July-to-January To Do's for Rising High School Juniors
JUNIOR YEAR TO DO'S
Of all the high school years in which college admissions people are interested, junior year is probably at the top. This is the year when you should take the most Honors, AP/IB classes and get the best grades you can. 11th grade is when you need to go the extra mile and astound your teachers with the quality of your academic work. Finally, junior year is the time to be looking for ways to make stand-out contributions to your extracurricular activities and sports.
JULY AND AUGUST
College Visits
While on vacation this summer, swing by any colleges that are on your way or near your destination so that you can start getting a sense for what different college campuses are like. If you are interested and have the time, walk around the campus, stop by the Admissions Office and take a juice/snack break in the student center. Certainly it wouldn't hurt for you to check out the colleges in or near your hometown.
Extracurricular Activities
Make your summer special by doing what is fun, yet interesting and meaningful. Make sure that college admissions people will see at least one activity as being noteworthy. Whatever you do, don't be a couch potato! Colleges won't like that.
Financial Savvy
Most student and their families begin college planning with way too little information about financial considerations. Junior year is a great time to become educated, looking at the availability of need and merit-based scholarships and aid, ways FAFSA and PROFILE help you get financing, and how to use net-price calculators to understand what the real costs of college are. Keep in mind that the better the grades and test scores you have, the better the chances are for your receiving merit and other scholarships. Some of the best financial aid resources are Lynn O'Shaughnessy's The College Solution and her blog, and the very informative FinAid.org and Fastweb.com websites.
SEPTEMBER
Extracurricular Activities
By the time you hit junior year, you should be well settled in favorite activities. If you haven't, it's never too late to get involved. Look for ways to make a difference: become an officer, editor, captain, or leader. Try going beyond just being a member of an activity. Colleges look for students who are involved in their schools and communities.
Classes and Grades
Keep in mind having some balance in your life, but take as many Honors and AP/IB courses that you can handle. If any course starts to give you trouble, very quickly talk with your teacher and/or get some help.
College Visits
Junior year is when to get serious about college visits. Plan family vacations around visiting colleges in which you are interested.
Courses and Papers
Because a number of colleges ask for a writing sample as a part of their applications, save some of your best English, history, and other papers from this year.
Testing
Make sure that you are signed up for the October PSAT.
OCTOBER
College List
October is a good time to fill out the College Selection Questionnaire to determine your wants, needs and desire for college. You can also go online to do a college search. After you have identified what you want in a college, begin researching colleges that match who you are as a student and person.
Testing
Remember to take the PSAT.
NOVEMBER
Testing
Begin thinking about when you will take the different admissions tests. Ideally, you should complete all of them (SAT I or ACT, Subject Tests) by June of your junior year. Completing your testing by June will dramatically reduce your stress levels during senior year.
If you haven't already, make arrangements to get admissions test tutoring. Students who do this often raise their scores by as much as 200-400 points. Be aware that the best tutors are booked months ahead. Know that in addition to paid one-on-one and group tutoring, there are any number of free online tutoring resources.
DECEMBER
High School Counselor
Every once in awhile, stop by to say hello to your high school counselor. You want to make sure that this person knows who you are. He/she will be completing your application School Report forms, something to which admissions officers pay a lot of attention.
Teachers
Take extra time with teachers who you might ask to write recommendations for you. Teachers need to know you well enough to sing your praises. That's more likely if you show that you appreciate them.
Testing
December is usually when high school counselors provide you with the results of your PSAT, which will give you an idea of how you will score on the SAT.
Take a free ACT practice test from the likes of Princeton Review or online to see if you score higher on it or on the SAT. From this experience, decide whether the SAT or ACT better suits you.
JANUARY
Activities and Activities Resume
Take stock of how you are spending your time in and out of school. Is there anything you want to add or eliminate from your schedule? Make sure that everything you do is either something you enjoy and/or significantly adds to your admissions credentials. January of 11th grade is a good time to begin putting together an activities resume, a document in which you organize on paper everything you do in and out of school.
