High School Freshman Advice: 4 Things You MUST Understand About High School (2019)

Get Very Affordable Advice From TOP Harvard, Yale, Stanford, And Other Top School Advisors On Your Application ➤ collegeadvisor.com/gregsmith
In this video, I debunk widespread myths about high school and give high school freshman advice based on my own personal experiences. I give advice on topics such as freshman year grades/GPA, extracurricular activities, making friends, and picking classes.
Whether you are hoping for college admissions advice on how to get into an Ivy League school or just want to know how to make friends, this video contains all the tips and tricks you need to do well in freshman year of high school.
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Video Sparknotes:
- You might think that because I got into Princeton, my high school experience was completely happy and successful, but you’d be… completely wrong.
- If you’re struggling academically, unsure of how to find something you’re passionate about, anxious about making friends, applying to college-- this video is for you.
- The first thing you MUST know as a freshman in high school is that colleges do NOT care that much about your freshman year grades, and you should not stress out too much about them.
- Most selective colleges actually place LESS weight on freshman year grades when they are reviewing your college application. In fact, there are rumors that Princeton and Stanford both ignore your freshman year GPA completely!
- In order to set yourself up to do well for the rest of high school, you should be taking challenging classes and doing your best in them, but it’s not worth losing friends, sleep, or quitting activities that you really enjoy to get an “A” instead of a “B” in a class freshman year.
- Freshman year is a time to experiment with new friends, activities, and interests. Freshman year is the perfect time to start discovering what your interests are, and Ivy League schools and other selective colleges DO care that you’re passionate about something.
- While freshman year is the perfect time to join clubs, it’s also the perfect time to QUIT clubs.
- Quick plug: Crimson provides top-of-the-line college consulting services, including expert advice on extracurricular activities tailored to your unique situation. They also will put together a whole team of admissions specialists to help you revise and polish your application when it comes time to apply. Check out the link above!
- Make friends with kids in the grades above you. Great ways to do this are through sports, school clubs, or even just at recess- having an older sibling who goes to your school works too.
- They will know a bunch of other things-- some examples might be the best places to hang out, best clubs to join, and best and worst cafeteria food.
- When I was in high school working incredibly hard to get into a college like Princeton, I had this vision in my head where I thought that once I got into Princeton, everything was going to be perfect.
- Making it to an Ivy League school will not change your bad habits and turn you into a great person if you aren’t one already. You will not suddenly find out what you’re passionate about in college unless you actively seek out opportunities to explore, just like in high school.
- Don’t sacrifice good friendships or something you love just so that you can go to a super selective university.

[@-ratatouille-]

schools: "its okay to make mistakes" also them: *proceeds to destroy my future on 1 test*

[@UGmybrroa]

Fr

[@ejplayzzz]

Facts like I actually pay attention in class and turn in my work but I just do bad on summative assignments and it tanks my grade. In middle school I was a straight A student but now Im praying for a passing grade smh

[@pixie362]

@@ejplayzzz THIS !!!!! it sucks bc no matter how good i do on an assignment, it doesn't do shit for my grade, but if i get anything less than perfect it makes my grade go down

[@ejplayzzz]

@@pixie362 faxx

[@blessing5303]

@@pixie362 no honestly, I just got a C on my English essay and this just ruined my entire week for me. I'm now at a lower average and going insane about it. The school system seriously sucks and I hate how I can't do anything about it.

[@ariyazheng5146]

high school junior watches this. *cries inside*

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Hey dw! there's some valuable stuff in here for juniors as well, especially at the end.

[@ariyazheng5146]

Greg Smith tru tru!! 8:44 is gold. Thx for the tips ^

[@rizzoli7]

*sophomore

[@npc7441]

u a senior now

[@rebeccax1431]

Same

[@terryalger3233]

I’m a freshman that missed the first 2 months of school in COVID and failed 3 classes, this video made me cry and the happiest I have ever been. Thank you Greg you fucking legend.

[@kevinbobadilla4155]

Facts the beginning of the the first half of the school year I’ve been doing terrible so now I’m just trying to turn it all around cause I’m trying to go to college

[@thatgyarugal3621]

Me too like this makes me happy

[@ntnce2933]

Fr like I just want to pass and be successful

[@iamawesome196]

same i failed math so im trying to get better

[@kevinbobadilla4155]

@@iamawesome196 ay i believe in you right now i’m passing all my classes and doing way better than last quarter

[@lauren0751]

I’m a 7th grade watching this. I just don’t want to be homeless

[@idonthavethink3931]

It’s alright, I’m going on to 9th I am scared taking all honors but for eighth grade I’ll just tell ya it’s just like 7th, well at least it was for me... if anything it’s easier

[@lauren0751]

Senpai Midoriya thank you that made me feel a lil. Bit better 🥰

[@idonthavethink3931]

lauren your average white girl. No problem, just don’t stress yourself out too much but don’t get lazy either lol if you have decent grades and a passion to follow you’ll do good in life just never give up 🙂

[@NoOne-wv6hw]

You shouldn’t worry that much! Being homeless is mostly due to drugs and stuff like that. The obvious bad stuff, just stay clear of them and work hard( if you choose). Keep good karma! I’m just an 8th grader though.

