Advice for Juniors

In This Section

Greetings
Planning for the Junior Year Powerpoint
Planning Ahead Pays Off: Develop a Plan for College Early in Your High School Career by Sally Wood
College Visits to Community High
Month-by-Month Junior Planning Calendar

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Greetings from your friendly Community High School Counseling Office, John, Diane and Karen.

Review your 4-year plan and do what you can to prepare for the SAT/ACT. Your junior year grades are your most important statement for college admission. Plan to meet with your counselor (The Junior Conference) to review your transcript, plan for graduation requirements, and begin the college exploration process. Meet with college representatives who visit CHS. Visit colleges in the summer and on breaks or long weekends.

Junior Conferences happen all through the year, but earlier the better! Schedule yours by speaking to John, Diane or Karen.

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Planning Ahead Pays Off: Develop a Plan for College Early in Your High School Career

By Sally Wood

Choosing what college you are going to attend is a big decision. Probably for the first time in your life, you are going to have a chance to determine where you are going to spend four or more years of your life. So don’t make the mistake that many high school students make and wait until the last minute to select a college. Too often, students wait until their senior year—even the last semester of their senior year—to decide where they want to go to college. But for several reasons, it’s not wise to do so.

First of all, many colleges have specific admissions requirements, especially in the areas of science and math. If you wait until your senior year is underway to check into the admissions requirements of colleges that interest you, you may discover too late that you cannot get into those institutions because you have not taken the required courses. Also, some colleges have certain ACT or SAT score requirements. If your scores are not high enough to meet their standards, you may need to try again. The national test dates will determine when you may take these tests, therefore limiting your chances of raising your score before the application deadline. If you decide during your junior year where you may want to go, you will have more chances to take the test and to meet the college’s score requirements.

The college of your choice may have an early application deadline. Some of the more selective colleges want you to apply as early as your junior year. Others prefer that you apply during the first month or two of your senior year. Some have later application deadlines, but their scholarship deadlines may be as early as December 1. In such a case, the college may accept you if you wait until February or March to apply, but you will not qualify for any of the campus-based scholarships. College tuition is expensive, so don’t let your procrastination disqualify you from any financial aid that you might have received if you had applied earlier.

Many colleges have summer programs—such as dual-credit programs, summer camps, enrichment programs, and exploratory programs—specifically for juniors who are trying to make college, major, and career choices. Quite possibly, your participation in one of these programs at a college you are considering may be a foot in the door for early admission to that college and may even mean some guaranteed financial aid for you. Waiting until your senior year to select a college will cause you to miss out on these opportunities. Granted, participating in a summer program may cause you to realize that you were mistaken about wanting to go to that college; but even that type of experience can be useful to you. Spending your money and a few weeks in the summer at a college that you realize really isn’t right for you is better than paying tuition and staying there your first college semester before realizing your choice was the wrong one. Then you’ll still have time to find the college that does suit you.

As a high school junior, you may not feel ready to make a final decision about the college you should attend. But it’s not too early to narrow your choices to five or fewer. Then you can begin visiting those campuses, learning more about the programs they have to offer, getting to know some of the admissions and financial aid personnel there, and talking with some of the students who go there. You can apply to as many college as you like, as long as you are willing to complete the applications and to pay the application fees. Applying to more than one college—and doing so early—gives you a chance to find out what each college has to offer you and allows you to compare and contrast them. Your college decision is an important one—not one that you should make at the last minute or without careful thought.

Sally Wood is a freelance writer and editor from Marionville, Missouri. She worked as a high school counselor in the Aurora R-VIII School District in Aurora, Missouri, from 1980-2000

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College Visits to Community High

All students & Parents are welcome! If you are a freshman or sophomore, junior or senior, now is your time to get to know these wonderful schools while you’ve got time to shop, think, and learn. Don’t wait!

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Month-by-Month Junior Planning Calendar

The short version:
Begin college selection process. Attend college fairs, financial aid seminars, general information sessions, etc., to learn as much as you can about the college application process. Make sure you are meeting NCAA requirements if you want to play Division I, II or III sports in college.

August/September

-Register for the October PSAT. Meet with your guidance/college Counselor or Forum Leader to review your courses for this year and plan your schedule for senior year.
-Save samples of your best work for your academic portfolio (all year).
-Maintain your co-curricular record (all year).

October

-Junior year PSAT scores may qualify a student for the National Merit Scholarship Competition and the National Achievement or National Hispanic Scholars Programs. Even though these scores will not be used for college admission, it is still a good idea to take the PSAT. The more times you take standardized tests, the more familiar you will become with the format and the types of questions asked. If you wish to receive free information from colleges, indicate on the PSAT test answer form that you want to participate in the Student Search. A useful report will arrive at CHS in early December for your review.

