Junior Grade

Junior Year

It's never too early to plan for the future!!

• Continue to build strong skills by taking CHALLENGING COURSES

• STUDY hard and get excellent grades

• READ - to strengthen your vocabulary

• Become involved in EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• INPUT school activities, honors, awards, activities, volunteer work, etc. into the RESUME on Naviance Student

• Meet with your Guidance Counselor to FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF with GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS and available COURSES

• Make SUMMER plans - WORK, VOLUNTEER, attend SUMMER PROGRAMS

August:

• Junior year grades are very important because they are a measure of how well you do in advanced, upper level courses. Keep your grades up!!

• Keep in mind that colleges look for the following:

  1. • Strong GPA

     • Involvement in Extra-curricular activities (sports, volunteer work, etc.)

September:

• Identify the sources of college and career information at your school. (Meet with your school counselor and visit the College and Career Center).

• Check your program of courses and make sure they will lead you to where you want to go.

• Register for a PSAT and/or PSAT Review Class.

• Talk to your parents and school counselor about plans for after graduation

• Obtain dates and locations for college fairs in your local area.

October:

• Take the PSAT, which is also the National Merit Scholarship Program. (Eligibility for these scholarships will be announced during fall of your senior year.)

• Attend college fairs and financial aid/parent nights.

November:

• Start researching for scholarships, but keep in mind most of your scholarship money comes from the college you will be attending.

• Start looking into eligibility requirements for federal and private student loans.

December:

• Your PSAT/NMSQT score report should arrive. Use their enclosed guide to interpret and understand your score.

• Start planning to take the SAT I, ACT and/or SAT II exams, if necessary. Check with colleges you are applying to and find out specific testing requirements.

January:

• Select a program for senior year that is as strong as possible.

• Listen for announcements of college representatives who are visiting.

• Examine report card. You still have one semester to improve grades.

• Begin to make a preliminary list of colleges you would like to investigate further.

  • Register and study for the SAT's (I and II's) and ACT exams, if you haven't already done so.

February:

• Schedule a college meeting with your parent and school counselor to discuss post-high school plans.

March:

• Register and study for the SAT's (I and II's) and ACT exams, if you haven't already done so.

• Take a SAT prep course to help prepare for the upcoming test.

• Visit schools during the vacation.

• Continue to evaluate and modify your list of colleges.

• Begin preparing essays and activity resumes for college admissions.

• Attend college fair

May:

• Take the SAT and/or ACT exams.

• From early to mid-May, AP exams are given in high schools nationally.

• Ask for letters of recommendation from two teachers.

• Plan a productive summer - apply for an internship, volunteer, consider summer courses, special academic or enrichment programs at local colleges, work and try to save money for college.

June:

• Take the SAT and/or ACT exams, if you have not already done so.

July-August:

• Plan some college visits during the summer vacation - take a tour.

• Do something productive over the summer.

• Continue to refine your college list.

• Research college websites.

• Continue to prepare for the college application process - draft essays, develop an activity sheet, athletic resumes, and assemble portfolios or audition tapes, if necessary.

What Can Parents Do:

• Continue to monitor academic progress.

• Assist your child with selecting courses for the following school year.

• Make sure that your child takes the PSAT. An exam will be ordered for every junior.

• Begin talking seriously about college options. Early in the process, determine what is important to you and your child.

• Make sure your child registers for the SAT and/or ACT in the spring.

• Consider starting to make college visits in the spring.

• Carefully review the course selection for senior year.

• Start checking into scholarships. (Most scholarship money comes from the college itself).

• With your child, begin to identify teachers, administrators, and other adults who will write recommendations.

• Look into summer programs.

• During the summer, assist your child with college applications, refining their college list, and preparing the different components of their application.