[@crazemate]

8th grade is not that bad. teachers like to exaggerate it as a big school year. You’ll do great. You’ll probably hear the same knowledge from 7th grade.

[@utetwo9709]

Watching this as my first year of high school takes place in zoom calls...

[@renaofsomewhe9992]

Same, I've been pretty stressed about school. Glad I'm not the only resent veiwer

[@itsdarkbtw]

I would honestly prefer to go to school face to face instead of doing zoom. The way they teach us through zoom is honestly terrible and stressful to me.

[@cryonics6445]

Yeah I've failed like 2 classes cause of it I'm actually annoyed that we didn't just go to school instead

[@jetoux4881]

@@cryonics6445 same, I cant stand doing it online, it’s just ugh

[@jetoux4881]

@@Jayllk fr. I couldn’t stand it so I am doing school in-person now. (Thank goodness because it’s soo much easier)

[@bird6302]

1. dont stress over freshman grade 2. freshman year ideal time to try new clubs/activities (but stick to 2-3) dont be afraid to quit if u dont rlly enjoy 3. make friends with older students (guide you & help advise classes) 4. dont sacrifice what you love & friends for college admission

[@jadendaslayeryt7066]

Why does it sound like this man is trying to sell me something🤔

[@caidenh04]

I feel like somebody... *IS TRYING TO SELL ME SOMETHING!*

[@oliviaborie]

Bc he is a professional god 🥴

[@katrinamiller4724]

💀

[@justmonika700]

Legends Never Die i told you he was onto us

[@aaahah9931]

It’s bc of the music in the background

[@dsggalaxyyt3217]

Currently in 8th grade Freshman next year!!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Awesome!! Keep these tips in mind

[@elpasa9308]

How old are you Lucid?

[@pradametro3911]

same

[@oss_james]

Same

[@RaulRodriguez-mq2zt]

Don’t fucken slack I swear I regret it

[@sulfur_americium2993]

Greg: "find new passions, join clubs, make friends, etc." Covid: lol no

[@UGmybrroa]

Fr

[@hmm983]

i’ve been crying for a straight half an hour really hard because i was so fucking stressed for my grades because i’m a freshman and this video helped sooooo much

[@ethan8975]

literally in the same position

[@thedislikebutton3425]

we believe in you :)

[@eigatwilight]

I use to only think about obtaining high GPA, and nothing else. Everything else meant nothing to me. However, I failed misreably and my rank wasn't high, and I got very sad afterwards. After that, I kinda lost motivation my freshmen year. It wasn't fun at all, and I had to suffer watching other kids in my grade get higher gpas, and brag. I felt so ashamed when people in my freshmen year spoke about gpas. Also, this was before the quarantine and online school.

[@leanna2304]

yes me too omg, i was literally crying before i clicked on this vid bc i was so stressed

[@meuhcow9090]

fellt i just checked my grade and i thought i was gonna get a c for algrebra but i got a 64% :/

[@damnjae8274]

I feel hella stupid now for stressing over one f in freshman year now. These online classes have been messing with me for a while

[@jaquielovescats]

I’m stressing a lot because grade reports were due today and I have one F and a -D is that okay? Will that affect me on the future ?

[@7dup]

@@jaquielovescats no. most important years are junior/senior, but that doesnt mean you can slack off either. high school is for college and college gives more opportunities when being successful.

[@gordoncan]

Wow and I was here stressing about my four b’s😅

[@cristinaestrella]

@@7dup does having one f mean I would go to summer school tho?? 😭 please say no or I’m so screwed

[@tvds8350]

I got All A’s and one B and I am stressing out ;-;

[@violetsynn6277]

I'm failing 3 classes this year and I'm gonna have to retake them next year(at least 2 of them) and I've been stressing out so much over my grades. When you said colleges don't really care about your grades freshman year I felt so relieved even though I know I could be doing much better

[@sealion6030]

I’m sorry :c remember most of this is in your head. I bet you are an amazing student deep down. You just have to unlock that side of yourself. A lot of Americans feel like they need to get ahead and be the perfect student, but I’m sure your headed in the right direction

[@violetsynn6277]

@Xeonix I don't know how it is at your school, but at mine, you would have to retake the grade or the classes you failed. Good luck with that Ik it feels awful to fail, I also skipped doing a lot of work online.

