The road to a top college does not begin when a student opens an application during senior year. It begins much earlier—with the academic choices, classroom habits, relationships, interests, and experiences students develop throughout high school. Join **The Serica Initiative** and **AtomicMind** for a timely back-to-school webinar offering students and families a practical, year-by-year roadmap from freshman year through senior year. Led by **Leelila Strogov, Founder and CEO of AtomicMind**, alongside members of the AtomicMind team, this program will examine what students can do at each stage of high school to become stronger learners, make a meaningful impression on teachers, and develop the skills and experiences that selective colleges value.

Topics will include:

• What students should prioritize during each year of high school
• How to begin the school year with strong academic and organizational habits • How students can participate authentically and leave a positive impression in the classroom
• Building meaningful relationships with teachers, counselors, and mentors
• Understanding weighted and unweighted GPA
• How grading systems and course rigor vary among high schools
• How colleges evaluate grades within the context of a student’s school
• Choosing among AP, IB, honors, and other advanced courses
• Developing intellectual curiosity, leadership, and meaningful extracurricular interests
• Common mistakes students and families should avoid

The AtomicMind team will also present two detailed student case studies—one featuring a female student and one featuring a male student. Attendees will follow each student’s journey through all four years of high school, examining the choices they made, the challenges they encountered, how their interests developed, and the eventual college admissions outcomes.