Everything you learn each year you’re in high school prepares you for the next; and all of your high school work will help to prepare you for the courses you’ll take in college. Don’t let others convince you that it doesn’t matter yet. It is all about getting an education, after all.

Keeping your grades up is important for your future. We’re not suggesting that you do nothing but study, but be honest with yourself and spend the time you need to keep up with your studies.

Now that you’ve made it through one year of high school, it’s a good time for you to go back over your plan for your high school years to make sure you stay on track with your college-prep courses. Get advice from your high school counselor about your plan, and perhaps review UT Austin’s high school coursework requirements with him or her.

Although official requirements may change from year to year and may vary from one college/university to another, if you focus on taking the classes that offer you the most academic challenges, you should be ready to go when you graduate.

In case you didn’t know this already, you’ll have to write some essays when you apply for admission. Writing ability is a big indicator of potential success in college-level courses; universities see good writing as a sign of a mind at work.

Although writing well doesn’t come naturally to everyone, the ability to write clearly and to make points in your writing is something that anyone can learn – but it takes time.

Ask all of your teachers for feedback on your writing assignments. Good teachers understand the value of good writing in all disciplines and how much of a difference it can make in college success. Besides, think about how much they love it when someone asks for help and wants to go beyond just what’s needed.

Now that you’ve spent a year in high school, you should have some idea about what interests you other than your classes.

• Build on last year’s successes. If you tried out some groups or volunteer activities in your freshman year that seemed really right for you, now’s the time to get more involved. Find out how to do more than just attend meetings. Volunteer to lead groups, take on some additional responsibilities, or make suggestions that you’re willing to see through to completion. Your goal should be to find out what you care about and spend your years in high school committed to making those things work.
• A change in plans? If you tried out some groups or activities in your freshman year that you wish you hadn’t wasted your time on, now’s the time to make the switch to something you can really care about. Although four years in one area is best, you can still accomplish a lot in three years. But don’t make the same mistake again; do your homework before joining a group. Speak to students who are already involved to find out what it’s really like. Talk to the teacher who serves as the group’s sponsor to find out what opportunities are available.
  
  You won’t be able to accomplish much in any group or activity if you switch around every year. So now’s the time to find what really works for you and make a decision to stick to it.
• Expand your horizons. What if you tried a couple of things last year, but something else seems interesting to you now? Go ahead and take it on, too. Many students are involved in several different organizations and activities throughout their high school careers. Again, it’s not a good idea to keep moving around – in other words, don’t stop one thing that you enjoy just to try another – but taking on something new can be a good thing.
• Take it outside. Remember that it’s not just school activities that mean something. Get involved in your community or faith-based activities, too. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Boys & Girls Club, 4-H, Girl Scouts, and Boy Scouts are sometimes connected to a church, mosque, or synagogue rather than to a school. All of these count, as well as simply volunteering at your place of worship. Don’t have a place of worship? Seek out activities in your neighborhood, town, or city. Universities don’t care where you get involved – just that you do.
• Take the lead. And here’s a tip: it’s not just about being a member. Membership is OK in some things – but it’s also important to find your niche and become a leader. Last year might have been the year where you were trying to get your footing in high school, but now’s the time to put your head down and get to work.

Some high schools offer testing programs to help identify student academic strengths and needs; some of them even include career interest components that help students to identify possible careers that will fit their abilities and interests.

Speak with your high school counselor to see what might be available to you. Thinking about what you’re interested in and what you might be good at and enjoy as a career can help you to do a better job of selecting high school courses that will prepare you for your undergraduate studies.

Although most students traditionally put off campus visits until their junior year in high school, there are some interesting things you can do online to learn about UT Austin. Visit the Why UT section for information about majors, campus life, Austin, and much more.

If you’d like to hear from someone who really knows what life on campus is like, read our Be a Longhorn student profiles or keep up with our Longhorn Confidential bloggers.

Numerous departments on campus offer a variety of opportunities for students to participate in learning opportunities on campus long before they are ready to apply for admission. Academic departments hold informational events for students to learn more about certain careers and possible majors. Others offer summer camp options related to academic interests; music, theatre, and dance; media and technology; leadership; and more.

Find out which of these might interest you on the Pre-College Camps & Events page.

When you apply for admission to UT Austin, you’ll be asked to select both a first-choice and a second-choice major. To help you make that decision, it might be a good idea for you to do a bit of research ahead of time – both about available UT Austin majors and about what your interests are.

Visit the Selecting a Major page for more advice.

Talk to your parents about options for paying for college.

Find out what contributions your family can make – but don’t let the need for money from other sources discourage you. Financial aid is available in many forms. Scholarships and grants provide free money – that means you won’t have to pay it back. Many students also work part-time during high school and throughout college to help make ends meet. And if you still have a money gap, low-interest loans will also be available to you and your family.