Junior year can be a whirlwind. After all, it’s the pinnacle of your college preparation journey and while every year of high school is important, 11th grade can, in some instances, be make-or-break. It’s crucial to get your ducks in a row and keep pushing through until the end. If you get organized from the beginning and stay consistent throughout, you should be able to maintain a reasonable pace. Either way, the light is there at the end of the tunnel, so buckle up and drive on forward.
Exams
There are many people out there who feel exams are a poor way to measure students’ potential. But even though schools across the country are dropping the requirement, they are still a crucial part of the application at most schools. So, get clear on which exam you will be taking, the SAT or the ACT. Then, find out the dates the exam is offered first semester and write them down on your calendar. Shoot to take it as early in the year as possible so you can get it out of the way and have time to retake it if necessary. You should spend several hours each week taking practice tests. The exams are challenging, but they’re not rocket science. If you put in the work, you should elevate your score.
The College List
Early in your junior year, you should develop a list of colleges to which you’re applying, ranked in order of preference. This must include reaches, targets, and safety schools. The list will determine your timeline for applications, and essays. The specific program to which you’re applying may also help inform details you wish to highlight on your resume. But in order to develop this list, you will first need to know what you want and in order to discover what it is you want, you need to spend some time identifying your likes and dislikes. It would be hard to tell what size school you’re interested in, where in the country you’re willing to go, what kind of community you wish to have around you without visiting different kinds of campuses to rule in and out your preferences. If you haven’t already, go see some schools right away and determine what you’re interested in in terms of culture and campus. Make sure to ask students on campus real questions, like what they do on the weekends. Don’t’ rely on the university tour to tell you what you need to know. Then, get your list together and write down the application deadlines.
AP Tests
One of the most crucial parts of the application process is developing an academic niche. Essentially, you need to show colleges that you have a particular brand and you have spent the last few years cultivating an expertise. Now is the time to extrapolate upon that niche and AP classes are a great opportunity. You should be taking the most challenging classes your school has to offer and getting As in all of them, but this is especially true for AP classes offered in your area of expertise. Start studying early. Block out a few hours each week to study for the exams so that you’re not cramming when the time comes to take the test. (Relevant AP homework counts as study time!)
SAT IIs
You should also mark down the SAT II subject tests in your planner. While these are by no means required by schools, they definitely show universities what you’re capable of academically. Should you choose to take SAT IIs, subjects can overlap with AP subjects, as well. Pick 2-3 areas where you’re really confident and study hard.
Teacher Recommendations
Identify two teachers who you’d like to write you a recommendation. These should be people who teach classes in your area of expertise and, most importantly, who will have great things to say about you and know you well. Approach this person with plenty of time to spare and ask them (very nicely) to please write a recommendation.
Extracurriculars
Junior year is also the time to flesh out your resume. You really want to highlight your areas of expertise here. Identify relevant clubs and make sure you take on a leadership position. Again, get very specific. Don’t just join the booster club and call it a day. Go above and beyond what’s considered standard and really do something interesting with your activities. This goes for summer, too. One of the biggest pitfalls we often see with students is wasted summer opportunities. We know, you really want to go back to camp, but consider the thought that your competition is spending their summer working on a cure for Alzheimer’s. Again, stick with your niche area and pick a summer activity (or rigorous college summer program) that fits. DO NOT go on a 2-week volunteer trip to Asia that changed your life—while that may be a great experience for some, it screams ‘privilege’ instead of ‘hard work.’
Need some help figuring out which summer program is best for you? Reach out to us here. We are great at helping students develop resumes that impress.