As a third-year student in high school, it’s a great time to start thinking: What should juniors do to prepare for college? Instead of stressing about the process during the fall of your senior year, get ahead of the game, and start planning now.
If you’re wondering what should juniors do to prepare for college, here are ten things you can do now that can help you as a college applicant next year.
1. Finish strong
Many counselors will argue junior year grades are the most important in college admissions. When you are applying to colleges in the fall, the second semester of junior year will be the final grades you will report at the time of the application submission. Therefore, it is very important to finish the year strong.
Push yourself to get the best grades you can in your classes. Even if you had lower grades in previous semesters, upward grade trends can work in your favor. Put a timer on your phone to limit distractions and save binge-watching your favorite TV shows for the weekend. Putting in those extra hours of studying is exactly what juniors should do to prepare for college!
2. Choose challenging classes for senior year
Taking challenging academic classes is exactly what juniors should do to prepare for college.
For example, many high schools only require three years of math. Instead of skipping out on math in your final year, take that fourth year. College admissions officers want to see students challenge themselves in their academic choices, rather than taking the easy way out. This also means if honors or Advanced Placement courses are available, take them if you feel up to the challenge.
The rigor of your coursework is one of the key things that college admissions counselors will look at to judge how well you will fit in their institution. If they see you’ve pushed yourself–in many cases, even if it meant getting a B instead of getting an A in an easier course–it will be a good indication that you’re willing to work hard.
A great part about taking harder classes for your senior year is you may receive college credit for some of them! Not only are you impressing the college admissions office, but you’re also saving time and money on general education courses. By knowing what juniors should do to prepare for college, you’ll also be helping out your future college self.
3. Get to know your counselor
If you haven’t spent much time with your school counselor, check in with them this semester and get to know them. Also, let them get to know you.
Many colleges want to see a counselor recommendation letter and the recommendation letters that can speak personally about an applicant is always better than a generic letter listing off your accomplishments and extracurricular activities. Your school guidance counselor will also be a great resource for questions about colleges and college admissions strategies. They would know what should juniors do to prepare for college as they see hundreds of students a year!
4. Connect with teachers too!
Get to know your teachers and let them get to know you on a personal level. Colleges will need a teacher recommendation letter, and just like counselor letters, it is always best to have a letter that can speak highly about a student.
This is especially important if you know which majors you might be interested in or if you are planning to apply to a selective college program. Show your teachers in these areas that you are passionate about the subject so that when you ask them for that recommendation letter, they can give you honest and fair praise, which will help your chances of being admitted. If you’re interested in majoring in biology, speak with your biology teacher about what should juniors do to prepare for college and ask for a letter of recommendation!
5. Continue preparing for the SAT or ACT
There are a few SAT and ACT test dates available before you submit your college applications. If you haven’t taken one or both of these tests yet as a junior in high school, then schedule a time to do it and begin studying.
If you’ve already taken one or both tests and think you can improve your score (or think that you might be able to do better on the other test if you’ve only taken one), then continue to study to schedule a time to take it again.
Standardized tests are not like the tests you take in school. Preparation can make a huge difference! (How well do you remember every subject that you’ve studied throughout your high school career? Getting a quick refresher certainly can’t hurt!)
If colleges require the SAT or ACT, those test scores will play a role in college admissions decisions. In addition, many colleges use your test scores (in addition to grades and your EFC) to determine financial aid. So, not only does a better score give you a boost in admissions odds, but it can pay off big time in the form of financial aid that could dramatically reduce your cost of college.
6. Start or update your resume, activities list, or brag sheet
This will allow you to include all of your extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other accomplishments in one place. It is also a way to inventory all of your activities and help you determine if you need to do more as you head into senior year.
You will also provide a copy of your resume to your recommendation writers when requesting recommendations. Lastly, it will be your “cheat sheet” as you are preparing your college applications.
So if you’re asking us what should juniors do to prepare for college, we say brag! Don’t be afraid to “brag” about your accomplishments if they are true!
7. Attend college nights or college fairs
If there is a college fair happening in your area this spring, get ahead in the college search process and attend. It’s exactly what juniors should do to prepare for college.
These are great opportunities to learn about colleges and talk to college representatives. You’ll start to get a feel for which colleges are most interesting to you and what you’re looking for in a college.
Instead of waiting until the fall when you should be focusing your attention on your college applications, get a lot of your questions answered now as a junior in high school. Many of the college nights also include workshops on college admissions strategies and financial aid information. It’s great college prep for juniors overall.
8. Connect with colleges
In addition to attending college fairs, connect with colleges. Learn everything you can about the colleges you are considering. Join their mailing lists to get up-to-date information about the colleges.
Joining their mailing list will also show the colleges you are interested in. Sometimes, demonstrated interest can play a role in college admissions decisions. In addition, follow colleges on social media. Colleges use their social media accounts to share updates and information on cool things happening on campus.
9. Visit colleges
If you’re very interested in a college and have not visited yet, make plans to go there!
The college visit is probably the most important part of the college search because it is the only way you will know for sure if the college is right for you. College mailings and websites will give you the facts; the college visit will let you experience the community.
You’ll get to see first-hand the community, how the students interact, and all the facilities they brag about online. It can be difficult to feel how the atmosphere of the college campus without ever visiting. It’s the main reason why setting up these college visits is what juniors should do to prepare for college according to College Raptor.
10. Start planning your summer activities
As a junior in high school, you see summer as a time to relax and not think about college. So What should juniors do to prepare for college in the summer? While it is essential to do some relaxing, it is also the perfect time to do things that could help with the college admissions process.
Learn more about summer programs, internship opportunities, or volunteer work. These are great activities to include in your college application. Grades and test scores play a big part in the college admissions decision. But, your activities could be the thing that can set you apart from students with similar academic profiles.
Knowing what juniors should do to prepare for college can make or break your college admissions process. Now is not the time to ease on the breaks. Go full throttle into the rest of the year and into your senior year! Use this guide to create a junior year checklist so you don’t forget all the important things coming up.
Download a printable college prep checklist now.
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