Most families think the school year is decided in December, around finals, when the grades finally count. It isn't. By December the habits are already set, the hard class has already gotten away from them, and the honest truth is you are usually playing defense. The good news is the opposite is also true. A handful of small moves in the first two weeks (before anything is a crisis, before there is a single grade to worry about) can set the whole year up. These are my favorite kind of back to school tips because they cost almost nothing and they work.
The best part is that starting strong is genuinely easier than catching up. Catching up means learning the new material and the old material at the same time, while your confidence is bruised. Starting strong just means learning the new material at a comfortable pace. I would take the second job every single time.
Why the First Two Weeks Matter So Much
The beginning of the semester is the one moment when everyone is caught up. Nobody is behind in the first week of a class, because the class hasn't gone anywhere yet. That is a rare and valuable thing. It means the only variable is momentum: whether your son or daughter is building a small lead or quietly slipping backward while the material is still easy.
I once worked with a student who came to me in November completely underwater in Algebra 2. When we traced it back, the whole problem started in the second week, when the teacher reviewed factoring "that everyone already knows." She didn't already know it, she was embarrassed to say so, and she spent the next two months trying to build a house on a foundation that wasn't there. Two weeks of confusion turned into a semester of struggle. That is the pattern I see over and over. Small gaps early become large gaps later, not because the student isn't smart, but because math and science build on themselves relentlessly.
Your Back to School Checklist for the First Two Weeks
Here is what I would have every student do in the opening days of the year. None of it is complicated. All of it compounds.
1. Build the routine before you need it. In the first week there is no homework crisis, which is exactly why it is the perfect time to decide when and where homework happens. Pick a time and a spot: same time, same place, every day. Phone in another room. The reason to do this in week one is that a routine you build while things are calm will hold up when things get busy. A routine you try to build in October, in a panic, almost never survives.
2. Introduce yourself to every teacher. I tell students to walk up after class in the first few days, say their name, and say one sentence: "I want to do well in this class. If I'm ever confused, is it okay to come see you?" It takes fifteen seconds. What it does is enormous. Teachers pay more attention to students they know are trying, they are quicker to offer help, and they are far more generous when a borderline grade lands on their desk in December. Parents, if your student won't do this, an email from them (not from you) accomplishes most of the same thing.
3. Read every syllabus like it's a treasure map, because it is. The syllabus tells you exactly how the grade is calculated, when the big tests are, and how much each thing is worth. Most students never read it. In the first week, sit down and mark the major test and project dates on a real calendar. When you know a unit test is coming three weeks out, you can prepare over three weeks instead of one frantic night. The information was there the whole time. The trick is looking at it early.
4. Spot the hard class in the first two weeks, not the first two months. Every schedule has one class that is going to be the challenge: the one where the pace is fast, the material is new, or the teacher expects a lot. You usually know which one it is by the end of week one. That is a gift. It means you can get in front of it. If the hard class is math or science, this is the moment to shore up the foundation while the lead is still small. My students who bring in a tough math class in week two, when they are only a little unsure, spend far less time and money than the ones who wait until they are lost. This is exactly why we at High Performance Tutoring genuinely recommend starting tutoring early instead of waiting until the last minute: if your student already knows a class is going to be tough and will likely need the help, set up tutoring in the first two weeks. Don't delay. The earlier they begin, the easier it is to keep up, and the more the benefits stack week after week. Same principle for any subject: address the wobble while it's a wobble, not a collapse.
5. Turn in the first assignment early, and turn it in well. The first few assignments are usually easy: a syllabus quiz, a get-to-know-you sheet, a simple problem set. Students shrug at them. Don't. Getting those first grades to 100% does two things. It builds a cushion in the gradebook, and more importantly it sets a tone in your own head: this is a class I do well in. Momentum in school is mostly a story students tell themselves, and those first small wins write the opening line.
6. Get eight hours of sleep from night one. I know, I know: it is the least exciting item on any list. But the students who protect their sleep in the first two weeks are sharper, faster, and more organized than the ones who don't, and the gap only widens as the year gets harder. You cannot out-study a tired brain. Start the school year strong here and half the other items get easier automatically.
What This Looks Like When It Works
When a student does even three or four of these things, the year has a completely different shape. They walk into October already ahead instead of already behind. Teachers know their name. The hard class feels difficult but manageable, because they caught it early. And the grade in the book has a cushion built from those first easy assignments. I have seen these small, unglamorous moves add up to a full letter-grade difference by the end of a semester, and you can see plenty of those turnarounds among our students' results.
None of this requires being the smartest kid in the room. It requires being the most set-up kid in the room in the first two weeks, which is a thing any student can choose to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important back to school tips for high school students?
Build a daily homework routine while things are still calm, introduce yourself to every teacher, read each syllabus and calendar the big test dates, identify your hardest class in week one, and ace the easy first assignments to build a gradebook cushion. Small, early habits beat last-minute effort.
How early should I get a tutor if my child is struggling?
Earlier than feels necessary. If you can already see a class is going to be tough by the end of the first two weeks, that is the ideal time: the gap is still small, so it takes far less time and effort to close than if you wait until report cards. You can see how our tutoring works if you want to get ahead of a class before it becomes a problem.
Does the first week of school really affect grades that much?
Yes, more than most people expect. Because math and science build on themselves, a small misunderstanding in the first week compounds. Students who stay caught up while the material is easy almost always find the whole year easier than students who fall a little behind early and spend months catching up.
How can parents help without nagging?
Set up the environment and let your student own the actions. Help them pick a homework time and place, put the calendar on the wall, and protect their sleep. Encourage them to email teachers themselves rather than emailing on their behalf. The goal is ownership, not surveillance.
If your son or daughter has a class that already looks like it's going to be the tough one this year, the best time to get help is now, while the gap is still small. Your first hour with High Performance Tutoring is completely free, so it costs nothing to get ahead of it. Your child's education is our first priority :)