Advice to Juniors

Dear Juniors,

So, your last year until your senior year is slowly coming to an end. I bet many of you are looking forward to it…I know I was. Despite senior year being a lot of fun and full of memories, there are a few less fun things that I think you need to know.

First of all, try to take your SAT or ACT soon, either at the end of this school year, over the summer, or in the very beginning of senior year. This way you can retake it if you need to. Keep in mind that there is always room for improvement. If possible, you will probably want to take it at least twice. Almost all colleges superscore your results, meaning that they will only take your best scores from each time that you take the test. It costs money to take them, so be sure to try your hardest every time so that you don’t have a reason to keep retaking it.

You also get to send your scores for free to four colleges, so try to have four colleges in mind that you want to receive your scores. You have to pay for any additional places you want to send them to. In order to take the tests, be sure to be up to date on the testing dates and deadlines; if you register early, it will be cheaper than a late registration.

Now onto the hard part – picking a college…

I know this may seem like a daunting task, and trust me, it is. This is the one thing you have to do in order to decide where you want to spend the next few years of your life.The second that you think you know where you want to go, another place catches your eye and you begin to question everything all over again. This is why I advise doing a bit of research. Try to have a general idea of what you want to do after college. Look for a school that offers similar programs. If you have no idea what you want to do, maybe pick somewhere with a large variety of degrees and programs to pick from. Also, don’t base your college choice solely on athletics or friends. Focus on what you need to be successful after college.

Always stay on top of the deadlines, it may seem like not a big deal to be only one day late at the time. However, that could be the difference in getting accepted and getting scholarships. College is expensive and you can use all of the money you can get your hands on.

Be sure to visit the places you are interested in attending. You may think a place sounds really cool, but once you visit, you may realize that it just is not for you.

All in all, senior year can be one of the most stressful times of your high school career. It all depends on what you make of it. Try to make the most of every moment and fill the year with lifelong memories.