Latest College Prep News & Tips

Summer always seems to fly by faster each year. We always have such great plans to get everything done, and then next thing you know it’s September again! This month, we’re going to focus on what things students who are entering their junior year of high school should be thinking about. Junior year is one of the most important ones for the college admissions process, since it will be the last full year of grades that will be seen before decisions are made. In addition, work that students do now can lighten the load of what they need to do later on, when the pressure is higher.

First, they should make sure that they are in all the right classes for the school year. Ideally, colleges want to see students challenge themselves by taking the hardest classes that they they can thrive in. It’s a careful balance – you don’t want to overface yourself and get poor grades, but skating by in easy classes is just as bad. Make sure that you’re prepared for the school year right from the start – look through your textbooks, do some practice math, make sure that you read some books over the summer. Many students are rusty when they first get back to school, and that can make it difficult to catch up when things start going full speed.

Juniors are going to take the PSAT in the fall. The only result from the PSAT that colleges care about is the National Merit Status. Students who are applying to highly competitive schools want to make sure to do their absolute best on the PSAT for this reason. Every student, however, should take the PSAT seriously. It is, in essence, a short form of the SAT – a very important test. The PSAT can be a good predictor of how a student will do on the SAT. So if your scores on the PSAT aren’t what you want, then you should look into options for test prep before you ever take the SAT. Don’t wait until you get the results back from the SAT because spring of junior year is a hectic time. The earlier you prepare, the better.

Juniors can also use the summer to get started on their college search process. Start thinking about what matters to you in a school. Big school or small school? Rural or urban? Are there specific programs or job fields that interest you? What kinds of clubs and activities are available at different schools? The summer is a great chance to visit some local schools to get a sense for what the different sizes and campuses are like. Some students think they want a big school, but then are overwhelmed when they go see them. Remember that there is huge range of schools out there.

Finally, juniors should be continuing their involvement in sports, volunteering, and other resume-building activities. There is more to a college application than just academics. Schools like to see a depth of involvement, so now is a great time to see if there are any leadership positions that you could take on in your activity or club of choice. Finding a passion that you want to be involved in is important for the application process – and for having a healthy and balanced life in general.

The college application process can feel overwhelming, but getting a good head start on these things will help you to feel ready and confident for whatever the new school year brings.