University of California (UC) Personal Insights

Writing a college essay for the University of California (UC) can be a daunting task, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to showcase your personality, interests, and achievements to the admissions committee. In this blog post, we’ll provide you with three concrete steps to help you get started on your UC essay.

Step 1: Brainstorm Ideas

Before you start writing your essay, it’s important to take some time to brainstorm ideas. Consider the prompts provided by the UC and think about which one resonates with you the most. For example, the UC prompts for 2021-2022 include the following:

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Once you have chosen a prompt, start brainstorming ideas for your essay. You can use a mind map, a list, or just free-write to generate ideas. Don’t worry about making them perfect – just focus on coming up with as many ideas as possible.

Step 2: Create an Outline

Once you have some ideas for your UC essay, it’s time to create an outline. This will help you organize your thoughts and ensure that your essay has a clear structure. Your outline should include the following elements:

• An introduction that captures the reader’s attention and provides background information on the topic of your essay.
• A thesis statement that clearly states the main idea or argument of your essay.
• Body paragraphs that support your thesis statement with examples and evidence.
• A conclusion that summarizes the main points of your essay and leaves the reader with a final thought or reflection.

Here’s an example of an outline for a UC essay:

I. Introduction
- Hook: Personal anecdote about my leadership experience
- Background: Description of the leadership experience and its significance
- Thesis: I learned valuable lessons about leadership and teamwork from this experience

II. Body Paragraph 1: The importance of communication and collaboration
- Example: How I communicated with my team members to ensure that everyone was on the same page
- Evidence: The positive feedback I received from my team members

III. Body Paragraph 2: The value of adaptability and flexibility
- Example: How I had to adapt to changing circumstances and unexpected challenges
- Evidence: The successful outcome of the project despite these challenges

IV. Body Paragraph 3: The power of persistence and determination
- Example: How I persevered in the face of obstacles and setbacks
- Evidence: The final result of the project and the sense of accomplishment I felt

V. Conclusion
- Restate thesis
- Summarize main points
- Reflection: The lessons I learned from this experience and how they will help me in the future

Step 3: Write Your Essay

Now that you have brainstormed ideas and created an outline, it’s time to start writing your UC essay. Follow your outline and fill in the details for each section. Remember to use specific examples and evidence to support your thesis statement and make your essay convincing.

Also, don’t forget to proofread your essay and check for grammar. Let a handful of people read it and ask them if they understand the points you are trying to make and tell you what they learn about it.

You got it! Good luck!

If you are looking for advice for college transfer to UCs, see https://atomic-temporary-200822747.wpcomstaging.com/category/transfer-admission-tips/

It’s not a setback. It’s the path you choose — choose to transfer to better!

Photo by Tobi on Pexels.com

College transfer path. People who care for you want the best for you. It’s natural for them to think that going to community college and transferring instead of attending a 4-year university right after high school seems risky. Don’t forget the downheartedness that almost everyone else is going to a big university with an exciting future, and only a few of you are going to community colleges. You are seen as the “loser” who did not get into a college.

But let’s clarify a few things about choosing to transfer.

• It’s your choice, and because you believe you will have a better chance to get into your dream colleges than right off high school.
• It’s you who put yourself in this situation; community college transfer is your way to redeem yourself.
• You are not alone; many are on this transfer journey because they all believe they can do better.
• Lastly, people who want the best for you might not know what is best for you, and it’s time to take the responsibility for yourself.

Think this way — it seems like everyone is going to colleges, either community or 4-year colleges, but they are all going for different reasons. So, they pick different colleges and majors.

In high school, you can group people into a few categories — the popular, the geeks, the nerds, the try-hard, the drop-offs…etc. But if you ask them what major they are going to study, you will find everyone is taking a different path.

My question to you is — what is your path? Again, people who care for you want the best for you but might not know what is best for you. If you do not know what is best for you, make sure you talk to people you trust along the college transfer journey but make your own decisions after hearing a few opinions (more is not always better in this case). Are you making the best choice based on your circumstances? Is college transfer the best option for you? If the answer is “Yes,” then stop worrying about what other people think about your journey and get it over with so you can proudly say, “I transferred to [Your Dream College]!”

Ready to start? Check out the roadmap and start planning

College transfer is a choice not a compromise

Did you know?

• Over one-third of students transfer colleges at some point whether from community college to another university or from one university to another.
• Because of Covid-19 college transfer rate is at an all-time high because many students are not happy with how their colleges handle Covid-19.
• College transfer application is very much the same as regular application.
• College transfer is smart and is about taking control of one’s future for the first time. 

