What should my student do their freshman year of high school to prepare for college?

* Build strong academic, language, mathematics and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses.
* Study hard and get excellent grades.
* Strengthen your vocabulary by increasing your reading.
* Become involved in co-curricular activities.
* Meet your high school guidance counselor and discuss your plans for the next four years.
* Browse through college literature or surf the Web to get an idea of what kinds of schools may be of interest to you.
* Check out what high school courses colleges require.
* Know NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) requirements if you want to play sports in college.
* Keep an academic portfolio and co-curricular record.
* Research career possibilities.
* Begin saving money for college.

Adapted from the National Association for College Admission Counseling