5 Ways to Thrive in Grade 12: Looking Ahead at Your Next Steps

Networking, campus tours, open houses, and more: here's what you need to do to make your upcoming year a smashing success.

Looking ahead at your next steps after high school is as important as it is exciting. It can also be a challenging task if you don't know where to start. Here are a few helpful tips to help you look ahead into your future as you start considering your career choices, the schools you may want to attend, and what your future may look like in general.

1. Start networking early

As you start thinking about your career options and plan your future, consider reaching out to others in your community who may be involved in your field of interest. Ask them questions about their background, education, and interests. You may even want to consider finding opportunities to volunteer or work at an organization related to your interest of study during the summer!

Reach out to your guidance counsellor or academic advisor and talk to them about your plans, your program of interest, and career opportunities after graduating from that program. They may have useful advice.

2. Attend open houses

While you may know what program you are looking for, you may still be unsure about what school to go to. Attending an open house event at the universities of your interest is an excellent idea. Open houses will have more information about the programs of your choice, and you'll have the opportunity to meet some of the faculty and staff you may interact with in the future. You will also have the opportunity to walk around campus and truly decide if it's the right fit for you and whether you can see yourself there for the next four years.

3. Take a private tour

If you can't make it to an open house, book a campus tour instead! You can still visit the campus of your choice, meet other students, and get an idea of what university would be like. This could also be a great opportunity to ask any pending questions that you may have about university life, your program, or the school in general.

4. Start thinking about what you want from your university experience

Do some online browsing about the schools you're interested in, and perhaps look at some of the courses they offer within your program of interest. Explore the extracurricular activities they offer, their sports teams, clubs, etc. These can all be factors that help you make your decision about where to complete your undergraduate studies.

Start thinking about housing for next year, and make sure you're getting ready to apply for residence, while also keeping in mind important deadlines coming up.

5. Continue to work hard

Keep your grades up. Many institutions will have minimum average acceptance requirements along with entrance scholarships based on your final grades — so, maintaining a higher average even after you get accepted to university is beneficial. Furthermore, you can apply to additional scholarships that are application-based.

Continue to form good study habits: you can work on minimizing your procrastination or on sharpening your note-taking skills. You could start dedicating a couple hours after school to studying. Forming these habits early on could be helpful before arriving at university.

Finally, spend time with the people you love and make sure you're making great memories during your senior year! These are all tips to get you ready for university while looking ahead to your future. You got this!