Prepping for the Real SAT and ACT

So, you've taken your PSAT  and now you're ready to take the real thing. You've built up your exam study skills, and you're going to spend a good amount of this year prepping to take the test(s), sweating your way through the actual tests, and then anxiously waiting for the test results. It's a rough time for even the smartest student, so while these tests are serious and do impact your future, take a deep breath and stop for a moment to appreciate yourself! Great score, medium score, or lower score, your school counselor is here for you and can help guide you no matter what. Do your best. That's all that matters.

Classes Don't Get Easier

While you have all the pressure of tests coming up, you also have harder classes. You didn't think your teachers would let you off the hook just because you're prepping for college, right? This means Juniors have the greatest need for good time management skills. You need to balance a lot of school work with the rest of your life. Homework skills are important here. A good planner helpful in most other years of school, it's a necessity in your junior year.

More Focused Electives

While you spent your freshmen and sophomore years trying out new things and developing your interests, your elective choices now get more focused during your junior year. You're starting to think of your college major or your future career path, so now you start to choose electives that will take you down that path.

The College Game

During your sophomore year, you'll hear a lot of college talk. However, it's during your junior year that the talk gets really serious. You have colleges coming to talk to students. You'll start getting brochures and start thinking of where you actually want to go. You may even start going on college visits to explore your options (Juniors get ONE excused college visit, but most colleges offer tours on teacher work days when students are out of school!). This is also the year when you'll decide if you want to go to college. You may decide college isn't for you, so you may look at a trade school or just going straight into the workforce. There's a lot of decisions to be made.

Helpful Tips & Resources for a successful Junior year! 

-Continue to take the most challenging academic course load appropriate for you and pay attention to your GPA. -Colleges want to see that you are continuing to prepare for the rigors of college life. Meet with your counselor often throughout the school year. 

· Get involved in extracurricular activities, volunteer, or work opportunities. Extracurricular activities reveal to colleges who you are in many ways.

· Begin a list of colleges that interest you.

· Gather career information: job shadow and/or participate in career fairs in the area.

· Plan to take the SAT & ACT in the spring of your junior year. Powdersville High School CEEB code is 410913.

· Register online at www.actstudent.org or www.sat.collegeboard.org

If you receive free or reduced lunch, you can request a fee waiver from your counselor.

· Begin creating a college resume – a record of accomplishments, activities, and work experiences since you started high school.

· Begin to consider which teachers, sponsors, or employees you might ask to write recommendations for college applications, if needed.

· Begin checking out free scholarship searches. Some great resources are www.che.sc.gov/, www.sccango.org, www.bigfuture.org, www.fastweb.com, www.salliemae.com, www.scstudentloan.org, and www.scis.intocareers.org.

· Explore college costs and how you and your parents will pay for college.

· Athletes: review the NCAA Eligibility Guide and sign up with NCAA Eligibility Center at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net.

· Self-Advocate. Become fully engaged in your education if you have not already done so!