Juniors
The Importance of Junior Year
Consider junior year as a year of preparation for the college process. Taking the ACT, researching colleges, and creating your resume are just a few of the steps you can take to set you up for success during your senior year. Senior year is where most of the work in the college process will take place, but you can lighten the load your junior year by taking certain actions.
One of the most important things you can do is schedule a meeting with your college adviser sometime in the fall semester of junior year. It doesn't need to be the first week or even the first month, but talking with your college adviser before winter break can help you familiarize yourself with the road ahead of you as you start the college process.
Junior Year timeline
August/September
Focus on starting your Junior Year strong
Enroll in challenging classes that will put you on track to graduate and you will enjoy
October/November/December
Talk to your college adviser about the year ahead
Ask about ACT/SAT, test dates, and how you should prepare
Begin to prepare for the ACT or SAT - Monroe High School offers the ACT for free in February. Free test preparation is available under the SAT/ACT section of the website. If you plan to take the test again, please let me know if you need a fee waiver because it will cost money to register for the ACT a second time.
Start developing your resume - A resume is a record of your accomplishments, activities, community service, and work experiences. It will be an important part of your college and scholarship applications.
If you haven't participated in many activities outside of class, now is the time to start - Consider school clubs, team sports, leadership roles, getting a job, or becoming involved in religious or community groups.
January/February
Meet with your counselor and/or college adviser to develop your schedule for senior year - Consider enrolling in online community college courses (if available) or more challenging courses (Honors or Advanced Placement) for which you are qualified.
Take the Spring Statewide ACT exam - Ask your college adviser for more information. This test is offered at your high school for free so take advantage of this opportunity. Study, answer every question, and try your best! Don't forget, you can send your score to four schools for free.
Ask your college adviser about summer opportunities on college campuses - This can be a great way to find out what college life is like and may make you a more attractive candidate for college admissions. Some programs have scholarships that can assist with costs.
March/April
Begin taking a more serious look at colleges and universities - Go to college fairs and open houses and learn as much as you can online about the colleges. SCOIR is a great resource for this!
Begin planning college visits - Spring break is a good time to visit in-person if you are able. Try to visit colleges near you and include large, medium, and small size campuses. If you are not able to go in-person, many schools have virtual tours you can take online. Just make sure to submit your personal information if the college's website asks for it before your virtual tour! This way the school will know you visited.
Think about lining up a summer job or internship
May
Make a list of teachers, counselors, employers, and other adults you might ask to write letters of recommendation - Letters of recommendation let colleges know who you are as a student, employee, volunteer, and more.
Make a profile on the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) and activate your SCOIR account - You will use these two websites to apply to schools and complete the residency determination service. CFNC can even help you find scholarships!
Start brainstorming college essay topics - The Common Application essay topics are already available on commonapp.org.
Summer
Continue exploring colleges and finalizing your college list
Begin thinking about your applications - Generally, colleges will have their applications online by the beginning of August. Work on essay(s) before you return to school.
Take a deep breath - You can do this and your college adviser is here to help you!
