Below are some tips and advice to excel in junior year
Your GPA at the end of your junior year is likely to be the same or very very close to the GPA you will send to colleges your senior year. This is why it is critical to maintain your GPA and bring it up if necessary as you will not have the time to do so your senior year. Your GPA matters so stay on top of your grades! You are almost there!!
Your junior year should be your most academic intense year thus far, meaning your schedule should reflect you are taking challenging courses and excelling in them. Speak with your counselor and college advisor to determine a good fit for your junior year schedule. You can look into dual enrollment and/or Early Admission for senior year. For help choosing AP and honors courses click here.
By your junior year you should start studying for the SAT (generally taken March of your junior year). The mandatory PSAT in October acts as a great indictor of your current score level and yet another practice of the SAT. This year it is especially important because a high score could make you eligible for the National Merit Scholarship and/or other awards and recognitions. Below are some useful links for the PSAT:
Standardized testing is a significant (but not the only!) component of college admissions. While the pandemic has changed how some universities view testing (as most private schools went test-optional during the 2020-2021 application cycle), it is still very important to succeed in these exams. Make sure to allot enough time to study and prepare before test day comes around. Your score not only impacts college admissions but also scholarship consideration for Bright Future, college-specific, state, and private scholarships. Consider taking BOTH the SAT and ACT to determine your preference. Below are some links to help you study and learn more about the SAT / ACT:
You are nearing senior year and college applications are merely months away. Now is the time to narrow the list of colleges you plan to apply to! Click here to learn more on how to create a balanced college list and read below to see the resources you can use to discover more information about universities you are interested in.
There are numerous ways to learn more about colleges, such as their websites, social media, email lists and webinars. Most, if not all, colleges hold admissions virtual sessions through Zoom that you can attend or later view the recording. You can also attend in-person college visits that occur throughout the year at your school. College Fairs are also offered frequently every year where you can speak with college admissions officers from universities in Florida and all across the nation. The options for learning more about the colleges you are interested in are limitless, so make sure to take advantage of all these resources.
Run for officer positions in activities you have been involved in for some time now, including clubs, sports teams, Honor Societies, and student government. Officer roles in student organizations show your leadership skills, collaboration and teamwork with others, and demonstrate maturity and responsibility to universities. Initiating and leading your own service project is another great way to show leadership.
During junior year you may be eligible to apply to certain national and local scholarships. Below are some links for varying programs you can apply your junior year: