High School Junior Checklist
Junior year! It’s hard to hide from college prep at this point as college is right around the corner. However, by starting early, staying organized, and working with a counselor or consultant who has your best interest at heart, it won’t feel nearly as overwhelming as it looks on paper.
Nurture Relationships
Begin thinking about who you might reach out to for their assistance during your college admissions process. This often includes teachers, coaches, or extracurricular leader - they’ll probably be the ones writing your letters of recommendations! You don’t want them to think you’re simply using them for a letter, so begin (or continue) nurturing those relationships so you have the support available when you need it.
Test Prep
Junior year is officially standardized test time! I recommend getting your feet wet over the summer with some test prep and getting more serious once school starts. Be sure to mark the dates on your calendar for which tests you’ll take and when. If you haven’t already, determine if the SAT or ACT is a better fit for you - and if you aren’t sure, talk to a counselor or consultant for help. A consultant can also help you find test-optional schools if you find you’re really struggling.
Dive Deeper into Financial Aid
Hopefully you’re familiar with a basic understanding of the financial aid process by this point, but if not, make sure to do so. This is the time to dive a little deeper into the nuances of aid and scholarships and understanding the differences between the various kinds. There are many scholarships available for juniors, so it’s not too early to start looking! Check into local scholarships and begin making note of the deadlines and requirements for certain colleges you might be interested in.
Begin the College Search
The part you’ve been waiting for! This is a great time to start on your college list. The college list should consist of schools who are what independent educational consultants call “best match schools.” Best match schools are colleges that fit ALL of your checkboxes. They must be a good financial fit and cultural and social fit in addition to all of your other wants and needs. Once you’ve determined factors for a best match school, start researching and make note of those that check all of the boxes. College visits will come later in your junior year, but start imagining yourself on that campus.
Search Careers
It’s totally okay if you still don’t know what career you want to go into (and very, very common), but if you have a general idea, consider shadowing someone who is in your field of interest. The great part about shadowing, volunteering, or interning is that you often learn what you DON’T want to do - which will help you eventually understand what you WANT to do! Also, start thinking about what majors will help you get to your future career.
Keep On Keeping On
Continue to stay consistent with your extracurricular and volunteer activities and the leadership roles you hold. These are all things you should be keeping track of on your brag sheet, along with all the little victories too! This helps you go into junior year feeling good, strong, confident, and ready to take on this year!