Hello, rising freshmen! Serena K and Chloe K, rising sophomores of The Falcon, will share special secrets that will help ease your transition into high school.

There is a notable difference between the way middle school administration is run and the way high school is run. The Friends Select Upper School is truly unique in terms of the opportunities and freedoms of the students. 

First of all, high school is not as stressful as you might think. The freshmen teachers make an effort to ease the transition, but still be ready for the increased workload. There’s a noticeable difference between the number of assignments given in eighth grade and ninth grade, including homework, projects, tests, quizzes, and more. However, as long as you complete your work on time, and are respectful, proactive, and communicative, most teachers will be pretty lenient and forgiving if you need extensions. 

You gain so many new classmates in high school; high school is a chance to bloom and make new friendships. The current 9th graders gained around 20 new kids. Although staying with the same group of students continuing into high school was a driving problem for our former 8th grade, pressuring many students to want to switch out. Kids had a fear of sticking with the same students and wanted a bigger grade and a clean slate. Don’t fear if this is you! This is exactly what high school has come to be. New students, a fresh start, wonderful teachers, and a chance to represent yourself as a more mature student and person is what high school is all about! 

An experience we recommend partaking in is upper school athletics. Being a freshman is a year of learning experiences, and a sports team is a wonderful way to make out-of-grade connections. One of the highlights of sports this year was connecting with the seniors. They are truly such a guiding help. This year, I (Serena K) was on the varsity field hockey and varsity basketball teams. These sports were so rewarding in how much I learned and how many bonds I made. ALSO #TheUniformsAreAnImprovementFromMiddleSchool. 

There is no shame in needing help; USE YOUR RESOURCES. This means using your study halls too! Study halls are an important addition to your day and provide a quiet window to do your homework in school. Also, make sure to talk to your teachers, and if you need extra help, there are lots of peer tutors available. Elyse Wilson, the learning specialist, is very helpful, too. For more advice and guidance, don’t be scared to talk to upperclassmen! They are usually happy to help and excited to pass on their knowledge to underclassmen. Seniors do not bite…We think. 

There are so many opportunities you will have access to in high school. This includes extracurricular activities and summer programs to help explore and strengthen your interest. As well as the clubs in our community are fantastic. This might be one of the best parts of high school. There were almost 50 clubs offered to the entire upper school in the 2024-25 school year, including ones such as Harvard Model Congress, Cooking Club, Spirit Club, Modern Films Club, and so much more. Also, if there is a club you want in the upper school that isn’t already made, it’s super simple to create one yourself.

Some other benefits in the upper school include volunteering options and leadership opportunities. For example, during Social Justice Week, all of the tracks are open to student leadership. You can either help lead a track that already exists or create your own. Also, there are constant volunteering opportunities given to students. During Devotions (which is a weekly assembly full of announcements, a lot like Gathering), teachers and administration will share volunteer positions and email them to you as well. You can volunteer at events at school and at other places like CHOP, the American Cancer Society, and more. 

We hope your transition to high school is easy and awesome! Good luck!