Yesterday was a fun day at the SSP Office! We were excited to host our first College Focus Group Discussion with a group of SSP Alums.

Our Program Officer, Jasmine Alfonseca, led the group in a discussion about their first semester at college. From classes to roommates, these college freshman were quick to offer advice to SSP students still in high school – particularly seniors.

Their 3 biggest pieces of advice?

1. Join clubs and extracurriculars early on in high school to find something you love!

Many of our college students mentioned wishing they had joined clubs or engaged in extracurricular activities earlier in their high school career. This can be helpful when applying to college – especially if you eventually obtain a leadership position in that club! It shows colleges that you are passionate about that particular activity – be it drama, a sport, the yearbook, or debate. Pick something that you really enjoy and the possibilities are endless!

2. Get to know your teachers!

Another piece of advice these students had for their peers was to get to know their teachers. By forming a relationship with these individuals, it’ll be easier to ask for a letter of recommendation when the time comes to apply for college. It’s also less stressful to ask for help when you know the teacher!

3. Study hard!

High school isn’t a cakewalk. Between the classes, homework, and clubs you’ll have a lot on your plate. Try not to lose focus on your schoolwork and never be afraid to ask for help. Our focus group echoed this idea, saying there were definitely times they found it hard to focus but that they felt better once they asked for help. Your entire school community, as well as your SSP family, want to see you succeed and are here to help you on your journey to graduation and beyond!

We at SSP would like to thank our amazing alums who spent the afternoon with us. We wish them the best of luck this semester and can’t wait to catch up with them as well as more of their classmates!