[@365arah]

i have three Ds that are borderline Fs and one F ik how you feel

[@guccimello4648]

Xeonix sam wtf i almost spend the whole year playing warzone then i fucking get banned

[@mango9602]

Lol gonna be 7th this year and I feel like I’m too stupid to get into MIT. I can’t under stand calculus. Can any one tell me any basic skill you need in order to learn and understand calculus? (Like geometry or algebra etc.)

[@leafrelief9594]

Bruh taking freshman year during covid and can’t do any clubs or sports smh.

[@wrednax8594]

Same

[@aldorodriguez3283]

Same

[@Tony-ky6hh]

Tuff

[@riyas.3689]

I’m pretty sure collages will take the pandemic years (2020-now) lightly because some of them have completely ruled out the idea of grades at all this year

[@jaquelinemendez7221]

Yea :/ but hey we have a special experience

[@AbinavV06]

Damn it... I'm almost done with 9th grade (freshman year) already :(

[@itzfusionplex4266]

Abinav Venkatagiri how do you review your year? How did it go

[@AbinavV06]

@@itzfusionplex4266 I aced school (got straight As) but hardly made any friends.

[@andrewzavala9633]

ItzFusionPlex high school is so lame lmao Then when you get close to finals every teacher gives you a project😂

[@ariadnagijon2690]

Abinav Venkatagiri was it hard to adapt to a bigger campus?

[@chrischika7026]

@@AbinavV06 fuck friends get that grade then get acceptance letter and piece

[@mervynwinn1852]

I have already gotten a b, and i was seriously stressing over it. Thanks to this video, i am assured that my admission to princeton and stanford is still feasible.

[@CollegeAdvisor]

No worries! Focus on the activities that will distinguish you from other applicants now, and once you have those in place, steadily improve your grades to all A's by junior year. You got this!

[@angelartamesia2]

You got B huh? I used to have that mentality, " A b is bad, I'm a bad student." I have a C in two of my classes and I kinda wanna drop put of honors classes

[@Fabiansalazar32]

Lol 4 f’s

[@icedtokey5511]

How tf you stress over a b..

[@Valkyrie12124]

@iced tokey he’s a priss

[@krystenariana_]

I’m not really doing so good in my freshman year, I have 3 D’s, 1 C+, and 2 A’s , practically failing and this is only 1st quarter, I’m very stressed and slowly falling into a depression, grades are closing next Wednesday (October 16th) while report cards come out November 13th, I just want to dropout already, I want to tell my mom but then she’ll blame me and say that she might take away my phone. Edit: so this is an Update Grades are currently ok but bad still! EDIT AGAIN: 04/21 soooooo MY GRADES ARE REALLY GOOD NOW, i have 3 A’s, 2 B’s and 1 C+😁 I got another update: 05/14 3 As, 2 B’s 1 C and 1 F 😭😭 update: 07/9 i ended off the school year with 4 A’s, 2 B’s and 1 F in MATH 💀 and i’m doing good now btw !! i have another update guys!! i’m a sophomore now and it’s 9/13/20! i have 6 A’s and two B’s i’m doing good guys!! alright update, it’s 11/23/20! i have 7 A’s and one B ! update, it’s february 1st and i have 5 A’s, one C, and two B’s. i’m slacking off this semester i’m so tired of work i feel like giving up lmao! heyyy! i’m back again with an update :) it is 03/12/21. I have 3 B’s and 5 A’s! im back on track :) i hope everyone is doing good! hiiii!! it’s 4/13/21! i ended off third quater with the same grades :) it’s almost over guys!! i have two more months until summer!! yooo!! it’s 5/13/21! 23 days left until summer for me!! my grades are currently; 4 A’s, 2 B’s and 2 C’s! i hope y’all are doing great as well! i’m excited about becoming a junior, but nervous at the same time! oh yeah, i recently took my reading and writing EOC, and I feel pretty confident about the scores i’ll get since i’m pretty good at English, the geometry one, LMFAO not sure about that one at all 💀 5/29 Hey you guys. i am positive i failed that geometry eoc, but that’s okay (no it’s not). i ended off my school year with 6 A’s and 2 B’s. I’m pretty proud of myself and i’m proud of y’all! i’m gonna be a junior!! 06/23 OH OH, I PASSED THE GEOMETRY EOC and MY READING EOC YOU GUYS!! I ENDED UP WITH 7 A’s AND 1 C ACTUALLY! I JUST CHECKED! I CANT BELIEVE I DID IT! update! it’s august 13th. i start school in FIVE DAYS! IM A JUNIORRR!!! my classss are; physics, algebra 2, ceramics/pottery, eng honors 3, study hall, US history honors, sculptures 1, and JROTC. i am switching out of jrotc to finish spanish 2 9/3 LMFAO, i’m gonna take spanish 2 online and stay in ROTC, it’s actually fun! i currently have straight A’s! it’s been a WHOLE MONTH! ive been super busy with school and i haven’t been on youtube much surprisingly! first quater ended. I have 6 A’s 2 C’s of course lol💀 it’s december 2nd. it’s been a while LMFAO. ending off second quarter with 1 C and 7 A’s (= OH I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THIS.. currently it is 6/24/22 ITS BEEN TWO YEARS💀 it feels surreal. i ended up passing fourth quarter with 4 A’s, 2 B’s, and 1 C. Junior year was fun. i loved taking US history and i really enjoyed JROTC. I am currently looking into the military and I’m considering joining the NAVY! Time for Senior year guys!! 9/25/22 i forgot about this😭 i csnt believe im a senior already! time flies dudes. 1/18/24: I GRADUATED LIKE 7 MONTHS AGO GUYS SORRY I FORGOT TO UPDATE! C/O 2023’