Many immigrant students came to the age of middle school or worse, high school. Their parents spent large amounts of money and effort to reside in the best school district they can find. Those parents hope that the school will send them to the best college and have a bright future. 

However, many colleges and universities require a minimum academic requirement for Freshman Application.

For example, an immigrant student who does not have 4 years of regular English in high school does not qualify for University of California Freshman admissions. This is very common among immigrant students who came at the age of middle school or high school and were put in the English-as-Second language program. Due to their language inadequacy, they are barred from many other courses that qualify them for many admission minimum requirements. 

Lucky for many immigrant families and students, the path of going to community college first and transferring to their dream college is offered by many across the United State.

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Check out the transfer rates of the following transfer-friendly universities

School	Transfer Acceptance Rate	Number of Transfer Students Admitted
UMD Global Campus	99%	18,716
CSU Fullerton	54%	14,225
CSU Los Angeles	39%	13,837
CSU Long Beach	39%	13,387
CSU Northridge	67%	13,380
San Francisco State University	90%	13,341
CSU Sacramento	89%	12,129
San Jose State University	69%	10,312
UC Davis	55%	9,876
Florida International University	76%	9,584
Cal Poly Pomona	60%	9,352
University of Central Florida	59%	8,790
University of Houston	87%	7,544
San Diego State University	30%	7,519
University of South Florida	62%	6,677
UCLA	24%	6,396
University of North Texas	81%	5,874
Texas State University	87%	4,916
University of Texas at Arlington	69%	4,199
Liberty University	30%	1,338

If you want to transfer to more prestigious universities, you can see the transfer rates of Top-20 US News Ranked national universities.

School	Ranking	Transfer Acceptance Rate	Number of Transfer Students Admitted
Princeton University	1	⁠<1%	14
Columbia University	2	5%	176
Harvard University	2	<1%	17
MIT	2	3%	19
Yale University	5	2%	22
Stanford University	6	4%	86
University of Chicago	6	5%	33
University of Pennsylvania	8	8%	197
Caltech	9	5%	5
Duke University	9	6%	76
Johns Hopkins University	9	11%	156
Northwestern University	9	15%	375
Dartmouth College	13	28%	78
Brown University	14	3%	81
Vanderbilt University	14	37%	640
Washington U in St. Louis	14	26%	292
Cornell University	17	18%	872
Rice University	17	12%	101
University of Notre Dame	19	43%	319
UCLA	20	22%	5,538

More facts regarding transfer admission:

• 37% of students transferred at least once before earning their bachelor’s degree. 40% of the transfer students originated from a two-year community college. Transfer students are very common in the US.
• Transfer students have more versatile experiences and bring diversity to a college campus, graduate at a higher rate than freshman admits, and adjusts better to an independent lifestyle.
• Get a prestigious college name and save more than $5,000 a year compared to attending a four-year public school. Save even more if a student successfully transfers to a four-year top private school like USC or NYU.
• However, transfer students have less time to make adjustment to school campuses and their resources. Sometimes, they have difficult join with their peer groups since they join in the junior year when most students who started as a freshman already formed cohorts and interest groups.

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I transferred from Pasadena City College to UC Berkeley and have been providing college transfer counseling for 4 years.

If you can prepare yourself for the transfer and plan ahead for the transferred college, you won’t miss too much.

The upside outweighs the downside. 

Are you considering transferring from community college to your dream university?

• Speak to a counselor of your college and ask for the general requirement for college transfer, no later than the second semester of senior year in high school.
• Enroll in the first class in the community college during high school. I suggest English or Maths first.
• Use the Perfect 2-Year Transfer Timeline to keep track of your progress and To-Dos.
• Get 60+ transferable credits and apply for college transfer applications in 2 years.

college transfer pro tip #4 two-year college transfer timeline

In this post, I walk through the timeline of a 2-year college transfer plan. Preferably, you want to start your transfer process when you are still in high school. Starting early comes with advantages –

1. you get the not-so-new student status that means you don’t need to enroll again and your 3 credits will grant you earlier registeration date
2. you get familiar with the campus and resources
3. bonus, if you are still applying for universtities, you may earn some low-cost credits and graduate early
4. basically, there’s no downside except for you have to finish your senior homework with less time but… you dont have homework…seniors

In High School Senior Year

• Visit some local community colleges (e.g. California CC) and explore online campus option (e.g. California VC).
• Apply FAFSA for all the colleges you might go before FAFSA Deadline.
• Get support from family and friends. Share your plan with them. If you don’t know where to start, read THIS.
• Apply and enroll for a community college for their Spring and Summer term as soon as you decide to take on the transfer path.

