Once freshman and sophomore year are in the rear view, it’s time to take stock of what lies ahead. For students who are certain that college is their next step, I suggest mapping it out. Kick off junior year with what I’ll call the A&P: analysis and plan. The team should consist of the student, parents and guidance counselor. Schedule a meeting with the school’s guidance counselor to begin considering where to attend, looking at the deadlines for college admissions, thinking about majors, and assessing academic status at the high school half way mark.
Ask yourself the following questions: Are you on track to graduate on time? Are there certain classes you need for the college you’re interested in attending? Does your GPA measure up? For student athletes, have you balanced sports participation with your academics? For non-athletes, you don’t need to join a team to seem more well well-rounded. Involvement in student government, robotics club or community service is a nice touch on applications. Effective marketing by local colleges and universities ensures their brochures are in the guidance counselor’s office to promote. Those should be a general consideration due to lower tuition costs and convenience. However, if you’re interested in an Ivy League institution, or just someplace in a different city or state, online searches are your friend. Gather all the useful information for comparisons so informed, solid decisions can be made. Keep in mind tuition is going to be higher at an out-of-state school.
If you have an idea what you want your ultimate career goal to be, you can eliminate colleges that aren’t a good fit. For example, if you want to be a doctor don’t waste time applying to Bible college because it’s cheaper and close by. Focus instead on schools with a competitive pre-med program. In addition, take advantage of college visits. Churches or nonprofits may organize these for students. There’s nothing like going to a campus to see what it’s like up close; that visit can seal the deal. (It certainly did for me). However, the opposite can also be true. A school may look great online but not measure up in person.
Also, apply for summer jobs for two reasons: One, because work makes you look responsible to admissions committees. And two: when you’re pretty certain about a career choice, if there are opportunities to work in that field for the summer, that’s something you can put on your college or university application.
Last but not least, take those college entrance exams. There are opportunities to get some low-cost test prep prior to taking your SAT or ACT, and if planned properly, a chance to retake it if needed to possibly increase your score.
In summary, for junior and senior year of high school, the focus should be your analysis and plan, then working that plan. The level up is real, and when done right, so worth it!
