Junior Year
Your junior year is your most important year in high school. Since you will start applying for colleges and universities during your senior year, your junior year is your final opportunity to get involved in activities or boost your grades so that you can make the best impression on college admission boards.
Your grade point average (GPA) from your junior year is especially crucial in the college admissions process. Follow your Graduation Plan and, if possible, take Advanced Placement (AP) classes, which are college-level classes that can be transferred for college credit at certain colleges if you score well on the AP Exams offered in May. General AP courses include Biology, English Language, Calculus, Government, and History. You should take other challenging courses too, and study as much as possible! Keep up with your extracurricular activities, join new groups if you feel you can devote time to them, and keep track of all activities and positions held.
If you haven’t yet registered for the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) – which you will probably take in October – ask your counselor how to register at your school, and continue studying. Remember to pick up a copy of the “Official Student Guide to the PSAT” from your counselor, which has helpful test information. Taking the PSAT will serve as great practice for the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and the optional ACT (American College Test), and scoring well could qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship Program, the National Achievement Scholarship Program, or the National Hispanic Recognition Program.
During your junior year, you should look into when you will take the SAT and, if you decide to take it, the ACT. More than likely, you will take these exams during the spring of your junior year or the fall of your senior year (or both) – but you should start studying for them early on in the year. The SAT is especially important: many colleges weigh your score very heavily in your admissions application, and many award scholarships based on your score. Just like with the PSAT, look into whether you have a study group on your campus or in your community, or create one yourself, and study, study, study!
Finally, as far as tests go during your junior year, you may want to look into whether you should take any SAT II exams, which are tests that focus on one particular subject, such as English, math, history, or science. Because SAT II tests are directly related to course work, it’s helpful to take the tests as soon as possible after completing the course in the subject while the material is still fresh in your mind. Note: some colleges require up to three SAT II exams, while others do not require any, so you should start looking into whether prospective colleges that you are interested in require these exams. Just like with the SAT, you must register online or by mail before the registration deadline, which is usually about a month prior to the exam.
Many students find that college campuses are different than they imagined them to be. During your junior year, you should make arrangements to visit prospective college campuses to see how well they will suit you.
Then, during your spring semester, you should write formal letters to at least three colleges or universities that you are interested in and request an application for admittance. Do your best at this time to make different budgets to evaluate the costs of four years at each institution – these budgets should include tuition, books, living expenses, transportation, and other personal expenses. Also be sure to include in the budgets the amount of money you may owe after college. Doing this will help you understand how much money you will need to save or seek out to attend the colleges you are interested in.
Always remember: never stop searching for scholarships!
Summer
Vacation away the entire summer! After you receive copies of different college applications, you should start reviewing the essay questions. This summer is a great time to begin drafting admissions essays since you will have extra time to focus on details – and since your senior year will be so busy!
Also during the summer break, you also have the option to take basic courses at a local community college or university, which will count both for high school and college credit. In addition, now that you have completed your junior year, you may be able to take advantage of summer programs for high school students. Again, these look great on college resumes, and you’ll learn about college life while staying on campus with other students.
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Review and draft admissions essays
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Take basic courses at community college
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Attend college summer programs, if eligible
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For most students, your senior year is the one that you have waited for. It’s easy to lose track of responsibilities and focus on having fun. Just remember that you are close to your final goal – getting into college – and if you continue to focus, your hard work will pay off. The most important thing you can do this year is continue to keep your grades up and follow your Graduation Plan. Most colleges will take into account your grades for the fall semester, and they will be disappointed by a transcript that shows you slacked on your grades during your senior year. Also remember that colleges are impressed by your choice of coursework, so continue taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and other challenging classes. If you haven’t yet taken the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or the optional ACT (American College Test) exams, or if you’d like to take either or both again, remember to register for the exams prior to their deadlines (usually about a month prior to the exam dates), and take practice tests to study. Again, you may also want to look into whether you should take any SAT II exams, and if so, register before the deadline and study! During this fall semester, you should complete all college applications. Have a teacher proofread your application and admissions essays, and make sure to get all required letters of recommendation, which will usually come from a teacher or employer. Most colleges have an early application process that accepts applications in September for the following fall semester, but plan to get yours done at least a few weeks in advance and, before you send your application, make a copy for your records. Normal admissions deadlines are normally in February.
Senior Year
Fall Semester
This semester is extremely important in finalizing all of your college plans. Most college applications are due early this semester (February), so if you haven’t yet done so, be sure to submit all final applications. Continue to aggressively look out for and apply for scholarships – the more money you receive through scholarships, the less loan money you will need to take out. Also, be on the lookout for college acceptance letters during the spring! If you get a few, choose the one that you feel best fits you, and begin to make living arrangements in that area. Note that most colleges accept on-campus housing applications on a first-come, first served basis, so once you choose a college, try to apply for housing as soon as possible if you want to live on campus. When reviewing a college acceptance letter and dorm agreements, be careful to note if they’d like any initial deposits and mark those deadlines. Also look to see if the college requires a copy of your health records or final transcript. Send all requested documents by any stated deadlines. Note: you will probably not be able to send your final transcript until the summer. Lastly, although you will be distracted by upcoming college plans, you really need to stay focused on your grades and coursework – especially your AP courses. AP Exams are usually offered during May, and if you score well enough you can get college credit for the courses. Check with prospective colleges to ensure that the credit will be recognized, and take the exams that correspond with the AP courses you took throughout your senior year.
Spring
Summer
Relaxing may be a huge temptation before you start college, but it’s wise to get ahead (and save money) by taking some basic courses at a local community college. Be sure to consult with the college or university you will be attending to determine which credits will transfer. (If the credits cannot be transferred, don’t waste your time or money.) Also, be aware of all fee and other deadlines imposed by the university you will be attending with regards to these classes. For more information about community colleges, see “What Your Counselor Never Told You,” directly below.
Many universities also have orientations during the summer which could be valuable to your college experience. While most universities charge a fee for orientation, some offer waivers or offer a free orientation. Before you attend orientation, be sure to call the admissions office to learn about possible waivers if you have financial need.
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Take basic courses at community college if the credits transfer |
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Attend orientation |
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If requested, send your final transcript |
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If necessary, send any other deposit |