| Getting into college is a process that can be time | | | | retention. A "killer question" would be the question |
| consuming, but like any good project or business plan, | | | | that the student hopes the teacher never asks, |
| if students take the necessary time to prepare, | | | | because they don't know the answer. If they can |
| spread the work out over time, and practice their | | | | ask of themselves the hardest questions that they |
| skills, they will find greater success and more open | | | | know, but then answer those same questions, |
| doors for college. Approaching college readiness in the | | | | students will learn to connect pieces of information |
| sophomore year as if it were a business plan is an | | | | that will make true learning come to life. |
| appropriate way to help your high school sophomore | | | | The sophomore year should also include focused |
| take these necessary steps. Planning ahead will give | | | | reading of written works that lead to a deeper |
| your student more options and better results. There | | | | understanding of the subjects they are studying. |
| are several elements to incorporate in an effective | | | | Biographies, classic literature, historical texts, etc. can |
| plan such as preparing adequately for standardized | | | | all enhance the learning of core subjects in school. |
| tests, learning to think critically, expanding general | | | | When a student can add to their knowledge base by |
| knowledge base, and developing habits of reading | | | | taking a more broad look into these core areas of |
| and studying effectively. These elements, when | | | | study, they will not only do better on standardized |
| started early, become life-long learning tools. | | | | tests and core class work, but they will also learn to |
| Standardized tests are a part of every college | | | | see cause and effect more quickly, develop |
| application process, and the more that your student | | | | reasoning skills more readily, and see the patterns |
| is prepared in this area, the better off he or she will | | | | that tie school subjects together with the world |
| be. Standardized test scores, such as the SAT, ACT, | | | | around them. These works would be in addition to |
| and PSAT are in part a factor of what your student | | | | any assigned texts, but can easily be managed if the |
| knows, but also in large part, a factor of how well | | | | student learns to speed read during this time. Speed |
| they test and how familiar they are with the testing | | | | reading is an invaluable tool that students will use |
| process. Practicing the testing process by taking | | | | throughout their academic and professional career, so |
| multiple iterations of these tests will help to remove | | | | beginning the habit in the sophomore year is highly |
| test anxiety that result from uncertainty of the | | | | recommended if the student has not done so prior |
| process. It is a myth that students are only allowed | | | | to this. |
| to take these tests on one occasion. In fact, | | | | Adequate preparation for college includes much more |
| students' scores can be increased substantially over | | | | than a checklist of the core subjects in high school. |
| time by repeat testing, and colleges do not fault a | | | | Students and parents are finding this to be true as |
| student for going that extra mile to succeed. So if | | | | the current dropout rate the first year of college is 1 |
| you have not had your student begin his or her | | | | in 3. The costs to families in lost expenses as they |
| standardized testing by this time, it is strongly | | | | send students off to college who are not ready to |
| encouraged that the sophomore year begins this | | | | operate on that level of learning are approaching the |
| process. Students should take one set of SAT and | | | | billions. However, if a student leaves home prepared |
| ACT tests in the fall, along with the PSAT, which is | | | | to score well on tests because they have developed |
| only offered in the fall. In the spring of the | | | | higher-level thinking skills, increased their knowledge |
| sophomore year, they should test again on the SAT | | | | base to include not only facts, but reasoning, and |
| and ACT. At this point, it does not require test | | | | they have learned effective study habits and reading |
| preparation. The goal for this sophomore year is to | | | | skills with which to tackle college work, they will have |
| get a base-line set of scores and begin to knock out | | | | no learning hurdles to face in college. The student |
| some of the test anxiety, replacing it with test | | | | who begins to use these strategies as a sophomore |
| familiarity. | | | | will also have the time during high school to pursue |
| Also in the sophomore year, students should work to | | | | the courses necessary to round out their studies and |
| incorporate advanced thinking skills into their | | | | the time management skills to include them into their |
| coursework. They should begin to focus on | | | | day to day learning. |
| developing study habits that are effective and lead | | | | Presenting a better picture of your student for |
| to long-term learning. Learning programs that | | | | college applications is a profitable task, and more |
| integrate the brain's natural learning methods with | | | | colleges will be interested in students who have |
| solid study habits are best suited to this type of | | | | taken the time to package themselves, not only on |
| higher thinking skills. For instance, by asking what is | | | | paper, but also in skill sets. Beginning this process in |
| called "killer questions" and then developing the | | | | the sophomore year is an excellent time to map out |
| answers for themselves, a student will begin to use | | | | the path towards college, set specific goals, and |
| the higher level thinking that requires them to dig out | | | | begin to implement the necessary steps to achieve |
| the answers, to engage their minds with more | | | | them. |
| attention to detail, and this increases long-term | | | | |