After Collge Enrollment – Warmup

• Start gathering document (e.g HS transcript and/or AP scores) and prepare for placement exams so you can skip some classes in a sequence (e.g. Math or English).
• Get familiar with the college credit system and know what counts toward transfer and what not. You do not want to take any non-transferrable courses unless you want to just do it for fun.
• Research for easy GE courses on RateMyProfessors.com to start. DO NOT start any major requriement, you are not ready yet.
• Register your first class during in Spring (during Senior) or Summer (after graduation).
• Check out any student support program that will give you an edge. You can usually find a whole webpage for student support services that are free for all registered students. E.g. Pasadena City College Success Center.

1st Year at Pre-Transfer College

During Summer/Fall Semester – Position Well

• Familiarize yourself with college-level courses and their structures. They are ususally easier than high school classes but require a different set of skills.
• Focus on your academic and craft your college-level study skills. Download 7 Tips to Effective Study to learn more.
• Aggregate resources and academc supports on campus in the first month and use them for the next 2 years. E.g. De Anza College Student Success Center.
• Get used to the campus academic calendar. Mark the dates on semester start, semester end, regiseration periods, last day to chage P/NP, last day to withdraw w/o a W, last day to withdraw w/ a W.
• Establish a study group and study routine.

During Winter/Spring Semester – Get on Track

• Apply FAFSA for all the colleges you might go before FAFSA Deadline.
• Make an appointment with a counselor to make sure you are on track to transfer.
• Talk to a 2nd year pre-transfer students who have the same transfer goal (i.e. university and major) to learn from their experiences.
• Form a board of advsiors including the friendest counselor on campus, successful 2nd year pre-transfer students, the study mania, the wellness guru…etc.
• Attand 1+ college transfer presentation (you can usually find it on at your campus transfer center).
• Talk to 2+ college representives to learn about different college transfer programs e.g. TAG and CCC-ADT.
• Make adjustment for the second year accordingly.
• Maintain records of your course syllabi in a Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Find a balanced life – Explore new places and ideas. Find people in similar interest and talk about what they have in plan.

2nd Year at Pre-Transfer College

During Summer/Fall Semester – Transfer Application

• Focus on your academic and continue to do well in class. Download 7 Tips to Effective Study to learn more.
• Reach 30 units before Summer semester ends if you have not.
• Apply Transfer Admission Guarentee aka TAG (if tranferring in California) and other transfer programs that you can find from your community college trasnfer center (8/1-9/30).
• Make an appointment with a counselor to make sure you are on track to transfer.
• Talk to university representives from your target universities to make sure you are on track and learn how to strengthen your transfer application.
• Start collecting ideas for your college trasnfer essay. Find UC prompts and NYU/USC/Stanford prompts from adding the college to your Common App.
• Start application profiles on Common App, UC Application or find the designated application system your target univserity uses (10/1-11/31 or later).
• Ask professors for letters of recommendation early (10/1-11/31 or later)
• Enroll some classes to show additional interest and commmitment to your transfer major even they are non-trasnferrable (but requriement first).
• Reach out to target universities to show your interests. Ask questions about its campus and seek for campus tours.

During Spring Semester – Post-application

• Apply FAFSA for all the colleges you might go before FAFSA Deadline.
• Visit target universities to get familiar with them and surrounding areas for your final transfer decision.
• If you received an offer and you would to repsond after its acceptance deadline, ask for exetension to your acceptance deadline if needed.

During Spring Semester and Summer Break – Post-Acceptance

• IMPORTANT! Attand transfer-student orientation and acadmic advisory.
• Figure out the total number of credits transfered from pre-transfer colleges and credits requried for the bachelor’s degree.
• Visit the financial office to verify your tuition, finanical aid and loan options.
• If you are moving out, start looking for housing and estimate your monthly living expenses.
• Talk to your family and friends about the decision.
• Discuss with your parents on a plan to pay your tuition and living expenses.

Happy transfer

Need someone to keep you on track and help you on your uncertain transfer journey? Make an appointment with me. Talk to you soon!

The Perfect Two-Year College Transfer Timeline (Infographic)

In this post, I walk through the timeline (infographic) of a 2-year college transfer plan. Preferably, you want to start your transfer process when you are still in high school, so you are not late to join other transfer-driven community college students.

