Junior Year College Prep: Essential Steps to Prepare for College Applications
As you begin the second semester of your junior year, the excitement and stress of college admissions begin to ramp up. While college applications may feel distant, now is the perfect time to take proactive steps to ensure success next year.
If you're a junior (or a parent of one), here's what should be on your radar for the second semester:
1. Finalize Your Course Load for Senior Year
Senior year is crucial for setting the tone of your college applications. Colleges will look at your senior-year course load, and they want to see that you're still challenging yourself, even if you're close to graduation. According to the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, course rigor is among one of the most important factors in college admissions.
AP/IB Courses: Taking AP/IB courses show strong academic rigor. Take as many of these courses as you can, while still maintaining top grades.
Electives: Don't be afraid to pursue electives that showcase your interests—whether that’s a unique subject or a passion project.
Avoid “Senioritis” Early: Be mindful that colleges also consider how you perform in senior year, so you don’t want to make the mistake of slacking off just because it feels like the end is near.
2. Take the SAT/ACT
Many schools are re-instating SAT and ACT requirements. Make sure you’re prepared for these exams, and try to get them out of the way as soon as possible! You don’t want to be worrying about the SAT while crafting your application next year.
Set a Target Score: Your goal will change based on your college list. For our most competitive students, it’s imperative to score 1500+ on the SAT or 35+ on the ACT.
Take a Practice Test: If you haven’t taken a practice test yet, now is the time to do so. This will give you a sense of where you stand and which areas require more focused study. For the SAT, you can access full length practice tests in the Bluebook app.
Begin Test Prep: Whether it’s enrolling in a test prep class, working with a tutor, or utilizing online resources, start studying now so you’ll be ready to take the test in the summer or fall.
Register for an Exam: Be sure to sign up for an exam before the registration period ends! Signing up early can also increase your motivation for studying. Remember: most students take the exam multiple times.
3. Start Building Your College List
While you don’t need to make any final decisions yet, now is the time to start thinking about the types of colleges that might be a good fit for you. Create a rough list of schools you’re interested in based on factors like location, size, academic programs, campus culture, and extracurricular opportunities.
Research Colleges: Take advantage of virtual tours, webinars, and college fairs to learn more about schools.
As you research, consider academic departments, majors/minors, research opportunities, clubs, student life, dorm experience, athletics, internships, etc.
Consider Your Priorities: What is important to you in a college experience? Do you want a large research university or a smaller liberal arts college? Are you looking for strong programs in a specific area of study? Understanding your preferences now will help you narrow down your choices later.
Find Reach, Target, and Safety Schools: Make sure you research colleges with varying levels of selectivity. Finding safety schools you love can be difficult, but finding good options will help reduce your stress.
4. Stay Involved in Extracurriculars
Colleges want to see students who are well-rounded and actively engaged in their communities. If you haven’t already, the second semester of junior year is a great time to deepen your involvement in extracurricular activities or take on leadership roles.
Take on Leadership: If you’ve been involved in clubs or organizations, consider running for a leadership position. Colleges love to see students who have demonstrated initiative and leadership potential, and many essays (I’m looking at you, UC PIQ #1) ask about leadership directly.
Pursue New (and Outstanding) Opportunities: Now is an excellent time to reach for the stars! Do you have a dream for an internship or shadowing opportunity that hasn’t come to fruition? Do your research, send cold emails, and see what’s possible.
Research Summer Opportunities: With one last high school summer, make sure you’re using your time wisely. Some schools (like Stanford) even ask you to explain what you’ve done over the past couple summers.
Community Service and Internships: Volunteering or seeking out internships in areas of personal interest can be beneficial, both for your personal growth and your college application. These activities show a commitment to making an impact and developing your skills beyond the classroom.
5. Focus on Your Personal Brand
Start thinking about how you present yourself to colleges. A strong college application is more than just grades and test scores—it’s a reflection of who you are as a person, your values, and what you can bring to a college campus. Begin thinking about your narrative:
Start a Resume: Create a simple resume listing your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and any jobs or internships. Drafting this now will help you craft your activity descriptions later, and can help you identify a cohesive link between your activities.
Write Your Personal Statement: While the personal statement may not be due for another year, finding the right topic and approach will require tons of trial and error. Take the time to test different ideas now, so that the task is less monumental later.
Create a Portfolio: Most colleges require a portfolio for art majors, but some of the most competitive schools allow portfolios for all majors. See our blog about the art portfolio, and begin crafting yours now.
6. Plan for College Visits (Virtual or In-Person)
While researching schools is important, college visits are the best way to get a true feel for the university. If you’re able, plan and schedule college visits (even virtual ones!).
Virtual Tours: Many colleges offer virtual tours and information sessions that allow you to get a feel for the campus from the comfort of your home.
Plan In-Person Visits: Spring break and summer are the perfect times to plan travel for in-person college visits. With your parents, come up with a plan to visit some of your top schools.
7. Reach Out to Teachers for Recommendations
Recommendation letters play a vital role in your college application. As a junior, now is the time to start thinking about which teachers you’d like to ask for letters of recommendation.
Build Relationships with Teachers: If you haven’t already, start cultivating stronger relationships with teachers who know you well and can speak to your strengths. Participate in class, demonstrate interest in subject matter, and pursue questions and discussions outside of typical course material.
Identify Good Candidates: Using our guide to selecting the best recommenders, begin thinking about which teachers you might ask. Develop those relationships intentionally and with care.
Ask informally: While it might be too early to formally ask for rec letters, you can approach the subject more informally. Let your teachers know you’re thinking about college applications and rec letters, and see if they’d be willing to write one for you next year.
8. Take Care of Your Mental Health
The college admissions process is stressful! As you start to tackle it, be sure to:
Stay Organized: Having a clear plan and timeline for your college prep tasks can help reduce stress. Break things down into manageable steps so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
Balance Your Life: Make sure to take breaks, engage in activities you enjoy, and keep up with your social life. College admissions is a marathon, not a sprint, and maintaining a healthy balance is key to long-term success.
Conclusion
As college applications loom, there are many steps you can take to lighten your load and improve your chances at success.
For personal guidance, reach out to us today to start your journey to college success!
