The sophomore slump is one of the most common and problematic hurdles that a high school student faces. It is also entirely avoidable and fixable.
In order to recover from — and prevent — a sophomore slump, it is important to understand the cause of this phenomenon and the steps you can take to reach success once more.
1. Why do sophomore slumps occur? The first year of high school is often an exciting time. You settle into new surroundings, meet new teachers, establish a new routine and make new friends. High school is also quite a leap from middle school, both in terms of academic difficulty and the level of independence expected of students.
Many students carefully prepare for their freshman year, and this can encourage the development of a clear-cut set of goals that students have a plan to meet.
Check out [three ways high school counselors can help students and parents.]
However, students may not feel as motivated once they reach sophomore year. After all, high school is no longer new at this point, and effort can wane without the push that comes from trying to prove yourself in a new environment.
The thought of three more years of high school can make completing assignments, studying for tests and other such responsibilities seem like a grind. Your performance can subsequently suffer, leading to a sophomore slump.
2. Why is sophomore year so important? The first step in avoiding a sophomore slump is to recognize the importance of your sophomore year. Sophomore year is a prime opportunity to build on the content and skills you learned as a freshman and to work toward performing at your peak as a junior.
If you regress as a sophomore, you may find yourself struggling to strengthen your academic record in your junior year rather than focusing on ACT and SAT prep, as well as AP, IB and honors courses. This can negatively affect your college applications.
[Here are four reasons high schoolers should build strong teacher relationships.]
3. How can I recover from a sophomore slump? If you find yourself mired in a sophomore slump, the most important thing to remember is that it is not the end of the world. Sophomore year is important, but not as important as your junior year. While it is not an ideal situation, a strong recovery during your junior year can do quite a bit to reverse the effects of a sophomore slump.
To successfully recover, you first need to review your sophomore year. Honestly assess your effort. It can be difficult to admit that you did not try as hard as you could have, but if you honestly feel that your sophomore slump was the result of your absolute best effort, you might have little reason to believe that you can improve.
In either case, take proactive steps to improve both your effort and your performance and to find a new source of motivation.
Take a moment to think about what is most important to you right now. Your motivation might lie in improving your competitiveness for college, or in proving to yourself that your sophomore slump was not indicative of your abilities as a student.
A student of mine, once, after drifting his way through his sophomore year Latin class, recovered to score a 5 on the AP Latin Exam as a junior and has used that as a springboard to an extremely successful senior year.
Once you settle on a new motivation, set several short-term goals that will help you achieve this vision.
[Take this college application process quiz.]
For instance, perhaps you would like to raise your English grade to a B. To do so, you might decide to complete all of your outstanding homework assignments within one month, and to begin studying for all test two weeks in advance. When you reach your goals, be sure to reward yourself.
You can also reach out to your teachers and to your guidance counselor for their advice. Ask how you can improve in their classes — if applicable — as well as whether they can recommend specific resources or supports.
As with most things in life, perspective is key. What may seem like an impossibly long sophomore year becomes a valuable period of growth when you reframe high school as a four-year journey.
If you find yourself having to rebound from a sophomore slump, what may first seem like an impossible position can become more manageable when you consider that a strong recovery and an excellent record of junior-year achievement can turn your slump into a small bump in the road.
High school is a marathon — not a sprint — and sophomore year is just one part of this journey. How you adapt and adjust during this journey is what will ultimately impress colleges most.
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Know How to Recover from a High School Sophomore Slump originally appeared on usnews.com