Starting early comes with advantages –

1. you get the not-so-new student status which means you don’t need to enroll again, and your 3 credits will grant you an earlier registration date
2. you get familiar with the campus and resources
3. bonus, if you are still applying for universities, you may earn some low-cost credits and graduate early
4. basically, there’s no downside except for you have to finish your senior homework with less time but… you don’t have homework…seniors

In High School Senior Year

• Visit some local community colleges (e.g. California CC) and explore online campus options (e.g. California VC).
• Apply FAFSA for all the colleges you might go to before FAFSA Deadline.
• Get support from family and friends. Share your plan with them. If you don’t know where to start, read THIS.
• Apply and enroll in a community college for their Spring and Summer terms as soon as you decide to take on the transfer path.

After Collge Enrollment – Warmup

• Start gathering documents (e.g HS transcript and/or AP scores) and prepare for placement exams so you can skip some classes in a sequence (e.g. Math or English).
• Get familiar with the college credit system and know what counts toward transfer and what does not. You do not want to take any non-transferable courses unless you want to just do it for fun.
• Research for easy GE courses on RateMyProfessors.com to start. DO NOT start any major requirement, you are not ready yet.
• Register your first class during Spring (during Senior) or Summer (after graduation).
• Check out any student support program that will give you an edge. You can usually find a whole webpage for student support services that are free for all registered students. E.g. Pasadena City College Success Center.

1st Year at Pre-Transfer College

During Summer/Fall Semester – Position Well

• Familiarize yourself with college-level courses and their structures. They are usually easier than high school classes but require a different set of skills.
• Focus on your academic and craft your college-level study skills. Download 7 Tips to Effective Study to learn more.
• Aggregate resources and academic supports on campus in the first month and uses them for the next 2 years. E.g. De Anza College Student Success Center.
• Get used to the campus academic calendar. Mark the dates on semester start, semester end, registration periods, last day to change P/NP, last day to withdraw w/o a W, and last day to withdraw w/ a W.
• Establish a study group and study routine.

During Winter/Spring Semester – Get on Track

• Apply FAFSA for all the colleges you might go to before FAFSA Deadline.
• Make an appointment with a counselor to make sure you are on track to transfer.
• Talk to 2nd-year pre-transfer students who have the same transfer goal (i.e. university and major) to learn from their experiences.
• Form a board of advisors including the friendliest counselor on campus, successful 2nd-year pre-transfer students, the study mania, the wellness guru…etc.
• Attend 1+ college transfer presentation (you can usually find it at your campus transfer center).
• Talk to 2+ college representatives to learn about different college transfer programs, e.g., TAG and CCC-ADT.
• Make adjustments for the second year accordingly.
• Maintain records of your course syllabi in Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Find a balanced life – Explore new places and ideas. Find people with similar interests and talk about what they have in plan.

2nd Year at Pre-Transfer College

During Summer/Fall Semester – Transfer Application

• Focus on your academic and continue to do well in class. Download 7 Tips to Effective Study to learn more.
• Reach 30 units before the Summer semester ends if you have not.
• Apply Transfer Admission Guarantee aka TAG (if transferring in California) and other transfer programs that you can find from your community college transfer center (8/1-9/30).
• Make an appointment with a counselor to make sure you are on track to transfer.
• Talk to university representatives from your target universities to make sure you are on track and learn how to strengthen your transfer application.
• Start collecting ideas for your college transfer essay. Find UC prompts, and NYU/USC/Stanford prompts by adding the college to your Common App.
• Start application profiles on Common App, UC Application, or find the designated application system your target university uses (10/1-11/31 or later).
• Ask professors for letters of recommendation early (10/1-11/31 or later)
• Enroll in some classes to show additional interest and commitment to your transfer major, even if they are non-transferrable (but requirement first).
• Reach out to target universities to show your interests. Ask questions about its campus and seek campus tours.

During Spring Semester – Post-application

• Apply FAFSA for all the colleges you might go to before FAFSA Deadline.
• Visit target universities to get familiar with them and surrounding areas for your final transfer decision.
• If you received an offer and you would like to respond after its acceptance deadline, ask for an extension to your acceptance deadline if needed.

During Spring Semester and Summer Break – Post-Acceptance

• IMPORTANT! Attend transfer-student orientation and academic advisory.
• Figure out the total number of credits transferred from pre-transfer colleges and credits required for the bachelor’s degree.
• Visit the financial office to verify your tuition, financial aid, and loan options.
• If you are moving out, start looking for housing and estimate your monthly living expenses.
• Talk to your family and friends about the decision.
• Discuss with your parents a plan to pay your tuition and living expenses.

