The most wonderful time of the year for the college conversation: Freshman and Sophomores

Julie Murphy, M.A., Founder, Waverly Educational Consulting 

December 20, 2021

With homework on pause, and the holidays winding down, winter break can be a perfect time for you to open a conversation about the future, with your high school freshman or sophomore. The earlier you and your student get on the same page, the more prepared you’ll both feel when it comes time to for visits, applications and decisions. Here are a few questions to help you get started.

What college-readiness resources will be available to you over the next several years? 

• Get a good baseline of how involved your student’s high school will be in the college search process. Consider additional resources outside the high school if needed.

In which subjects do you excel? What subjects could use more focus over the next several years? 

• Consider trying advanced or honors courses to help deepen areas of strength. For challenging courses or for underdeveloped study skills, help your student find support, not only to improve grades, but to learn essential skills that will be needed in the future. 

If you had to choose three careers today, what would grab your interest?

• Help your student revisit this question periodically throughout high school. They can start by identifying a few steps they can take in the next semester to explore potential careers.

What extracurricular activities do you want to join or continue over the next few years, and which ones could you drop?

• We recommend focusing on quality over quantity. Encourage your student to prioritize activities that are meaningful to them, and help them develop important skills and personal insights. 

Will you take the ACT or SAT?

• Many colleges and universities currently have test-optional policies, but the landscape of testing remains in flux.  Right now, we recommend that most students should take the ACT, SAT, or both, in their junior year.  So now is a good time to plan for test preparation if needed.  

What do you think you’ll want out of a college experience?

• Encourage your student to write down the priorities that they will use to build their college list. Consider location, distance from home, class sizes, access to professors, campus culture, athletic, club and religious opportunities, curriculum, institutional mission, etc. On-campus visits to a few local colleges can be a great way for your student to start to discover what’s important to them. 

Who will pay for college and how? 

• Start this conversation early and have it often to avoid painful misunderstandings late in the process. Read about college finances and begin to empower your student with this information as well. It is critical that you and your student are on the same page before they are admitted to their unaffordable dream school and purchasing the sweatshirt at the campus bookstore.

It can be helpful to revisit these questions from time to time. Some (rare) teenagers can talk about their future for days, but many get overwhelmed and may need time to warm up to these conversations. Remember to enjoy the process, and celebrate your student’s progress with them along the way. Before you know it, they will be taking the lead.