What Sophomores Should Be Doing Right Now to Prepare for College Admissions

Michelle Marks
Jan 26
3 min read

If you’re in 10th grade, college might feel far away — but this is actually one of the most important (and underrated) years in the admissions journey. Sophomore year isn’t about obsessing over applications yet. It’s about building the foundation that makes everything easier junior and senior year.

Here’s what truly matters right now.

1. Focus on Grades — This Is Core GPA Time

Sophomore year grades count just as much as junior year, and colleges look closely at your overall trend.

What to do:

Take your classes seriously, especially core subjects (math, science, English, social studies, world language).
If you struggled freshman year, this is your comeback year. An upward trend looks great.
Don’t overload yourself with hard classes if it tanks your grades. Rigor matters, but strong performance matters more.

Pro tip: Start learning how you study best. Junior year gets harder — the habits you build now will save you later.

2. Start Exploring Interests (Not “Impressing Colleges”)

You do not need a “passion project” yet. You need exploration.

Colleges love students who grow into interests over time — not random activities thrown together senior year.

Try things like:

Clubs you’re curious about
A sport (school or outside)
Volunteering in different areas
Creative stuff: art, writing, music, coding, building things
Academic competitions or subject clubs

Ask yourself:

“What do I actually enjoy doing when no one is grading me?”

That’s where long-term activities usually come from.

3. Don’t Just Join — Get Involved

It’s not about how many clubs you join. It’s about depth.

Instead of: 8 clubs, barely attending

Aim for: 2–4 activities you actually care about

This year’s goal: Become a reliable member — someone who shows up, helps out, and becomes known. Leadership later grows from this.

4. Build Strong Relationships with Teachers

You’ll need recommendation letters later. Sophomore year teachers can become great advocates.

You don’t have to be the loudest student — just:

Participate sometimes
Ask questions
Go to extra help when needed
Show effort

You want teachers to think:

“I’ve seen this student grow.”

That leads to much stronger letters than just being “quiet and got an A.”

5. Light Career & Major Exploration (No Pressure)

You do not need to pick a major. But start noticing patterns.

Pay attention to:

Classes you like vs. just tolerate
Problems you enjoy solving
Topics you research for fun

Try:

Watching day-in-the-life videos of different careers
Talking to adults about what they actually do at work
Summer programs, workshops, or camps (if available)

This helps you make smarter choices later — like which activities or classes to go deeper in.

6. Use Summers Wisely (But Not Perfectly)

The summer after sophomore year is valuable — but it doesn’t need to be “impressive.”

Good options:

A job (colleges LOVE responsibility)
Volunteering regularly
A class or camp in an area you like
Interning or job shadowing in a field of interest
Helping family (this absolutely counts)

The key is: do something consistent.

7. Stay Off the Comparison Rollercoaster

Sophomore year is when people start saying things like:

“I need 10 APs”
“I started a nonprofit”
“I already know my major”

Most of that is noise.

Colleges don’t admit “most activities” or “most stressed.” They admit students who:

Did well academically
Got meaningfully involved
Grew over time
Seem like real humans, not resumes

You are building a story, not a stats list.

9. Take Care of Your Life Outside School

Burned-out students don’t write great essays or enjoy college.

Sleep. Have friends. Do things just for fun. Learn how to manage stress now — that skill matters more than one extra club.

The Big Picture

Sophomore year is about:

✅ Strong grades

✅ Trying new things

✅ Going deeper in a few activities

✅ Building good habits

✅ Becoming more you

You’re not behind. You’re not supposed to have it all figured out. You’re just laying bricks — and the house gets built later.

Students who start steadily in 10th grade often end up way less stressed senior year with more time to enjoy their high school experience.