Happy almost-2024! I hope you’ve been enjoying a restful and fun week or two off from school. This is the perfect time to hang with some friends, savor some tasty food, and maybe even catch some rays somewhere beachy (it’s been so gray here in NYC, where my SAT and ACT prep business is located!).
Most of all, I REALLY encourage you to take a breather and recoup your energy, because soon it’ll be time to hit the ground running with your coursework and college process. To help you figure out how to use that energy, I decided to write you a very short list of New Year’s resolutions with a specific goal: to get you into the college at the top of your list! So, whether you’re a senior, junior, sophomore or freshman—or a parent of one of the above—you’ll leave this post with greater resolve and direction.
Article Contents
1. New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors
2. New Year’s Resolutions for Juniors
3. New Year’s Resolutions for Sophomores
New Year's Resolutions for Seniors
1) I will not lose my mind if I get deferred from my early decision school.
This is the key distinction I want you to remember: “deferred” is not the same thing as “rejected.” If your top college pick wanted to reject you, they would have rejected you. All that a deferral means is that they’ve decided to wait until regular decision to read other students’ applications before committing to admitting or rejecting you.
Your prescription: complete the rest of your applications. You can still check in, keep the college’s admissions office abreast of any new test scores or accomplishments—and you might be accepted after all. I have personally tutored PLENTY of students who ended up at Stanford, Brown, and other great schools after being deferred early decision.
2) I will wrap up any outstanding college applications.
Unless you’re already 100% certain where you'll be starting school in the fall, do NOT put this one off! If there are any applications you haven’t completed, even if the due date seems ages away, take care of them now. Do NOT wait until the deadline. Edit, proofread, get someone to read them over for you, and turn them in early!
3) I will not succumb to senioritis.
So you’ve been accepted to your #1 school. That means you can relax your studying and skip class next semester, right? Sorry, no. It is not uncommon for students to get their offers rescinded because their grades take a major dip in senior spring.
4) I will make the most out of the rest of senior year.
Make sure to use your last semester to spend time with your friends, with your family, and doing the activities you love in your home town—especially if you’ll be moving in only a few months!
Resolutions for 11th Graders
1) I will create a preliminary college list if I haven’t already.
This is a crucial first step that unlocks subsequent steps in your journey: what Target Score do I need to attain on the SAT/ACT your schools? Do your schools Super Score or allow Score Choice? etc. So get that list together. It's the first part of any solid college-application game plan.
2) I will take my first attempt at the SAT (or ACT) no later than March (or April).
You should be in the thick of prep by January and February. Don’t wait later than that. Getting a start ASAP makes sure you have enough time to schedule repeat test dates if you need them.
3) I will have the first draft of my Common Application essay done by Labor Day.
Summer is a great opportunity to get a jump start on your application! Even better? Have your Common App finished by Labor Day, and then you can spend the fall finishing your supplemental essays.
4) I will read at least 1 free-time book per month.
I mean personal reading, so this is in addition to anything you’re reading for school. Bonus points? Alternate between fiction and non-fiction so you’re well-versed for the ACT and SAT Reading sections!
Sophomore NYE Resolutions
1) I will work twice as hard in school as I did last year.
Many high schoolers take a serious academic plunge come tenth grade. But not you! If you avoid the sophomore slump, you’ll be two steps ahead of your classmates. This will set you up for success in the challenges to come.
2) I will take the time to find the activities that make my heart sing.
Haven’t found your “thing” yet? Sophomore year is perfect for trying new hobbies and extracurriculars until you find the ones that light you up. Then drop the ones you’re not passionate about to create more space for the ones you really like.
3) I will read at least 1 free-time book per month.
Your expanded vocabulary—and higher future SAT/ACT scores—will thank you later.
4) I will try to do arithmetic by myself before I pull out my calculator.
At least attempt to calculate the tip at the restaurant yourself before grabbing your smartphone calculator. Bonus points for mental math—it's impressive, seriously. (Not to mention a big help when standardized tests roll around….even if you CAN use a calculator for the Math sections, flexing your mental math muscles will only help you speed up your time!)
9th Grade Resolutions for 2024
1) I will enroll in the most challenging classes that interest me.
I’d rather you struggle at something challenging and finally realize you can do it than opt for the easy classes where you can guarantee yourself an A. And so would colleges.
2) I will try new extracurricular activities, even if I’m only “Meh” at them.
Freshman year is all about spreading your wings and finding out what you like. Don’t be afraid to fail. If you hate an activity, that’s ok! You can cut your losses and try something else. You’re now closer to figuring out where your true passions lie.
3) In fact, I will make myself try one new thing each week.
This can be as small as trying Burmese cuisine for the first time, or as big as starting to learn Russian. Just get used to trying, even if you fail.
4) I will read at least 1 free-time book each month.
(Notice a pattern here?)
Best New Year's Eve resolutions for parents
1) If my son or daughter is a senior, I will not turn into a crazy monster.
Instead, be a calm, compassionate anchor for your kid. No one is more stressed out than your high-schooler, who is riding the college rollercoaster of being accepted, deferred, and even rejected.
2) If my son or daughter is a junior, I will not turn into a crazy monster.
Instead, be a calm, compassionate anchor for your kid as they create a college list, prepare for standardized testing, and balance all this with a heavy course load and finals.
3) If my son or daughter is a sophomore, I will not turn into a crazy monster.
Instead, be a calm, compassionate anchor while your kid figures out what she loves—then support the passions she finds.
4) If my son or daughter is a freshman, I will not turn into a crazy monster.
It serves no one, least of all your high-schooler! Instead, be the voice of sanity and reason. Please. For their sake. And for yours.
