How to Make the Most of High School to Prepare for University

Introduction

Are you a freshman, sophomore, or junior who still feels lost when it comes to preparing for university? Do you keep telling yourself, “I’ll worry about it later,” but that later never seems to arrive? The truth is, you don’t need to wait until your final year to get started. With just 1–2 years of focused effort, you can build a strong university portfolio and set yourself up for success.

The Importance of Starting Early

Time plays a major role in the importance of starting early for university preparation. Having more time allows you to build a well-rounded profile—strong academics, extracurriculars, leadership roles, and volunteer experience. Studies show that around 57% of high school students begin developing their personal portfolios or profiles by the end of junior year or start of senior year. This is often inefficient and can result in rushed work on elements that could have been thoughtfully developed over time. Starting early also opens doors to valuable opportunities, such as internships, summer programs, scholarships, and even early college courses. Moreover, it gives you the chance to explore various subjects, clubs, and career paths—helping you discover what you truly enjoy and may want to pursue in the future.

Exploring Career Interests

High school is the perfect time to explore different career paths—even if you’re not sure what you want to do yet. Start by asking yourself simple questions: What subjects do I enjoy most? Do I prefer working with people, data, designs, or ideas? Then, take action. You can attend career talks, shadow professionals, or watch YouTube videos that break down a day in the life of different jobs. Additionally, students can research specific jobs and check if the job description is fitting to their interests.

Steps You Can Take Today

Research at Portland State University showed students using e-portfolios gained deeper awareness of their academic journey. They better connected coursework to personal goals and began attending college for personal and professional growth—not just a degree. Using personal experience, I made a portfolio pdf where the pages include college courses, future universities, and current academics to keep track of my personal portfolio. Another step high schoolers can do is research about future universities, which helps understand admission requirements and targeting the right programs.

Sources:

- Main website of Portland State University

- MDPI Study on Academic Portfolio Systems