If you’re planning on going to college and in search of a smooth transition out of high school, there may be things you haven’t considered when making plans for the upcoming school year.
Senior Year Grades Matter
You’ve been working hard for three years now to have a high G.P.A. and you’re probably thinking being a senior means you get the chance to take it easy. Even though you’ll be applying to colleges early in your senior year (if you haven’t already), admissions offices still see the grades you make in your last high school classes and can take them into consideration when reviewing your transcripts.
Your Social Media Presence
Even when you’re in high school and applying for that part-time job at Taco Bell, hiring managers can look at your social media accounts and make decisions based on what they find. College admissions offices can do the same. You’ll want to make sure you present the best version of yourself online, just as you would if you were meeting Beyoncé in person.
How to Manage Your Time
Whether you’re starting a new job or taking classes, you have to know how to manage your time well. It’s a skill you will need and use almost every day for the rest of your life. My go-to time management tools are calendars on my phone so I can set reminders. There are lots of apps out there that can help with this, but it’s also important to learn how long specific tasks will take so you can plan ahead.
Email Etiquette
The way we text and post on social is not the way we should communicate with email. Email is usually reserved for more professional communications and if you’re using a lot of emojis in emails to your professors, they aren’t going to take you very seriously. Actually, most people won’t if they aren’t very familiar with who you are. When writing an email, always include a subject line that is clear and connected to the content of the email, address the recipient by name and end with your name. You should also include your phone number in your signature if the recipient needs to reach you. When you’re a student at Southeast, many professors prefer you include your name and S0# (your student ID#), so they know exactly who they are talking with and can answer your questions more accurately.
Study Techniques
Everyone learns differently, so try to determine what works best for you and look up resources online (there are tons) or talk with teachers/counselors about getting assistance. Even if you feel like you have a decent handle on studying, you may learn better from visual aids, repetition or auditory tools. Learning the best study techniques now will prepare you to balance your course work in college.
Scholarships, Scholarships, Scholarships
I was the one in high school who didn’t apply for a lot of scholarships because I didn’t want to take the time to fill out the applications. Thankfully, freshmen academic scholarships are awarded at the time of admission to Southeast to beginning freshmen who meet the eligibility requirements and application for admission deadline. You don’t have to fill out a separate application for these scholarships, which means you’ll have all that extra time to apply to others and there are A LOT! Applying to as many scholarships as possible is really important, because those awards will help you stay ahead of the game when you are out in the workforce. Explore scholarships at Southeast Missouri State University.