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Your GPA
Remember your GPA (Grade Point Average) is the second most important factor colleges look at when considering applicants. How difficult your course work is just as important as how high your grades are in each class. It is very important that you take courses that challenge you, but it is just as important that you realize when an Honors or Advanced Placement course is too difficult. Your GPA can still be high if you choose a combination of both AP/Honors courses with regular courses if you score well in both. Your goal is to have the highest GPA possible and only you know when a course is too difficult or too easy, that's when it's time to really reevaluate your course plan.
Calculating Your GPA
Some colleges use your cumulative academic GPA, which is your GPA in your core academic subjects
(not counting your grades in elective courses). Others use a cumulative GPA, including your grades
in both core academic subjects and electives. Again, check with colleges that interest you to find
out which GPA calculation they use.
Grade Trends
In addition to your overall GPA, most college admission officers are also attentive to your grade
trends. While lower grades in your freshman and sophomore years weaken your overall GPA, an upward
trend in your junior and senior years is a positive sign.
Colleges do look at your senior course load and grades.
Many, if not all, colleges request senior grades before making a decision on your application,
so don't slack off during your senior year!
Your Extracurricular Activities
Your college application is looked holistically, which means it's not about having the highest
standardized test scores or GPA but what you did outside of the classroom. All students should get
involved with extracurricular activities either at your high school, through a community organization
like the YMCA, or a faith-based youth group. Students should choose activities that suit your interest.
Try different activities and if you don't like them try something else, it's important to at least find
1-2 activities that you can stick with for multiply years. Extracurricular activities are also a great
way to test out different "career paths" that interest you. Interested in Engineering? Why not try to
Robotics Club, interested in Foreign Languages? Why not be a part of your French Club or volunteer to
teach English to a non-native English speaker and practice your Spanish at the same time. Your free
time is a way to test out careers and activities that interest you the most, find one you like and
stick with it. Post-secondary institutions like students who have tried different activities and then
stay with one or two for more then one year.
Your Work Experience
Your work experience can be paid work or volunteer work. It can be babysitting a few hours a weekend,
working at the local craft store, or volunteering with animals at a shelter. Volunteer or paid work
helps show future employers, colleges, military academies and others that you are responsibly and that
they can depend on you. This helps post-secondary institutions see how responsibly you can be outside
of your academics, it helps them know that you will be a good student because you can juggle multiply
things in your life.
Summer Activities
Use your summer as a time to get a part-time job, explore interests by job-shadowing or volunteering.
Highly selective schools really look at how you use your time away from school, it helps them take a
sneak peak at your personal priorities and values.
Here are some ideas:
Volunteer
You can come into the NACRC were we will have a list available of local volunteer opportunities for
high school students. Other great places to look are VolunteerMatch.org, Servenet.org,
GreenVolunteers.com, Serve.gov
Hit the Books
Consider taking a college credit course at Coconino Community College, think about applying for a
summer academy at NAU, ask the NACRC advisors for help on looking for national summer academies you
can apply for.
College Visits
If possible, visit colleges, taking campus tours and attending information sessions wherever you can.
Get a Jump on Applications (for incoming Seniors)
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Gather catalogs and application materials, keeping track of what materials you have or need.
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Gather ideas for college-application essays by keeping a journal about significant books, issues, experiences, and thoughts.
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Go online to college websites to get an idea of what their applications require and what, if any, essay questions might be asked.
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