It might be tempting to lie around, post videos to TikTok or watch Netflix all day. Instead high schoolers should use this time to learn a new skill, take an interesting course or prepare for standardized tests like the SAT or ACT. Here are 13 free resources for high school students to get ahead while school is out.
1. Khan Academy
Khan Academy offers daily schedules for students ages 4-18. The free website also has courses in math, physics, U.S. history, grammar, economics and biology. High school sophomores and juniors can also find free SAT practice questions and tests. Even though the upcoming SAT administrations have been canceled or postponed, students still might want to prepare for this important exam.
2. edX
Even though your classes and extracurricular activities have been canceled, it doesn’t mean you should stop learning. EdX is an online platform that offers more than 2,500 courses online for free. Taking an online course is a great way to boost your resume and prove to colleges you can handle challenging material. Take this time to learn a new skill or explore a possible major from institutions like MIT, Harvard, University of California-Berkeley and more.
3. Coursera
Coursera is another e-learning platform that allows you to be taught by professors from Ivy League schools and other elite schools like the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford and Duke. All the courses are available for free, and topics available include C++, marketing, engineering and psychology. By taking these advanced courses, you can explore a possible major choice when you go to college.
4. Quill
Quill is offering its services for free to anyone affected by school closures. The interactive writing site is perfect for anyone who wants to brush up on their craft before writing their college admissions essays. On Quill, you can gain editing skills by proofreading passages, practicing grammar skills through short activities and advancing your writing.
5. Duolingo
The cognitive benefits of learning another language are undeniable. Studies have shown that being bilingual can benefit memory, problem-solving abilities and even intelligence. Duolingo is a free app that high school students should take advantage of now. Some schools offer limited foreign language options, but through Duolingo, students can learn Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Arabic, Hindi, Russian and many more. If you want, you can even learn fictional languages like Klingon and High Valyrian.
6. Codecademy
While you might not be thinking about the job market just yet, coding is one of the most valuable skills that you can pick up. Codecademy is offering Pro scholarships to students affected by school closures. On the free site, you can choose what to learn, including building websites to analyze data. You’ll learn by doing and can start writing code within a few minutes of joining the site.
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