November

-Junior year grades are extremely important in the college admission process, because they are a measure of how well you do in advanced, upper-level courses. Grades also are used to determine scholarships and grants for which you may be eligible. So put in the extra effort and keep those grades up!
-If you will require financial aid, start researching your options for grants, scholarships and work-study programs. Make an appointment with your Counselor or start by visiting NACAC’s Web Resources for the College-Bound (www.nacacnet.org) to do research on your own using the Internet.

December

-During December you should receive the results of your PSAT. Read your score report and consult your school counselor to determine how you might improve on future standardized tests. The PSAT is excellent preparation for the SAT Reasoning Test, which you will take in the spring.

January

-Begin to make a preliminary list of colleges you would like to investigate further. Surf the net and use the college resources in the guidance office or library.
-Ask your parents for your Social Security number (required on many college applications). If you were never issued a Social Security number, contact the closest Social Security office as soon as possible to obtain a number.

February

-Meet with your guidance/college Counselor to discuss your preliminary list of colleges. Discuss whether your initial list of colleges meets your needs and interests (academic program, size, location, cost, etc.) and whether you are considering colleges where you are likely to be admitted. You should be optimistic and realistic when applying to colleges.
-Register for the March SAT Reasoning Test if you have completed the math courses covered on the SAT Reasoning Test. If not, plan to take the SAT Reasoning Test in May or June. Prepare for the SAT Reasoning Test or ACT by signing up for a prep course, using computer software, or doing the SAT/ACT practice tests available in the counseling office or at bookstores. But don’t spend so much time trying to improve standardized test scores that grades and co-curricular involvement suffer.

March

-Here comes the Michigan Merit Exam (MME)! The MME contains the ACT, ACT Work Keys and various other tests that will judge your academic profile as well as the school's. The ACT is a college-reoprtable score, so will "count" as the real deal, with NO CHARGE to you or your hard-working parent(s).

-Write, telephone, or use the Internet to request admission literature and financial aid information from the colleges on your list. There is no charge and no obligation to obtain general information about admission and financial aid.

April

-Attend a college fair to get more information about colleges on your list. NACAC sponsors college fairs in cities across the country in Livonia, and Ann Arbor's annual fair occurs at Pioneer High. Visit NACAC’s National College Fairs Web page (www.nacacnet.org) to check out the schedule for the National College Fairs and the Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs.
-When selecting your senior courses, be sure to continue to challenge yourself academically.
-Register for the May/June SAT Reasoning Test, ACT and/or the May/June SAT Subject Tests. Not all SAT Subject Tests are given on every test date. Check the calendar carefully to determine when the Subject Tests you want are offered.
-Continue to evaluate your list of colleges and universities. Eliminate colleges from the original list that no longer interest you and add others as appropriate.
-Look into summer jobs or apply for special summer academic or enrichment programs. Colleges love to see students using their knowledge and developing their skills and interests.

May

-Get a jump start on summer activities – consider enrolling in an academic course at a local college, pursuing a summer school program, applying for an internship, working, or volunteering. If you work, save part of your earnings for college.
-Begin/Continue visiting colleges. Phone to set up appointments. Interviews are always a good idea. Many colleges will tell you they are optional, but an interview will show interest, enthusiasm and initiative on your part and provide an excellent opportunity to have your questions answered. Do a practice interview with your counselor, teacher, employer, or a senior who has had college interviews. Set up interviews as early as possible-interview times become booked quickly!
-Take the SAT Reasoning Test or the SAT Subject Tests.

June

-After school ends, get on the road to visit colleges. Seeing the college firsthand, taking a tour and talking to students can be the greatest help in deciding whether or not a school is right for you. Although it is ideal to visit colleges during the academic year, going in the summer will be valuable. Admission offices employ their students to give tours and answer questions from prospective students and their parents.
-Take the SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT Subject Tests and/or the ACT.

July

-Visit colleges, take tours, have interviews and ask questions. Make college visiting a family event. Involve your parents and siblings in every step of your application process. Choosing the right college is a tough decision; the opinions of those who know you best can provide helpful insight into which college is best for you.

August

-Continue to refine your list of potential colleges and universities.
-Begin preparing for the actual application process: draft application essays, collect writing samples, and assemble portfolios or audition tapes. If you are an athlete and plan on playing in college, contact the coaches at the schools to which you are applying and ask about intercollegiate and intramural sports programs and athletic scholarships.
-Complete the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse form if you hope to play Division I or II sports. (This form cannot be mailed until you finish your sixth semester of high school.)