[@Ccollector24]

dummy dum 3 E,s 2 c- and D

[@saronkiya3625]

Don't give up

[@andrewzavala9633]

Ur a beast dawg Trade schools don’t care about grades💯

[@mineralwaters]

Same dude bro, but don’t give up! I hope things get better for you!

[@natetobeck3551]

dummy dum you probably won't see this but quarter grade do not go on your final transcript, only semester grades, so don't stress about your quarter grades

[@s_spiritstar]

So what I’m getting is: -don’t stress too much about Freshman year -Keep yourself sane (as grades aren’t worth as much) -make sure you keep your grades, but don’t sacrifice everything that makes you happy -don’t slack

[@Qdude10]

Lol looking back, high school was a complete and total joke.

[@jicf4778]

watching this while theres only 2 weeks lift of school

[@helix9713]

Well, if you don’t understand or remember the things you learned in your Freshman year, you wouldn’t be prepared for your Sophomore year and the years after that. It’ll only put you behind.

[@rasheeda9923]

watching this because i am stressing so extremely hard because i failed second semester during quarantine.

[@meredithmorningstar2408]

Damn, I'm on my last year of junior highschool and I did sooo well on my first two years, but now I'm just miserable. I'm a straight A student then and I always made sure I get no more than 10 mistakes every test and always rock our graded recitations. Now, idc about my grades anymore-I just want everything to be over and get out of this fire pit. I hate it here.

[@abigail7162]

i cant even explain how grateful i am for your channel, thank you for investing your time to help students like me!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Thanks Abigail! So glad to hear you like the videos :)

[@mangaboy0267]

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VID THANKS!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

I gotchu!

[@coopacd5710]

My high school experience so far has just been where the hell is my class

[@Parapresdokian]

Hello everybody! I've just found one of the EPIC videos in YT. You're my only Mentor! Thanks for your great Educational Service

[@clairemurphy2361]

Your videos are so helpful. I wish knew this stuff freshman year

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Thanks Claire! Glad I could help :)

[@sulavshrestha3114]

You should categorize your videos in playlists.

[@project-electron3291]

I really loved what you said about freshman grades in your first topic. I feel so nervous about freshman year but I really shouldn't be too nervous about my grades. Thank you! I love your channel!

[@raiyaanshaik2002]

Another great video thanks Greg, sophomore in high school and need inspiration.

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Thank you!

[@Rotto-ns9fd]

Thank you so much man! You gave me hope. I had late assignments that put my American history and literature down really low. And when I finished the assignments I was one day late from the last due date. I was so mad and sad. Thank you for giving me hope!!!

[@jaysonfoy4486]

Going to my first year of high school next month. Wish me luck 🍀!

[@jayrylmiranda9212]

This changes my perspective on everything thanks for the knowledge

[@padeethao7590]

Honestly I’m not doing to well in my freshman year and I’m failing 1-2 classes and it gives me so much pressure from it but I am really glad to know. Thank you so much for making this video! :)

[@Stary_Skies1]

Omg I’m so glad I’m not the only one. I really want to change my habits because I have failed 2-3 classes which are math geography and French

[@biancamoreno6104]

I have failed one class, and that class is algebra I’m so sad and pressure :(

[@crusaderdavid7709]

I'm just trying to get through highschool so my mom wont complain, my dream is to work on the night shift at Walmart and live in a small apartment.

[@jameswang1]

I know this is late but your advice gives me hope. I’m an international student doing the full IB diploma, and Princeton is always my dream school ever since I visited when I was 9 yrs old. I really appreciated!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Get Very Affordable Advice From TOP Harvard, Yale, Stanford, And Other Top School Advisors On Your Application ➤ collegeadvisor.com/gregsmith

[@sangitashrestha8242]

Gerg you really are an amazing KZbinr , you do inspire me alottt

[@user-pd8hf9dz8j]

Hey are you talking about us schools??