College Fairs
Check to see when the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and other college fairs are being held in your town or area. Mark your calendar with the date so that you can attend.
College List
If you haven't already, put together a preliminary college list.
College Visits
Make plans to visit colleges during Spring Break or early summer.
Testing
Sign up for the SAT, subject tests and/or the ACT offered between now and June.
Always take subject tests for your AP/IB courses if you think you will get a score of 3 or above. Because subject tests are offered in May and June, the time when you take AP/IB tests, you will never be as well prepared for them as then.
Miscellaneous
If you don't have a social security number, this is a good time to apply for one. You will need one for most college applications.
Financing College and Parents
If you haven't started learning about the financial aspects of college admissions, now is a good time to get started. Lynn O'Shaughnessy's The College Solution book and website are excellent places to start. Also take a look at Frank Palmasani's Right College, Right Price.
FEBRUARY
Activities Resume
Update (or put together) draft of your activities resume.
Colleges
Begin emailing, calling or writing colleges for information about their schools. Also ask for the name and email address of the college representative assigned to your high school.
High School Counselors
Meet with your school counselor to have him/her evaluate your college list. Ask for suggestions of other colleges.
Summer Plans
Begin thinking about what you want to do this coming summer; colleges pay particular attention what applicants do the summer before senior year.
Testing
If you haven't already, make arrangements to get admissions test tutoring through your school, online, with a testing program or private tutor. Also check to see if your local library offers test-tutoring programs.
MARCH
College List
Refine the list of colleges in which you are interested; start reading about them in the various college guidebooks, including The Fiske Guideand Colleges That Change Lives.
College Visits
Use Spring Break as a time to visit colleges.
Grades
Remember that junior year grades are very important, especially those from Spring semester. Prepare for and study hard for regular, mid-term and final exams. Good to excellent grades are what college admissions people look for.
Testing
Make sure that you are signed up for AP tests that are given at your school in May. Check in with the school AP coordinator or your AP teachers to make sure your school is offering them and whether/how to register for them.
APRIL
College List
Continue exploring and narrowing down your college list.
Senior Classes
Consult with your high school counselor about your senior year courses.
Summer Plans
Actively pursue your summer activities, whether a job, a special academic or enrichment program at a college, a trip or volunteer activity. Most importantly, do what you love.
Testing
If you haven't already, sign up for the SAT, subject tests and/or ACT so that you can finish up your testing by June.
MAY
Personal Stories
Begin collecting personal stories that you can use for your college application essays. Students, parents and family members can begin remembering anecdotes, apocryphal stories, and the like at family dinners or long car rides. Someone should write these down for use in the essay writing process.
Recommenders
Ask favorite teachers if they will fill out the teacher evaluation form for your college applications.
Senior Classes
Carefully choose your senior classes, taking into consideration the rigor of the program and balance in your life. Your goal should be to put together as rigorous as an academic schedule as you can without going overboard.
Summer Plans
Finalize your summer plans.
Testing
Take the AP test for any AP class in which you are enrolled, following by the respective subject test.
JUNE
Activities Resume
Finalize your activities resume.
Classes and Grades
Ace your finals!
College List
Narrow down your college list to the 10-20 colleges you like best. Arrange them into Reach, Good Chance and Pretty Sure categories (based on your SAT/ACT scores compared to successful applicants at the colleges.)
College Visits
Consult with your parents about setting up a schedule to visit colleges during the summer. Identify dates; call for interview appointments; research travel arrangements.
Internet
If you now use AOL or Hotmail, change to Yahoo, Gmail, or cable accounts that work better with college online applications.
Make sure your computer has the most recent version of Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer so that you can make full use of online applications.
ke sure than Javascript and Cookies are enable on your computer and that popup blockers are disabled.
Have a great semester!
