvement”.

3. Take pride in your work. Did you know that colleges only see your final grade for the semester in the classes that you take? (They do not see your report card grades.) Freshman and sophomore grades are extremely important. These are the grades sent to your potential college. The time starts now, your freshman year, that grades will 100% matter!

4. Be mindful of the choices that you make. You do not want anything negative to be connected to your high school transcript when submitting to future colleges. Your digital “footprint” matters too. Believe it or not, colleges, places of employment, the military, etc, all can follow you on social media and make decisions off of what they see.

5. Begin to research colleges or places you would like to be employed with. Look at what is required of you in order to be accepted at each college or to work there. Not all colleges or jobs you are interested in will have the exact program you may want to pursue. Meet with your counselor to talk about your options and opportunities.