If you are looking for the best ways to survive junior year, you’ve come to the right place! Knowing how to survive junior year is crucial because junior year is the busiest year of high school, as well as your most important year, primarily because you’ll be preparing for and making decisions.  Check out the check list of what to expect on the left.

You may be wondering, why is junior year so stressful? Well, one of the primary reasons has to do with standardized tests. Junior year is a big year for standardized exams. This is the year that you take the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, ACT, and oftentimes, several AP exams. Check out some links below of helpful resources for test prep.

One of the keys to knowing how to get through junior year is to learn how to balance your academics with your social life. After all, junior year is the year you prove that you are ready for the real world and deserve to go to college. While this may seem like a lot of pressure, it’s important that you balance your life out.

With school, extracurriculars, and community service, you are still going to need time for yourself and for fun. Thinking about the future and enjoying the moment can be difficult and overwhelming. It’s important to rest and get a good amount of sleep. You may find yourself becoming stressed out as the school year goes on. Just remind yourself to slow down and rest.

A key part of deciding which college to go to is finding a good fit.  Great ways to do this besides doing your online research is by talking to the schools directly in a variety of ways:

1.   Trade schools, community colleges, and 4 year universities all visit CHS throughout the year.  Keep an eye on the google classroom for when the reps are here.  

2. And a great way to get more information is to attend a college or trades fair.  These happen throughout the year.  Watch the google classroom for the exact dates.

3. Lastly, and most importantly VISIT the school you are thinking about attending. A campus visit is your opportunity to get a firsthand view of a college.

More information on college visits, college fairs, how to prepare for them and more can be found at this section of the website:

College/Trade School  

There are lots of junior year tips to keep in mind during the school year, but what about during the summer? If you want to know what you should be doing the summer before your senior year, you may want to consider doing at couple of things.

Think about your skills, abilities, and values. Consider the training and education needed for jobs which match your skills, abilities, and values. Also, look at the labor market to see the demand and wages paid for the careers you are considering.

• College: Identify 3-5 colleges you want to consider. Include some reach and saftey schools.

• Military: Speak to a recruiter to discuss potential paths.  Recruiters usually visit the CHS Cafeteria once a month.

• Apprenticeship: Research qualifications for potential apprenticeships. 

• Trade/Technical School: Identify 1-3 schools who offer your chosen field of study including community colleges like SWIC or Lewis & Clark

• Earn While You Learn: Research companies who will hire you in a entry-level job and help pay for training/college while you work there. (ex. traditional apprenticeship opportunities or companies like local hospitals)