Happy transfer

Need someone to keep you on track and help you on your uncertain transfer journey? Make an appointment with me. Talk to you soon!

2-Year College Transfer Timeline Infographic

What are some simple tricks to pass an exam without studying for it?

I know exactly what you are asking for.

Unfortunately, to get an A on an exam without studying is impossible unless you cheat. But that’s not what you are asking for, you just want to pass.

But passing exams without studying is totally possible.

Here’s how:

1. Pay attention in class and try to anticipate what your teacher might test you on based on voice tone, repeating sentences/words…etc.
2. Ask all your questions at the end of the class and leave no misunderstand behind at the end of the day.

Bonus: Preview a class and write down some questions you have.

Do all that and you don’t need to study to pass exams (again, just to pass). To get an A you do need to study unless you have a photographic memory.

Is an SAT score more important than a high school GPA for college admissions?

You are looking at the competitive college admissions wrong.

Competitive colleges NEVER emphasize one item more than another. They look at your overall character.

That means EVERYTHING. But that doesn’t mean you need to be good at everything but you continue to develop your character and manage student basic responsibilities such as school attendance and class performance.

Instead of thinking about that whether SAT or GPA is what colleges want to see, I want you to think about what do YOU want to show colleges?

For examples:

• If your GPA is not good because of bad class choices or teachers, but you are confident with your academic ability, score high on your SAT and prove it.
• If you are not good at test-taking but do well in a classroom setting then talk to your teachers for extra credit or seek improvement from time to time to get a good GPA.

More importantly, think that every student only has 24 hours a day.

No one is going to be The capital/chair/president of something + 4.0 GPA + 1600 SAT and neither do you. Colleges do not expect to see that either (that often means the student got A LOT of help and that usually backstabs them)

Take a look at the list below and develop a character that you are comfortable building:

Instruction:

1. Go through each item and write down what has been accomplished or aim to accomplish this year
   • If you know the information then record it.
   • If you have not thought about or you will do in the future then write down the time you are going to work on it.
2. Depending on your grade level, count how many years you have until your graduation from high school. For example, if you are a starting sophomore then you have three years.
3. Go through each item again and write down what do you think you can achieve in the number of years you have left in high school.
   • If you are not sure about it or you are unable to think of a concrete idea, just brainstorming notes are fine

LIST:

• Academic Record:
  • GPA
  • Class Rank (if any)
  • Rigor of Curriculum (AP/Honor)
• Standardized Test Scores:
  • SAT
  • ACT
  • SAT2
  • AP Exam
  • Other
• Engagement Outside of the Classroom:
  • Extra-Curricular Activities
  • Community Service
  • Work Experience or Creative Project
  • Other
• Personal Qualities:
  • Letter of Recommendation
  • College Essays (Theme)
  • Counselor Interview Report
  • Other
• Hooks and Institutional Priorities:
  • Legacy Connection
  • Donation Potential
  • Underrepresented Ethnicity
  • Socioeconomic/
  • Geographic Background
  • Exceptional Talents
  • Level of Interest

admission pro tip #1 – volunteer opportunities

In this post, I want to bring a new perspective to look at volunteering (if you are in HS) or internships (if you are in college). If you are struggling to find the motivation or the meaning to do community service, this post will help you to navigate through the noises and find the right reason for it.

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Let’s look at these three students:

Adam is Boys State delegate, VP of student council, and lead actor in regional production of Grease. Counselor notes theater is a college interest and that he’s talented in both musicals and plays.

Bryn is debate president, field hockey co-captain, and is taking self-taught, online Mandarin classes. Latin teacher says she has a knack for quickly learning languages.

Corey is choir secretary, a varsity softball player, and yearbook treasurer. Her counselor notes her impact in changing school social dynamic by solely persuading peers to abolish exclusive class yearbook superlatives and instead allow EACH student to name his own. (Corey has awarded herself “Class Upcycler.”)

Corey’s title is not as prestigious as VP or co-captain but the impact described by her counselor shows her character and deep commitment to changing the social dynamic.

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Most students look at volunteering as a graduation or admission requirement. These students tend to accumulate a lot of “volunteering hours” with a “prestigious title” like the president of a “Newly-Founded Organization.”

If you feel pressured to stand out, you are probably not doing it right. Do what you enjoy and have fun doing the most, whether is conventional or not. College admissions are very competitive but they are looking for students who truly do the volunteering work because they care. Therefore, they are more likely to continue to contribute when they are in college and bring impact to their campus.