Article found on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marjorie-hansen-shaevitz/july-to-january-to-dos-fo_b_3525513.html
JUNIOR YEAR TO DO'S
Of all the high school years in which college admissions people are interested, junior year is probably at the top. This is the year when you should take the most Honors, AP/IB classes and get the best grades you can. 11th grade is when you need to go the extra mile and astound your teachers with the quality of your academic work. Finally, junior year is the time to be looking for ways to make stand-out contributions to your extracurricular activities and sports.
JULY AND AUGUST
College Visits
While on vacation this summer, swing by any colleges that are on your way or near your destination so that you can start getting a sense for what different college campuses are like. If you are interested and have the time, walk around the campus, stop by the Admissions Office and take a juice/snack break in the student center. Certainly it wouldn't hurt for you to check out the colleges in or near your hometown.
Extracurricular Activities
Make your summer special by doing what is fun, yet interesting and meaningful. Make sure that college admissions people will see at least one activity as being noteworthy. Whatever you do, don't be a couch potato! Colleges won't like that.
Financial Savvy
Most student and their families begin college planning with way too little information about financial considerations. Junior year is a great time to become educated, looking at the availability of need and merit-based scholarships and aid, ways FAFSA and PROFILE help you get financing, and how to use net-price calculators to understand what the real costs of college are. Keep in mind that the better the grades and test scores you have, the better the chances are for your receiving merit and other scholarships. Some of the best financial aid resources are Lynn O'Shaughnessy's The College Solution and her blog, and the very informative FinAid.org and Fastweb.com websites.
SEPTEMBER
Extracurricular Activities
By the time you hit junior year, you should be well settled in favorite activities. If you haven't, it's never too late to get involved. Look for ways to make a difference: become an officer, editor, captain, or leader. Try going beyond just being a member of an activity. Colleges look for students who are involved in their schools and communities.
Classes and Grades
Keep in mind having some balance in your life, but take as many Honors and AP/IB courses that you can handle. If any course starts to give you trouble, very quickly talk with your teacher and/or get some help.
College Visits
Junior year is when to get serious about college visits. Plan family vacations around visiting colleges in which you are interested.
Courses and Papers
Because a number of colleges ask for a writing sample as a part of their applications, save some of your best English, history, and other papers from this year.
Testing
Make sure that you are signed up for the October PSAT.
OCTOBER
College List
October is a good time to fill out the College Selection Questionnaire to determine your wants, needs and desire for college. You can also go online to do a college search. After you have identified what you want in a college, begin researching colleges that match who you are as a student and person.
Testing
Remember to take the PSAT.
NOVEMBER
Testing
Begin thinking about when you will take the different admissions tests. Ideally, you should complete all of them (SAT I or ACT, Subject Tests) by June of your junior year. Completing your testing by June will dramatically reduce your stress levels during senior year.
If you haven't already, make arrangements to get admissions test tutoring. Students who do this often raise their scores by as much as 200-400 points. Be aware that the best tutors are booked months ahead. Know that in addition to paid one-on-one and group tutoring, there are any number of free online tutoring resources.
DECEMBER
High School Counselor
Every once in awhile, stop by to say hello to your high school counselor. You want to make sure that this person knows who you are. He/she will be completing your application School Report forms, something to which admissions officers pay a lot of attention.
Teachers
Take extra time with teachers who you might ask to write recommendations for you. Teachers need to know you well enough to sing your praises. That's more likely if you show that you appreciate them.
Testing
December is usually when high school counselors provide you with the results of your PSAT, which will give you an idea of how you will score on the SAT.
Take a free ACT practice test from the likes of Princeton Review or online to see if you score higher on it or on the SAT. From this experience, decide whether the SAT or ACT better suits you.
JANUARY
Activities and Activities Resume
Take stock of how you are spending your time in and out of school. Is there anything you want to add or eliminate from your schedule? Make sure that everything you do is either something you enjoy and/or significantly adds to your admissions credentials. January of 11th grade is a good time to begin putting together an activities resume, a document in which you organize on paper everything you do in and out of school.
