Sat Test

The SAT exam is an important rite of passage for all high school seniors planning on higher education. I’ve talked about it before, but it bears repeating that a high score on this test will help you get into the college of your choice. While it’s an important aspect of your entire admission packet, it’s not the only criterion that you are judged on. Colleges weed out undesirable applicants by looking at their grade point averages, their SAT scores and then their essays.

How do you keep your G.P.A. high? An important part of any class is knowing what the teacher expects from you and maintaining a working relationship with him or her. Talk in class, if you don’t understand an aspect of the curriculum then make sure you ask your teacher to clarify things. Most high school teachers set time aside outside of class time in order to help students who might need a bit of a boost in their studies. Now that the Internet is a part of our educational system, a great many teachers give out their email addresses to their students so they can contact them with any concerns they may have about their classes.

If you’re too shy to ask a face to face question, then seek out your teacher via email to ask your questions. Let your teacher know what aspects of their class you’re having trouble with. Perhaps you might also want to ask if there is some extra credit you could do to make up for some low test scores. Any way you look at it, your teacher is there to help you succeed in class. They want you to do well. Your teachers are a valuable resource for you and you need to take advantage of their help.

If your class is an Advanced Placement class, then your teacher knows that the course they are teaching is as important as a college class. Clarify any questions and concerns that you may have with them.

Another way to aid you in maintaining a high GPA is to form a study group of fellow students. You’ll find that when you’re in college that study groups are sometimes beneficial in helping students understand the material in a difficult class. Occasionally another student may grasp a concept that you do not, and that student can help you. At times you may understand something that student does not, and you can help them. It’s especially useful around test time when you can quiz each other before the exam.

As always, study, study study. Learn the material. Know what the tests will be on and finish your assignments. Don’t slack off on your responsibilities in your classes. Raise your hand when the teacher asks a question. If at all possible, sit in the front of the class so you are less able to day dream and not pay attention.

I’m not saying you should suck up to your teacher or bring that old cliché present of an apple to them every week. What I’m saying is you need to maintain a good working relationship with your teacher. Everyone likes to be listened to and made to feel important. Your teacher is no different than anyone else.

There will be times (gasp!) that you may not particularly care for a certain teacher. Personalities vary and you’re not going to get along with everyone on the planet. If this happens, do your level best to not allow this to affect your grade in that class. Continue to listen attentively, do your work and by all means take advantage of any outside classroom help that the teacher may offer. In the end, it’s not about whether or not you love your teacher, it’s about learning and it’s about the grade. Get a good grade and keep your GPA high no matter what.

In one of my last blog post I talked about Job Shadowing and how that might help a high school senior find out more information on a possible career path. If you do a job shadow, you can see just how your studies will help you land the job you want. It will also help you make your decision on what you want to study in college. Narrowing down your choices is always a good thing and might help you focus more on your studies.

Have you taken your SAT yet? Boned up on your vocabulary for the SAT ? You might want to do so and the time to start is now. While you’re practicing some new vocabulary, think about what career you might be interested in pursuing. How do you know what your future job is all about?

I mentioned in my previous blog that going on a Job Shadow is an excellent way to get a hands on experience in the career of your choice. Perhaps you live in a very small town and you don’t have the opportunity to job shadow the career you want to learn more about. If that’s the case, then you can go to the Internet or your library to find out more about the career you’re interested in. If you know someone, or have a relative in a job that interests you, then you’ve got a golden opportunity to use those resources to learn more about those careers. Ask questions, show interest and find out all you can from your friends or relatives.

If you’ve done a career assessment test, then you may already know in which career direction you’re leaning. If not, see one of my previous blogs about taking one of those tests that will help you find out which career you’d fit into best. If your high school has a career day, go! Make the most out of it. I know that kids make fun of going to career day because it might seem sort of hokey, but it’s really not. If you go and they tell you that you’re best suited to becoming a Tofu Farmer and you have zero interest in Tofu or farming, then feel free to discard that advice. If the results of your career assessment test tell you that you would make an excellent Sanitation Engineer and you feel a great affinity for garbage then go for it! Go with your heart. Follow your instincts and you’ll never go wrong.