[@2kvChris]

I’m struggling to find motivation as a freshman and I struggle with the downfall of my mental health as I just moved away from my hometown and I have no friends where I am now it’s just a depressing year for me and having moved away from home hasn’t been helping. My grades are going down more and more each day and I’m showing very little concern. After watching this though, I feel a little better. Thank you

[@Leah-vb3ud]

Sameee

[@greentea501]

Pretty much my position i still live in my town but since i live in a small ass town in Italy i have to go to a city that's kinda near to my town but i don't know almost noone i only got like 2 friends my mental health and my grades are so fucked i felt like dropping out so many times since right now i'm really passionate about music and i feel like i should pursue those dreams but as i said i live in a small ass town in the middle of nowhere in italy😔

[@Xavier-xd3cd]

Watch millennial thinker trust me it will help watch his whole channel

[@sarycatty1843]

Thank you so much. I've been so stressed out, and it's only the 5th week of school. This has really helped. And I feel like I can relax a little.

[@RoronoaZoro-ii3ig]

this video made me feel a lot better about my sophomore year. Thank You.

[@iPepy]

Funny enough, I had a lot more homework in 6th grade than my 9th grade classes. All of this while I took 10th grade classes like geometry, earth science, and Spanish 3.

[@bryancarpio7348]

iPepy those are 10th grade class, yikes!

[@abhinavsatish6810]

Do you do geometry in 10th? For us geometry is an 8th grade class. In 10th we do Pre Calc

[@iPepy]

Abhinav Satish Typically you would do geometry in 10th grade but there are students that are more advanced and do it in 9th. Pre-calc come after Algebra 2. I took Algebra 2 in 10th grade and Pre-Calc 11th

[@Dani-dh9ni]

I did algebra in 8th grade and geometry in 9th

[@Nick07900]

Yikes, in eighth I'm doing homework till 12 at night some days, I'm absolutely terrified for 9th- I don't want to pull an all nighter, it will screw with my horrible sleep schedule

[@stacydarko225]

Omg I'm late on here but thanks I'm failing my freshman year right now and im stressing myself very much😅

[@MrPathorock]

Love that you put up all the spark notes, very helpful!

[@isabellau5807]

thank you so much dude, you don’t know how much this helped me stop worrying about my grades so much as a freshman ❤️ i’ve been really worrying so hard and completely ignoring friends and mental health it’s been really affecting me. but now i know it’s gonna be okay

[@kareem9906]

Thank you SO MUCH, Greg. I’m a freshman and was really worried, but this took away the anxiety

[@Kkarsheo]

Are you graduating?

[@kareem9906]

@@Kkarsheo yessir bro

[@chonkesealbuster]

I am in a specialized high school and I am currently stressed a lot. This video helped me reduce some of my stress, thanks! It’s just hard on me with all my homework, projects, and tests. Being in the top schools pressures me to get straight As which is harms my mental health a lot. Especially with remote learning, it has been a very thought time for me to understand and feel good about my grades. Hopefully everyone that reads this would become what they dream to be because I am hoping that grades don’t matter too much!

[@anisha6067]

Thanks for this video, Greg! This is a life savior! 😂 I'm going to be a high school freshman and I'm pretty much looking forward to follow these tips.

[@jaquelinemendez7221]

Omg im so glad to hear the first tip i was having such a hard time in the begging of high school and especially since entered late to my high school because i was at another high school and just so much stress

[@legoplay-fh5gl]

hey bro, im in 8th grade middle school rn, im laying in bed on vacation and im freaking out and having a panic attack because im thinking of highschool, this is super helpful and reassuring that its not that bad . Thank you, thank you so much bro

[@googlemeets9672]

Same man

[@earlgreymilktae]

as someone who is almost done with their first year of high school, don’t stress!! Now I’ll be honest, there are a lot of new things to learn, and you’ll probably have more homework than you did in middle school, so trust me when I say DON’T procrastinate and just try your best to start assignments as soon as possible. But the work is definitely manageable, and you’ll have your teachers there to support you! I also recommend joining a club or two if you can, colleges like to see that you have interests outside of academic stuff. good luck in high school!! you got this :)

[@Sushi.6568]

I’m so late in responding. I’m a senior in highschool. Let me just say that you should start studying for the SAT and ACT early. Everyone told me that it wouldn’t matter because of Covid so I slacked off but it rlly does matter. I now have a 3.8 unweighted gpa and 4.4 weighted gpa while participating in a varsity sport and clubs and am worried I’m not gonna make it into my desired colleges all bc of my test scores.

[@sportingdirector1]

As a freshman I'm happy I put in a lot of work. Still there's 27ish weeks to go but my GPA is currently sitting at a 4.3 this year (weighted with AP, Honors, On-level cumulative).