College Fairs
Check to see when the National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and other college fairs are being held in your town or area. Mark your calendar with the date so that you can attend.
College List
If you haven't already, put together a preliminary college list.
College Visits
Make plans to visit colleges during Spring Break or early summer.
Testing
Sign up for the SAT, subject tests and/or the ACT offered between now and June.
Always take subject tests for your AP/IB courses if you think you will get a score of 3 or above. Because subject tests are offered in May and June, the time when you take AP/IB tests, you will never be as well prepared for them as then.
Miscellaneous
If you don't have a social security number, this is a good time to apply for one. You will need one for most college applications.
Financing College and Parents
If you haven't started learning about the financial aspects of college admissions, now is a good time to get started. Lynn O'Shaughnessy's The College Solution book and website are excellent places to start. Also take a look at Frank Palmasani's Right College, Right Price.
FEBRUARY
Activities Resume
Update (or put together) draft of your activities resume.
Colleges
Begin emailing, calling or writing colleges for information about their schools. Also ask for the name and email address of the college representative assigned to your high school.
High School Counselors
Meet with your school counselor to have him/her evaluate your college list. Ask for suggestions of other colleges.
Summer Plans
Begin thinking about what you want to do this coming summer; colleges pay particular attention what applicants do the summer before senior year.
Testing
If you haven't already, make arrangements to get admissions test tutoring through your school, online, with a testing program or private tutor. Also check to see if your local library offers test-tutoring programs.
MARCH
College List
Refine the list of colleges in which you are interested; start reading about them in the various college guidebooks, including The Fiske Guideand Colleges That Change Lives.
College Visits
Use Spring Break as a time to visit colleges.
Grades
Remember that junior year grades are very important, especially those from Spring semester. Prepare for and study hard for regular, mid-term and final exams. Good to excellent grades are what college admissions people look for.
Testing
Make sure that you are signed up for AP tests that are given at your school in May. Check in with the school AP coordinator or your AP teachers to make sure your school is offering them and whether/how to register for them.
APRIL
College List
Continue exploring and narrowing down your college list.
Senior Classes
Consult with your high school counselor about your senior year courses.
Summer Plans
Actively pursue your summer activities, whether a job, a special academic or enrichment program at a college, a trip or volunteer activity. Most importantly, do what you love.
Testing
If you haven't already, sign up for the SAT, subject tests and/or ACT so that you can finish up your testing by June.
MAY
Personal Stories
Begin collecting personal stories that you can use for your college application essays. Students, parents and family members can begin remembering anecdotes, apocryphal stories, and the like at family dinners or long car rides. Someone should write these down for use in the essay writing process.
Recommenders
Ask favorite teachers if they will fill out the teacher evaluation form for your college applications.
Senior Classes
Carefully choose your senior classes, taking into consideration the rigor of the program and balance in your life. Your goal should be to put together as rigorous as an academic schedule as you can without going overboard.
Summer Plans
Finalize your summer plans.
Testing
Take the AP test for any AP class in which you are enrolled, following by the respective subject test.
JUNE
Activities Resume
Finalize your activities resume.
Classes and Grades
Ace your finals!
College List
Narrow down your college list to the 10-20 colleges you like best. Arrange them into Reach, Good Chance and Pretty Sure categories (based on your SAT/ACT scores compared to successful applicants at the colleges.)
College Visits
Consult with your parents about setting up a schedule to visit colleges during the summer. Identify dates; call for interview appointments; research travel arrangements.
Internet
If you now use AOL or Hotmail, change to Yahoo, Gmail, or cable accounts that work better with college online applications.
Make sure your computer has the most recent version of Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer so that you can make full use of online applications.
ke sure than Javascript and Cookies are enable on your computer and that popup blockers are disabled.
Have a great semester!
Article found on http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marjorie-hansen-shaevitz/july-to-january-to-dos-fo_b_3525513.html