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When you find your interests and participate in the opportunities that show your work and strength, colleges see your character and commitment to a cause.

Participate in community services that you enjoy and have fun with.

• Identify what excites you
• Get recognition and feedback on your strengths and impect
• Connect with people and communities who want to see you succeed for recomendation and referral

I encourage you to recognize what makes your heart beat, what makes you lose track of time, what pulls you out of bed in the morning. You need to be doing something but that doesn’t mean you need to be doing everything.

Be contributive and do your best at whatever you do and related opportunities will continue to show up. Eventually, you will have an application that really stands out, however, not becasue of many prestigious titles but the journey of road less traveled and the character you have become.

college transfer pro tip #3 – college is not high school

In this post, I discuss the main difference between high school and community college and how you can adjust to it.

After helping many students transfer from Pasadena City College (PCC), Santa Monica College (SMC), and Mt San Antonio College (MtSACT), I found out that students who understood the difference had a less hard time during the transfer period.

And if you just started to go to community college, this is a perfect time to read this post and start taking some responsibility for your education. You will be better off while transferring and WAY BETTER OFF after transfer.

1. High school is a place for learning, community college is a place to work.

In high school, you are led by teachers, principals, and guidance counselors who tell you what to do and when to do it. In community college you are expected to take the initiative in planning your education and following through with it.

2. High school students expect their education to come easy, community college students come to work hard.

In high school you are given a set amount of time to complete your homework and projects; in community college, you need to be able to manage your time effectively and allow yourself more than enough time for each assignment.

3. High school students need to realize that it is important to be social as well as study, community college students need to forget about the “social” aspect and focus on their education.

In high school you are supposed to learn what you need for your future career or broad spectrum of interests; however in community college, all that matters is what you choose to major in.

In order to get into a top university, is it better to be at the top of your class at a mediocre high school, or near the top of a prestigious high school?

It’s all circumstantial.

That means, to college admission, it does not matter where you go for high school, but what did you do in the context of your environment and resources.

In most cases, students don’t have a say in which school to attend due to school district or parent choice.

So if you do have options, you are the lucky few and it’s an important choice.

1. Think about your interests and strengths (or even weaknesses), and write them down.
2. Maybe even your career aspirations. Write them down.

Look at each school carefully, and see what they offer to students, including on-campus curricula and activities, faculty and facility, and most importantly, your potential peers (are they nice? or all jerks?).

Choose the high school that will elevate your learning experience because they have the right opportunities and resources for who you are and what you want to do in the future.

I assume when you say “the top,” you mean academically.

The truth is, to colleges, “being the top” can mean various things. As long as a student is developing the best self and showing actions to prepare for their future, you are at the top, musically, artistically, athletically, academically…etc. You name it.

So, you want to pick your battleground (the right high school) carefully. Find an environment where you will be “the top” because the high school has what you need to become The Top of your version.

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Here are 7 factors to consider when choosing a high school:

1. Curriculum

What are the classes you can take? How will they fit into your schedule? What requirements do you need to graduate from that high school, and how does it align with your post-secondary plans? For example, if you want to study music in college, an academic requirement is going to be a basic music appreciation course.

2. Class Size

How many students are in a class? What experience do the teachers have? How will that work for you? For example, if you’re a high-achieving student who needs time with your teachers to build relationships and ask questions, would going from a class size of 20 to 30 hinder your ability to succeed in a class?

3. Extracurriculars

What options are available to you as a student, beyond basic academics? Are there activities for which you’re passionate about that will allow you to become involved in those fields? For example, if you want to be part of a music ensemble or play sports through high school, how many options are available?

4. Co-Curriculars

What opportunities exist to collaborate with other students beyond learning in a class setting? For example, if you’re interested in helping out younger students as an extracurricular activity, does the high school have a mentor program or similar offering?

5. Specialized Programs

What programs or opportunities exist for you to do something that sets you apart from other students in your class? For example, if you’re a writer and want to apply for an internship through your high school, would the high school have staff who know where those opportunities are available locally?

6. Resources

What resources beyond the classroom is the school able to offer you? For example, do you need physical therapy at the beginning of the day? Is there an opportunity for students like yourself to get that type of care on or near campus?

7. Location

Is there a location where you’ll want to stay, or is flexibility important to you? For example, if you’re an athlete, is it important for you to stay close to training facilities if your high school has more than one campus?

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I am glad you are asking this question, that means you are thinking and I think you will do great. Keep going!