[@TroyisMe]

Im literally relieved so much. I'm failing 2 classes well maybe 2 most likely 1 and thats modern world history since they pack me with work and knowing that colleges won't focus on my freshmen year makes me feel more comfortable since I have had so many jumps in my life. Thanks a lot!

[@FlaMango_G]

Only 2 months left of senior year for me, wish this video was up before I started high-school but ill definitely share this to others to watch that will be starting high-school, great video btw

[@Skerriie]

Starting my freshman year online... I feel like the first year of hs was the year to get me started into life but now I can't experience that. Update: one month into my in person sophomore year, already have 4 f’s fml. I’m tired of trying. I want it to get better :( 2nd update: i had to do many hours of attendance recovery bc I lost credits for all my classes but in the end I got them back. Tomorrow is my last day of sophomore year, I’m so happy :). This past year I’ve been struggling a lot with mental health, it interfered with school and relationships, it’s just so exhausting to deal with this feeling all the time. Can’t believe I’m halfway there already, I just want to be done with school, I hate it. Next update start of junior year. Tips for upcoming freshman’s: Please step out of your comfort zone, make friends and don’t worry too much about what others think about you. Don’t be like everyone else, be yourself. Don’t focus too much on having a relationship, it’s not worth it. Please don’t let your attendance get bad, it will eventually get to you and cause you to get behind/lose credits.

[@Leah-vb3ud]

"Freshman year is the ideal year to develope hobbies, be in clubs and electives" Me being a freshman in a school with no extra curriculars, no clubs, and no electives with over ten subjects I need to pass in a school that's a LOT harder then the one you go to......

[@earlgreymilktae]

if your school doesn’t offer any clubs, then I’m sure colleges will take that into account when they consider your application. but you could always try starting a club! (maybe after covid when we return to school yknow) or see if there are any sports you like to play, or any volunteer opportunities in your community...

[@Leah-vb3ud]

@@earlgreymilktae we have none of that unfortunately, religous private school sucks but next year I'll be switching to a skl that does so I'm super excited!!!

[@irfra4337]

My anxiety level just went down so much.

[@asajjbenchpress]

As a high school senior, I agree with all your points, especially your last one about the fact that the college itself won't change your life, it's what you do on a daily basis. Have good habits and live an enjoyable life in high school, because if you suffer for the sake of getting into a good college, that suffering is not going to magically end. You will have to proactively fix it yourself.

[@nate9453]

I’ve been stressing hard about not doing good in my honors class even though everything besides that is A’s but this helped me realize colleges won’t really care, especially since its online school rn

[@plazmaticshadow]

I’m failing two classes there is two days left in the semester I’m a freshman in online school I’m dying inside

[@KiriR6]

This is amazing. Thank you

[@jackhoppe6089]

I liked the video because of the legit life lessons at the end. thanks so much!!!

[@thetaurusverse8562]

Ima junior and my freshman year I wasn’t focused at all academically and just screwing around and now I’m trying to undo the damage that’s it has done to my GPA so I can get into a decent college.

[@joshuakinzel7072]

My freshman grades this year are basically primarily C’s then B’s and then a couple Ds... do I still have a chance to fix my grade pattern and go to a decent college?

[@guccimello4648]

Joshua Kinzel bruh i got 1.6 on freshman year and the school just ended on june 18

[@addisonwhite8262]

I’m literally at the beginning of my freshman year and it’s been one semester and I’ve been really lacking on the happy part

[@warmongernova8638]

Same. I stress so much because my mom wants me to have a 4.0+ GPA but I just don't know if I can do it and I'm always worried.

[@user-qj1zi2qo5u]

Thank you so much i knew it made no sense that college would look at your grades when you are just a starter and fresh out of middle school this helped me with my anxiety i dont know why schools make such a big deal out of freshman year and they make it seem all scary

[@caratjoy8586]

Highschool is fun af just a lot of work. Just study and do your work but also balance having fun, too. Put yourself out there and talk to your teachers.

[@bonk539]

I’m just scared of group projects and presentations because I don’t know how to socialize that much 😕

[@irock550]

Hi Greg, I am constantly going back and forth about how I feel about my grades and such things because in freshman year I got a lot of 80’s (high 80’s) and I got a 75 in algebra because I was really struggling in math. I ended up raising my grades in sophomore year and then in junior year I started to do the best I’ve ever done and I took an honor class that was available to me and the two ap’s I could take and was most interested in and I’ve been doing very well. Basically I’m wondering if in your opinion the upward trend in my grades, especially that I’m doing the best in junior usually known as the hardest year. Also over time I’ve become more confident and really wanted to explore different clubs and I’m worried it’s too late because it’s my junior year. Sorry this is so long lol

[@cantdothis6899]

I’m on the same boat!

