Latest College Prep News & Tips

Taking the PSAT in early October often gets students and their families wondering what they should do next.  Often, students will start to see an influx of marketing and mailings from various colleges. It’s and exciting but also sometimes overwhelming time.  It’s important to make the most of it.

One thing that juniors should start to plan are college visits.  Some students may already have a very fleshed out list of what they want in a school, while others may feel like they don’t even know where to begin.  All of that is ok! Even if you feel that you have it all planned out, it never hurts to take a hard look at what you really want. There are so many different factors to finding the right college – it’s not all about where they fall on the ranking lists.

What are your academic and career interests?  If you know that you want to pursue a career in digital art, for example, it’s a good idea to check out what people in that industry majored in, and where they went to school.  Some careers require more specialized training on the college level, while others may not. If you’re at all undecided, it’s important to look at how easy it would be to change majors or tracks at any school you are considering.  Beyond your academic and career interests, you want to be thinking about extracurriculars as well. College isn’t all about the classes alone, and to really succeed beyond school it helps to be a well rounded individual.

Many of you may have an idea of “I want a big school” or “I’d rather be on a small campus”, but it helps to have a solid idea of what that really means.  Check out the campuses from different categories – massive state schools, tiny liberal arts schools, and everything in the middle. You might think you want a big school, but there’s a difference between 10,000 students and 40,000 students.  Urban, suburban, and rural are also important considerations – and the differences may be defined differently in different parts of the country. For now, you don’t need to focus your visits on schools that you know you want to apply to. The most important thing at the beginning of junior year is to get a sense for what you actually want in terms of category.  There are a lot of options out there, so give yourself time to shop around.

For juniors, this is a great time to check out college fairs that may be hosted at your school or at local community centers.  College fairs give you a chance to get some promotional material, and ask questions about schools that may interest you. They are often staffed by admissions staff and/or alumni, who can be great resources.  College fairs are especially convenient if you are interested in applying to schools from out of your region.

With college on the horizon, don’t forget to keep up your grades and focus on forming a good relationship with your junior year teachers.  These teachers are most likely the ones who you will be turning to for letters of recommendation, so make sure you are showing them your best self.  While college applications may seem like they are a ways away, it’s always a good idea to get started early. Ask anyone you know who is a senior – the time goes by quickly!