Here's another reason why being a high school freshman can be a mixed bag: College is only four years away.

Before you freak out, that can be good news. Four years can be just the right amount of time to accomplish everything necessary to get into the school of your choice. Plus, being in high school, you're within reach of all the resources you'll need to score that acceptance letter from your dream college. But it's important to start now. Outline and follow a step-by-step plan; do so religiously, and you won't miss the essential landmarks on the road to becoming the ultimate college applicant.

1. Get a Good GPA
You can be the best field hockey player in the universe or a brilliant portrait painter, but if you don't have the grades to back you up, you won't get where you want to go.

Establishing a strong grade point average (GPA) as freshman gets you on the right path to successful high school academic career. At most high schools, students receive quarter grades and semester grades. While it's important to monitor your quarter grades, it's the semester grades that stick with you. Once a semester grade is on your record, it remains on your transcript. Forever. Semester grades are used to calculate your GPA, and they're what colleges see when you apply.

GPAs are formulated using a point system. Each letter grade is converted into grade points using a grade point conversion chart. This might vary slightly from school to school, but the basic idea is that an A equals four grade points. Straight As equals a 4.0 GPA. Every class—from art to physical education—affects your GPA. Remember, your GPA is an average of all of your grades, so if you fail one class (a 0.0 grade point), you'll bring down your entire average.

2. Get Involved
So now you've got the grades—and you'll keep them through your senior year, right?—but applying to college requires more than great grades. You also need to think about extracurricular activities.

Colleges are demanding. They want academic excellence and well-rounded students who can prove that they're involved and committed to something. This something can be sports, community service, student government, arts clubs, or anything else outside of studying that makes you an interesting person. Extracurricular activities show colleges that you're a motivated multi-tasker who has no problem with time management.

3. Nail Those Standardized Tests
Another unavoidable fact of college preparation is standardized testing. Most high school students take the SAT; most colleges also accept the ACT. You might be required to take one or more SAT Subject Tests. The SAT is usually taken in the spring of your junior year.

Colleges take your standardized test scores seriously and you should too. Prepare well in advance: pick up an SAT prep book and consider taking a test-prep course, study in earnest, and show those tests who's boss.

4. Talk Money
Don't forget what happens after you've been accepted: You have to pay for it. You'll need to discuss financing with your family, and that includes having an honest and open discussion about your financial responsibilities (unless you're lucky, your parents probably won't pay for everything without expecting at least some legwork from you). Research all your options for loans, grants, and scholarships; talk to your guidance counselor to find out what's available.

5. Consider Your Major
Once you're in college, you'll have to choose a major. This is your specialized area of study that ideally prepares you for work (or further study) when you graduate. While many college students don't pick a major until their freshman or sophomore years, some majors—like medicine—are best approached with early preparation. If you're considering medical school, you should prepare by taking AP or Honors Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Calculus in high school. This will expose you to the depth and intensity of major scientific study, and may allow you to take upper-division science classes during your freshman year in college.

6. Don't Forget the Big Picture
Through all of this preparation, you might decide you're not ready to go to college immediately after graduation. That's okay too—just make sure it's for the right reasons. Talk to your guidance counselor about your options. You could travel, work, volunteer, or take an internship, and plenty of organizations will help you make the most of your "gap year." Whatever you choose, a strong experience can only add to your appeal when you do apply to college.