[@Marija.Sholevska]

How are you doing now?

[@ashlynnmoler2003]

Senior here, I ended up doing my best my freshman year. Covid hit second semester of sophomore year and after that my grades dropped. I did early college junior year being fully online. Failed a class and got bad grades. My senior year, this year, ended up being more of a freshman year. I joined a new sport, a honors society, and my grades aren’t the best. I loved everything I did but college and high school plus Covid combined has ruined the grades I wanted and the experience I was looking forward to. For the freshman now or the freshman next year, do was you love, don’t stress about grades, get your work done as soon as you get it, and you should be set for high school. Wish everyone the most normal high school experience they can get.

[@ivancast4006]

High school senior that is almost ready to graduate watching this, and having so many regrets.

[@barbielovers2181]

freshman year during COVID........hate it

[@Park-xk6fy]

This is the best video I've watched on youtube

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Thanks Park :)

[@sahajp765]

This video was so helpful

[@amberjayoma6314]

thank you so much for this video. I was depress because i had 3 E's every quarter and I was really scared of failing so thank you again for this video

[@victoriacortes1343]

I think you should make a video on Subject Based SAT’s(if you took them). This could a lot of people insight on which ones to take and their benefits.

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Great idea!

[@xoxo8321]

i just started freshman year, i’m not doing good :(

[@luvbugadri]

it's going to be okay i promise!

[@grungelegend5000]

I'm probably gonna fail my freshman year because of covid its rough I wanna get out of my school and join the army

[@rampantbuckler818]

so... like... anyone else repeating freshman...?

[@riganistraubhaar1275]

Literally was crying myself to sleep when watching this. I'm not smart I wish I. I'm failed my exam for science and I'm failing religion. I was laughed at by a family member when I told them what school I want to got to. I'm only a freshman and though that If I don't do good this year then I can't get into my college I want to go to.Thank you for making this video it gave me hope

[@yaredb3695]

I am grade 9 and I got bad results and you saved me from the stress. Thank you

[@toyman9642]

I know two people who graduated from University with MA's. It wasn't long thereafter that they realized the mistake they made. Both returned to trade school This was ten years ago. One now has a successful home renovation business and the other owns her own plumbing company with six employees. I saw an interview with a high school counsellor who stated that learning a skilled trade is a much better path than a University degree in something "pretty much useless" like history or literature.

[@v.y.3282]

freshmen here. I have literally 3b's ( im in the best high school of my city) and I am totally freaking the hell out. I calmed down a little tho after this lol. But Harvard med school I'm coming.

[@jeaverma3255]

Nooooo! I worked so hard for my 4.0 gpa. I am in my 2st semester of freshman year of high school, and I have given so many tears throughout the entire year. This is honestly such a relief since I want to apply to oxford.

[@0g_0reo]

You made me feel less stressed Styx for the video i needed it

[@whatsopanime]

When my freshmen grades were the best grades i had lol 💀

[@nox_bird]

im so thankful to know they dont mind freshman grades. i am currently failing two classes because of quarantine struggles and one small case of academic dishonesty. im so stressed that i am going to have a horrible gpa and not get in to dream colleges

[@kevincancel]

I’m sorry you feel that way Jenna but I assure everything will be alright. I can relate to your situation because I failed two classes freshman year. I know you’ve been trying your best and even though you might not bring up your grades as much as you’d like to, just know that the fact you tried is good enough:) there’s always next year! So, just try hard enough next year and you’ll be back in track for your dream schools!

[@eigatwilight]

I used to only think about obtaining high GPA, and nothing else. Everything else meant nothing to me. However, I failed misreably and my rank wasn't high, and I got very sad afterwards. After that, I kinda lost motivation my freshmen year. It wasn't fun at all, and I had to suffer watching other kids in my grade get higher gpas, and brag. I felt so ashamed when people in my freshmen year spoke about gpas.

[@mswagb9876]

tomorrow is my first day and i’m a freshman. this helps a lot !

[@yyy7638]

Just finished the SAT and feel relaxed to see the post of this video

[@CollegeAdvisor]

How did the SAT go?

[@yyy7638]

@@CollegeAdvisor wooo, terrible

[@funnybunnie4801]

You should really change the title to include all grades! I almost decided to skip this video because I’m a sophomore, and I’m so glad I didn’t, and I want to help you get the word out.

[@CalebBoyd718]

Luckily I’ve maintained good grades throughout my first two years of high school cuz I had a 3.4 freshman year and I have a 3.8 rn sophomore year but going to school during Covid isn’t easy.

