Preparing Your Student for First Year of High School with Huntington

The first year of high school is an adjustment for many students. High school classes are harder, teachers have higher expectations, and students often find it challenging to balance their school responsibilities with their extracurricular activities and social
lives.

Mindy Enkhbayar of the Lincoln Park Huntington Learning Center says that there are several ways parents can prepare their students for the changes on the horizon. “Middle school teachers strive to equip students with a strong academic foundation and study skills that are essential for high school, and parents can definitely support those efforts,” she says. “Parents should start talking with their children in middle school about what it takes to do well in high school and continue to have those conversations from freshman year onward. Having good study habits and routines is also integral to high school students’ success, and parents can encourage those kinds of things at home.”

What can you do to help your soon-to-be high school freshman get ready for high school? Enkhbayar offers these suggestions:

Discuss what teachers expect from high school freshmen. High school teachers are looking for students to take full ownership of their education. This includes asking questions when they don’t understand something and going to see teachers outside of class when necessary. Your student might need teacher recommendation letters when applying to college, so establishing that rapport with teachers early on is both smart and beneficial.

Encourage time management and organization. Students who slip into bad habits overlook important dates and deadlines, waste time, and misplace homework and class materials. Have your student develop a system to store the papers they need every day. Your student should use a planner or homework app to record all assignments, test and quiz dates, and project deadlines. Your student should plan out their time daily—for homework, extracurricular activities, downtime and any other responsibilities.

Teach your student how to prioritize. They’ll maximize their productivity if they spend a few minutes at the start of every study session prioritizing their to-dos. Have your new high schooler rank their hardest and soonest tests/quizzes/homework and develop a nightly action plan.

Set college goals early. Freshman year might seem early to talk about college, but the reality is that students who have higher education aspirations need to make the most of all four years of high school. If your student has their heart set on a selective college,
together, you should review that college’s admitted freshman class profile and make sure your student starts out on the right track to put in the work required from freshman year onward. If your student has a specific career interest, they should take relevant classes to explore it and demonstrate that interest on their transcript.

High school is a big step up in rigor and responsibility, and Enkhbayar says that the transition from middle school isn’t smooth for every student. “It can take a little while for students to find their footing,” she says. “However, some quickly realize that their study skills are lacking, and the pace of learning is overwhelming. Students should ask for help right away when high school classes become difficult, but many students struggle in silence for too long.”

Huntington helps high school students establish a solid foundation for success. Whether your student wants to build strong study skills or needs to close any learning gaps, we can support them as a new freshman and as they continue their high school journey.

Huntington also offers high school entrance exam prep for the SSAT, ISEE, HSPT and HSEE and college entrance exam prep for the SAT and ACT. Call Huntington at (773) 348-4444 today to enroll your student.