How to Make the Most Out of Your High School Junior Year

So now that time of year has come again: college application time. I know quite a few people this year who are already up to their necks in college applications, and they're still not completely done. Now I know most people are like this, and procrastinate until a few days before something is due. However, this probably won't be the best course of action considering that your future may be at stake. So, without further ado, let's see how some of this stressful process can be eliminated by simply acting earlier on in your junior year of high school.

First off, if you haven't already, you want to start looking at potential candidates to which you will want to apply. If you know what you want to major in, great! It will be much easier for you to find colleges that fit your interests. For those of you that are unsure, that's quite alright. When looking for colleges, you may want to focus on a broader search: look for colleges that fit your or your parents' budgets or perhaps universities that offer a larger range of major and minor options. This way, you won't be stuck at the wrong college if you decide to major in something that isn't offered where you attend. A lot of this research can also include college visits, especially if you have a particular interest. You can contact a faculty member, and schedule a meeting with them to get to know them, and they can give you advice on applying to that specific college. Visiting helps you get a feel for the campus and whether it would be a good fit for you, and also shows the college that you have a sincere interest in their school. By beginning this research as a junior, you won't have to waste valuable time as a senior doing this, and will have more time available to spend actually applying to the colleges.

Secondly, it would be in your best interest to start taking those pesky standardized tests. Since most colleges will take either the SAT or the ACT, I would recommend getting one or two practice books and trying out both tests, and finding the one you perform better on. Then I would suggest focusing on the one you feel you're better at. Also on the note of preparation, there are tons of ways to prepare: obtain practice books, read through them, and do the timed practice tests; find online practice; find an SAT/ACT tutor and/or take a prep-course. Because most of the advice offered in the testing books is the same, after reading through one, you should probably focus more on the practice questions. Out of the online options, one stands out particular because it's FREE and easy to use: Kaplan Quiz Bank. Basically, you create an account, and sign up for the quiz bank, and a database of around 1000 free practice questions becomes available to you. You can choose to do timed tests, or ones where hints are given during the practice. However, as far as I know, this handy tool is for the SAT. Finally, when it comes to tutors and prep courses, these mostly depend on personal preference. Some people find it useful, and some people don't. Also, it is important to note that most of these often cost a few hundred dollars, so if you don't think it's worth the money, don't use it. Overall, I would suggest taking it twice as a junior. The first time will allow you to get a feel for the test, and the second time, you can focus on improving on your weak areas. And since most students will take the PSAT as juniors, all this preparation can pay off in the form of National Merit Scholarship Money!

Finally, and what may be the most important of all, is to start talking to your counselor. Your counselor plays a huge role when you apply to colleges, from writing recommendations to filling out forms. By getting to know your counselor ahead of time, they have more time to form an image of who you are, and will be able to write better things about you in the recommendations as a result. Also, they play a vital role in filling out necessary school forms and sending off transcripts and other necessary information. If you talk to them about the different goals you have for college, then they can take notes and start preparing ahead of time what they will need to do to help make you successful. I can't stress enough how important it is to get to know your counselor ahead of time.

Applying to colleges is often an extremely stressful situation. Applicants have to be extremely meticulous and detail-oriented; the slightest mistype or mistake of any kind could mean the difference between acceptance, being wait-listed, or rejection. Because of the nature of humans, many high school students wait until their senior year to start this process, and as a result, spend hours each day trying to cram in all the things they should have taken care of ahead of time. By planning ahead, and starting the process earlier on, you can help to alleviate a large amount of the stress that college applicants are faced with each year.