How High School Juniors can Plan for College

As a high school junior, you’ve got a lot of things on your plate. You’ll need to keep a workable yet challenging course load, participate in an extracurricular activity and perhaps even hold a part-time job. You’re officially an upperclassmen now and you can enjoy the benefits that brings on campus, but not before you stop long enough to think about college.


Your senior year is just around the corner and that’s when the true college hustle and bustle begins, so doing all that you can now will help to take the pressure off. After all, you want to be able to actually enjoy your senior year as well, right? So doing some forward thinking right now and making a few decisions will help you be prepared and not have to freak out when it comes time to apply to colleges.


The junior year of high school is pivotal. There are numerous decisions that you make during your junior year that can have an impact -- positive or negative -- for years to come. Here's how your junior year should look, month-by-month.


SEPTEMBER

• Meet with your guidance counselor or overseas coordinator  to talk about  your AP or IB courses.
• Step up your involvement in one or two organizations. It's not the number of organizations you belong to, but that you have leadership experience that matters the most.
• Begin keeping track of your community service activities and hours.
• Start collecting materials for your portfolio and begin identifying accomplishments and achievements you will list on your resume.
   
  * Practice for the PSAT exam that you will be taken in October. Check  the  CALENDAR  link for due dates.

OCTOBER 

• Talk with teachers, family members, and other adults you respect about the colleges they attended.
• Begin the career exploration process with some assessment tests.
  Go above and beyond. Do your best in your classes. Remember: Class rank and G.P.A. are key factors in college admissions. Your high school transcript will show admission committees you are up to the challenge of a competitive college environment.
  
  * Take the PSAT exam.
  

NOVEMBER

• Keep your focus on your grades. You'll want your grades for this entire junior year to be as strong as possible.
• Continue your research in potential colleges and careers.
• Continue gathering materials for your resume and portfolio.

DECEMBER

• Revise your PSAT scores, make plans for how to maximize the good and plan to improve the rest.
• Look ahead to the spring and summer and begin mapping out the dates for your other standardized tests: AP Placement Exams, ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests.
• Stay focused on grades.
   
  * Open accounts with College Board  My College QuickStart (www.collegeboard.com/quickstart )  
     and Number2.com (www.number2.com ) to practice for the SAT and get prepare for the it.

JANUARY

• Continue your research on potential colleges and careers.
• Consider asking to job shadow one or more people you know to learn more about those careers firsthand (if possible).
• Stay focused on grades.
  
  * Start preparing for the SAT and ACT exams.

FEBRUARY

• Schedule meeting with your guidance counselor or overseas coordinator to discuss possible college choices.
• Begin to focus on the key 10 to 15 colleges that are a good fit (based on your academics and career choice).
• Stay focused on grades.

MARCH

• Develop (if you haven't already) a file for each of the schools on your list.
• Start learning about scholarships or financial aid packages.
• Brainstorm and research rewarding volunteer  summer jobs, internships, or scholarship opportunities if you could.
• Stay focused on grades.

APRIL

• Work with your guidance counselor or overseas coordinator to assure that you are doing what you need to be doing.
• Register for the May and/or June SAT and ACT  tests. Check the CALENDAR page for due dates.
• Consider visiting some of the colleges on your list if possible.
• Begin identifying teachers who may be willing to write recommendations letters for you.
• At this time, you should have been  reviewing for the SAT.

MAY

• Take AP Placement Exams if you have taken AP courses or if you think you are ready for them.
• Firm up your summer plans, including visits to other colleges on your list.
• Push yourself hard to end the year with solid grades.
  
  *  First chance to take your SAT I, SAT II, and  ACT test before your Senior year.

JUNE

• Last chance to take the SAT I and SAT II Subject Tests or the ACT Test before your Senior year.
• Continue contemplating various careers and colleges
• Be sure to get the most out of your summer vacation.
• Ask for summer reading lists.
• Visit colleges if possible.
  If possible, participate in Volunteer Summer Programs.

JULY

• Get ready for your senior year by  reading the SENIOR'S page on this site.
  
  

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