This year you should:

• Visit our College Lab in Room 401 and meet the HHS College Advisors. Explore what you want to eventually study. Volunteering, working or having an internship in an area that interests you will help you decide what to pursue in college. 

• Research Colleges - start a college list on CollegeBoard. Senior year you will have to choose your school, making a very important decision. So be informed! Look at a range of colleges and consider the factors that matter to you (size, rigor, sports, public vs. private, etc). Also see if they offer programs you want to pursue. Review their admission requirements (GPA - grade point averad) and SAT/ACT scores. See where you stand, and set academic goals for you to be a good candidate for those schools. 

• Get involved in extracurricular activities. Keep a list of them for your resume! Putting activities on an application or resume shows a college that you are a leader, that you have good time management, and that you pursue the things you care about.

• Start or update your resume. Work on your resume now and be less stressed about it later. 

• Create a Collegeboard/Khan Academy Account. Khan Academy is a great way to study for the SAT you will take in March. Students have improved scores tremendously by studying with Khan Academy, which is an individualized study aid that links you to your PSAT scores. 

• Take the SAT or ACT. Juniors should take these in the spring or summer. Most four-year colleges require at least one or both tests. If you have free and reduced lunch, the fee can be waived for 2 SAT tests and 2 ACT tests. You can take it multiple times to improve your score. 

• Continue taking challenging courses. Colleges want to see that you are willing to push yourself academically. Take the most challenging classes that you can manage. (On Ramps, AP, Dual Credit)

• Start writing essays. You need them for both applications and scholarships your senior year, so get a head start. At the very east, think of the experiences that have shaped you as a person or the things that you love that an admissions counselor may want to hear about. 

• Think about the money. Start getting an idea of the scholarships available to you. Talk to your parents about what they can contribute and start saving. College can be expensive, but your salary afterwards will make it worthwhile.