[@lilspicy1114]

@Swppgould same I am in 8th grade going to highschool taking online for geo and bio is really hard bio isn’t tagt bad because you can review but for geo my teacher didn’t teach fir half the year and then fir the rest another teacher starting teaching I wanna go back to school but my parents keep saying no so it is really hard to learn

[@tvds8350]

I had a 3.34 freshmen year, and it was during COVID 19 and it was really really hard, because my mental health decreased tremendously.

[@emilynguyen7766]

Watching this as a senior entering the last semester 🥲🥲

[@mikhail89]

thank you so much for this video

[@itsdevintyla3529]

I’m an eight grader I go to highschool next year I’m already in algebra which is advanced for 8th grade because they usually take pre but I pick my classes around January . I just hope I don’t get stressed out but I’m thankful I probably won’t have to do much college but it depends because my school has a grade program and allows you to get a certain amount of credits for a certain college

[@dsggalaxyyt3217]

Amazing Video!!

[@CollegeAdvisor]

Thanks sm!

[@davids1854]

Im going into highschool in a few weeks and I'm mortified. I was excited for middle but I had a hard time in middle eventually my grades went up but it costed my hapiness. Im nevrous because it was a hard time very bittersweet and I feel like because of covid I didn't grasp the concepts as well as I should have. Thanks for the video it helped.

[@xxproxx3126]

I’ve never been stressed about a class in my life all my other classes are great but my 3rd class is the worst they stress me out beyond what I can stand I have all A’s and one B and I’m stressed about it going down now thanks to you I finally have relaxed about my grades thank you I’ll still try of course but now I don’t have to stress about it too much

[@scarlet6917]

Dont worry as long as you have 80 and above you should be good just try to stay 80 and higher ive had the same expierience just focus more try to take more notes on subjects you need more help on

[@MarioLopez-tx6pg]

Dude this video was sooo helpful, one question: During the school year there’s 2 semesters with 6, 6 week cycles. Do the grades u get on those cycles matter or the ones at the end of the semester averaged?

[@LeeBrosYT]

I really appreciated this video. It really relieved a lot of stress for me. My freshman year I had got a gpa of 3.0, which isn’t very good. I also just finished my first semester of sophomore year and I have a 3.6 gpa. I will continue to work hard and grow but this helped me realize I’ll be ok considering my freshman year.

[@guccimello4648]

What are you saying i got 1.6 gpa on freshman year

[@eigatwilight]

I use to only think about obtaining high GPA, and nothing else. Everything else meant nothing to me. However, I failed misreably and my rank wasn't high, and I got very sad afterwards. After that, I kinda lost motivation my freshmen year. It wasn't fun at all, and I had to suffer watching other kids in my grade get higher gpas, and brag. I felt so ashamed when people in my freshmen year spoke about gpas. :(

[@LeeBrosYT]

Omega I agree with your point. In order to be successful you need to do what makes you happy. I’ve personally found meaning through an Engineering passion. Many kids these days feel that their success may be placed upon their gpa and work ethic. This isn’t always the case, but again you need to find meaning. I never really cared much about school and when I actually found interest in mechanical engineering I became more motivated and interested in learning. When you point out that when you compare yourself to other’s gpa you feel ashamed, that shouldn’t be the case. I think it’s important to note that everyone is on their own path and find success in many different ways. Just do what makes you happy. Through finding meaning, I’ve obtained a 4.0 my second semester sophomore year. I also taught myself 2 years of math and got accepted to college this upcoming fall. I wouldn’t have made it happen if I wasn’t happy with what I’m doing. Likewise, you couldn’t keep a good job if you didn’t enjoy it. Life would be miserable. So no matter the situation, if you wake up a few days in a row not happy with what you’re doing, I highly consider switching things up.

[@danijafari5549]

Thanks man this really helped me with how stressed i was but like what if im failing and stuff

[@8Kyt]

thank you dude fr subbing

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

Hey dude!! After a long time.... I'm so happy to see you..

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

I need inspiration to get admitted in to Princeton university,, I hope you'll give me inspiration

[@CollegeAdvisor]

I hope that my videos are inspiration for you as well

[@tasmihimunmun8060]

@@CollegeAdvisor yes.. of course

[@rottedfaerie]

im failing classes and im only a freshman. im so pissed. no matter how hard i try, nothing ever works.

[@michellevera7191]

lovelycarouseldoll me too can we be friends

[@eigatwilight]

I used to only think about obtaining high GPA, and nothing else. Everything else meant nothing to me. However, I failed misreably and my rank wasn't high, and I got very sad afterwards. After that, I kinda lost motivation my freshmen year. It wasn't fun at all, and I had to suffer watching other kids in my grade get higher gpas, and brag. I felt so ashamed when people in my freshmen year spoke about gpas. :(

[@Adi02]

I'm really thankful that someone like you could make a video on this. Personally I struggled and got 1 C on my math test now all I get is 93 percent plus

[@Lgevirtz]

Great practical advice!