7 College Prep Activities Every High Schooler Should Do

Good college prep curriculum will include intellectual, social, and emotional enrichment for your son or daughter—and will set him or her up to be a lifelong learner.

1.) Have Fun Learning

Students learn best in a fun environment using different learning styles. Keeping this in mind for your son or daughter will help spark that successful connection when plugging into the best college prep activities for your child.
John Dunlosky, Professor of Psychology at Kent State University in Ohio, stated in an article with American Educator, “teaching students how to learn is as important as teaching them content, because acquiring both the right learning strategies and background knowledge is important—if not essential for promoting lifelong learning.”

2.) Get Involved

Get them involved in as many extracurricular activities as time allows. Help them choose activities that are related to some of the career paths that they are interested in. They can volunteer in their community, get a part-time job (even if they don’t need one financially), and run for leadership positions in the organizations that they are involved in.

3.) Get to Know the Counselors

Let the counselor know your child: her dreams, career choices, and the colleges she is considering. Some college applications require a recommendation letter from the counselor and, of course, the teachers. It is always better to have a personal letter bragging about your child’s accomplishments and extracurricular activities than a generic listing.
Ruth Lohmeyer, a counselor at Lincoln Northeast School in Nebraska says, “We start already in eighth grade,” to put teens on a trajectory for success; college prep needs to start early.

4.) Check Out “College Life”

Help your son or daughter attend events on college campuses: football games, plays, concerts, and all activities that align with his or her career path.

5.) Advanced Academics in College Prep Activities

Students need to study hard and keep good grades all through high school; they are permanent records. Encourage them to challenge themselves with advanced academics, especially in their junior year. The junior academic record can help or hinder your child in meeting college entrance requirements.

6.) Get to Know Admissions Criteria

Choose your top five schools and get to know their admissions criteria. Prepare a checklist to see where you stand in meeting these requirements. Good college prep curriculum will include test prep support, course planning, and tutoring services to help and guide your student to meet the requirements for college admission.

7.) God, Family, and Friends

The foundation of college prep activities should always have the well-being and success of your child as a guiding rule. With an emphasis on biblical truths and an environment promoting the growth of Christian character, your son or daughter’s experience’s in Christian education will bring you comfort and strength in knowing through God, family, friends, teachers, and counselors, he or she has learned to stand on faith. He or she will have the integrity and wisdom to meet any challenges.