Here are my top 3 tips for success in choosing classes during the second semester of your sophomore or junior year:

• Always approach the process with the most knowledge possible which means you need to get advice from older students, teachers, guidance counselors and other advocates who want you to excel.

• Make sure that you are taking classes which give you the best opportunity to get an “A,” and avoid like the plague teachers who take pride in giving low grades or those who tend to flunk students. If there is a notoriously hard Advanced Placement (AP) Biology teacher at your school who never awards “A’s” to strong students, and you are not pre-med, then there is no reason to take that class if there are other “easier” AP classes offered which you can take instead.

• Also remember that you should take as many college-level classes (AP / Honors) over those “regular” classes where you can get an “easy A” because admissions officers take into consideration the quality of your high school curriculum. Make sure to get the highest GPA possible at the end of your junior year so that it will be on your transcript when you apply to colleges. Colleges care about the class rank you have when you applied to their institution; so do what you can to be the strongest candidate possible at the end of junior year.

What classes are you planning to take next year? How did you go about choosing the right classes to build your transcript?

One of the easiest things you can do in order to improve your grades is to prepare during your downtime, which includes the summer, winter, and spring break. Consider using break as a time to get ahead. When your classmates are pressing down the brakes and letting off the gas you can be gaining an advantage. I would not suggest reading ahead in a math or science class where a teacher’s explanation would be quite helpful if not mandatory, but this is a great method for your AP English Literature class or an Honors U.S. History class.

In addition to reading early for your classes you should take extensive notes on whatever you are reading so that you can easily refer to the notes during the semester. Also make sure to get the syllabus from your teacher as early as possible so that you can plan accordingly. If you know your teacher will make everyone give a presentation during the class, and it is open to you to choose when to present, always take the initiative to go first. Teachers are usually more lenient on the first presenter because they braved the storm first. So, go out there and make a great impression and go above and beyond what is asked while making sure to get permission first with what you are going to do!

Following this tip will make your semester a lot less stressful and way more enjoyable, providing more time for extra-curricular activities, as well as harder courses such as AP Calculus.

What are your favorite times to catch up on work? If you’re taking AP exams this May, how have you made time to prepare for them?

The PSAT matters. Why? Here’s the simple answer:

1. The PSAT helps you see what it will be like to take the SAT® as you head into college. In fact, a College Board study recently found that students who took the PSAT scored an average of 146 points higher on the SAT.

2. Last year, $52 million of National Merit Scholarships were given to more than 10,700 students based on their PSAT scores – this year, you could be one of them.

Understanding the PSAT

The PSAT tests math, critical reading and writing skills – just like the SAT. You can read more about the length and types of questions on the PSAT here.

When you take the PSAT, your score is ranked alongside the scores of all other students taking the PSAT across the country this year. There are a few distinctions that you can get based on your PSAT score, and having one of these distinctions not only can qualify you for a scholarship to save you major bucks on college tuition, but also will be a shining golden star on your future college applications.

50,000 students every year receive some level of distinction for their PSAT scores. Let’s talk about what you can do over the next month to become one of them.

6 Ways to Prep for the PSAT

Here are a few tips to help you build your skills before Test Day to raise your PSAT score:

1. Get to Know the Test: Click here to read about the length, questions and content of each section of the PSAT.

2. Learn Top Test Strategies: Learn the most important skills and test strategies to raise your PSAT score at one of our upcoming Live Online Workshops about What Students Needs to Know Before Taking the PSAT.

3. Build Your Vocab Skills: Building your vocabulary will help you score higher on Sentence Completion, which is one of the best ways to raise your Critical Reading score. Aim to learn 10-15 new vocabulary words each week this month and you’ll be well on your way. Here are a few ways to build your vocabulary:

• Read SAT Level Books – look up words you don’t know and practice them

• Create flash cards to quiz yourself on new words

• Practice vocab with our fun Spitcabulary game on Facebook

4. Learn Math & Reading Strategies: Check out our PSAT lessons on YouTube for free video lessons from our top Kaplan tutors. You’ll learn the most important strategies to solve math problems and answer reading questions on the PSAT.

5. Take a Practice Test: Click here and enter your zip code to find upcoming free PSAT Practice Test events near you. Taking a Practice Test is a great way to get a feel for the test and figure out what skills you should focus on this month as you prepare.

6. Take a Prep Course: We know the test and can help you score higher on the PSAT – guaranteed or your money back. Check out our PSAT prep courses here.