Junior To Do List:
HIT THE BOOKS! THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT YEAR IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER. ALTHOUGH EVERY YEAR IS IMPORTANT, COLLEGES LOOK AT YOUR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS MORE SO. THESE ARE THE YEARS THAT DEFINE YOUR CAREER INTERESTS AND YOUR COURSE SCHEDULE SHOULD SHOW COLLEGE PREP CLASSES. Be sure your student is taking as challenging a course schedule as he or she can handle, including AP and honors classes when available and appropriate. If you don’t or can’t take AP courses, don’t worry. Continue to focus on what and how these courses can provide you with the necessary tools and education to have a better understanding of what options you have that relate well with your skills and talents. REGISTER FOR SAT/PSAT Register in early fall for the October PSAT. This test will serve as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Exam and good practice for the SAT. Click here for more information or to register for these tests. Utilize free test preparation resources available online and elsewhere. The SAT and ACT web sites offer free practice tests as do web sites that focus specifically on college entrance exam test prep including www.number2.com and www.testprepreview.com. FIGURING OUT WAYS TO FINANCE Research financial aid and how it works (if you have not already). Review your abilities or inabilities to pay for college. How is it going to happen? Research financial aid (FAFSA). It's becoming easier now. SCHOLARSHIPS Start searching for scholarship opportunities. Make a time line for application deadlines for the senior year. Visit the following websites for more information on free scholarship searches.
Any of these sites will allow you to create your own specific and personal and/or professional profile. Then let the site do the searching for you! They even provide great ways to learn how to write an essay, fill out a scholarship application and prepare for an interview. MAKE LIST OF INTERESTED COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES. Categorize these schools and write why? Have your student make a list of his/her college selection priorities. Investigate potential colleges of interest. Use catalogs, publications, web sites, college fairs and visits to college campuses to gather more information. REGISTER FOR AND TAKE YOUR SAT/ACT Have your student register for & take the SAT or ACT in the spring. Find out what tests are required by the colleges your student is considering.
KEEP IN CONTACT WITH GUIDANCE ON YOUR STATUS Make sure your guidance counselors have your transcripts, past grades, GPA, and core curriculum requirements completed. They will start to contact you during your Junior year. Your Senior year will allow you to search for the COLLEGES that fit your CAREER interests. Most Guidance offices have files of colleges that contain brochures, applications, course listings as well as the degrees they offer. Use your Junior year to visit college fairs. Most high schools either sponsor a college fair or at least promote a local college fair for you to attend. Attending a college fair during your Junior year gives you a chance to identify 3-4 different colleges and discuss questions you may have. Here’s a sample of some questions that you should ask: 1. Do you provide Bachelors/Associates degrees in __________________? 2. Can you tell me the average cost per year for a student, including everything? 3. Please tell me some of your extracurricular activities, sports and other involvement for students? 4. What types of housing do you have? 5. What is the process of admissions? 6. Please explain to me the financial aid process once I apply 7. Are there other opportunities for me to get free money for school? VISIT THESE SCHOOLS OF INTEREST Just visit these schools. You’ll get a good feel for whether the school is a good fit for you. Have your student spend time over the summer visiting the colleges that are still of interest to him/her. SAVE YO MONEY!! Don’t go bankrupt for college. Don’t build debt too high to attend college. It's not necessary because there are enough colleges, universities and vocational schools that provide the same education. COLLEGE COSTS You have to measure this and understand certain costs like tuition per credit hour, room and board per semester (if applicable) and all the related fees that add up the total cost for one year. Ask for this on a semester basis. Assess the cost of attending a certain college and is it feasible based on personal savings, free financial aid, scholarships and loans taken out that this college could be in consideration. Do this for 3-4 colleges |