JUNIOR PREPARATION

One consistent piece of advice heard from college freshman is that they wish they had started the college research and application process earlier. Junior year is an important time to become invested in the college admissions process. Juniors do not need to have anything finalized in terms of a college list or major, but the following tips and timelines will help you to stay on top of your path-to-college.

QUICK REFERENCE LIST:

_____ Testing: Juniors will take the PSAT (ECHS offers this test for free) in October.

While colleges will not see these scores, a strong score can translate into potential scholarship money, since the PSAT is the National Merit Qualifying test. Since this is considered a practice SAT, there is no need to spend a great deal of time studying for it;

however, visit the www.collegeboard.org website for practice tests and testing tips. Use the PSAT as a benchmark. Your score will allow you to see where you need to spend time studying and reviewing to better prepare for the SAT or ACT tests. It is a good idea to plan to take an SAT, ACT and/or SAT Subject Test(s) in the spring of your junior year. Register at

www.collegeboard.org or www.act.org. ECHS is an official testing site but often fills up quickly.

_____ Course Selection: Academic rigor is important to colleges. They want to see that you are challenging yourself in your courses and performing to the best of your ability in the

classroom. Meet with your guidance counselor to determine what courses would best demonstrate a balanced and challenging course load for you. Remember, sophomore and junior year grades and academic course choices are the ones colleges look at very closely. Consider Honors/AP courses.

_____ Grades: Maintain good grades. Try your best in your classes and seek help if you are struggling in any of your subjects. Note: If you are considering applying Early Action or Early Decision, colleges will only see your grades through the end of junior year. Make those grades and course choices count!

_____ Foreign Language: Make sure to check the websites of a variety of colleges to see what they recommend for foreign language requirements. Follow the advice of the colleges’

suggested requirements or recommendations and consider going beyond the two-year minimum set forth by WCCUSD.

_____ Leadership: In school, out of school, in your community, on a job, seeking out leadership roles looks great on a college application. Colleges are looking for students who are involved and who will make a contribution to their campus community.

_____ Campus Visits: Visit a few college campuses this year. Try to see and evaluate colleges of varying sizes and focuses: large/small, public/private, urban/rural. The President’s Week break and Spring Break are great times to schedule campus visits.

_____ Create (if you have not already done so) a professional email account. You will use this for standardized testing registration, college communications, college applications (next year), financial aid forms, etc. Examples: johnsmith2015@... Or Sarahgarcia@...

_____ Your Name: Be consistent with your official name and use the same one for transcripts, test registration, college applications (next year), scholarships, social security card, etc.

_____ Maintain a balanced lifestyle! Make sure you set aside time to relax, be with friends and family, and take part in activities that you enjoy. Junior year can be stressful so it is important to maintain balance so that you can feel proud of your accomplishments and enjoy your high school experience!

JUNIOR YEAR TIMELINE Fall and Winter Checklist

_____ Meet with your counselor to look over your course schedule and to make sure that you are meeting graduation requirements.

____ Junior year is often the most academically challenging year. Keep organized and try your best in your classes. If you are struggling, ask early for help! Keep in mind that junior year (and sophomore) year grades are the ones most scrutinized by colleges. Junior year is an

opportunity to show colleges that you can improve and/or maintain your grades and that you can handle a challenging academic schedule.

_____ If you are taking AP courses, consider purchasing an AP study guide for your particular subject and use it as a resource for AP test preparation (AP tests are usually taken in May). Since ECHS is on the block schedule, if you take an AP course in the fall, you will not have had the course for a number of months. Use test prep guides to help with review of the material.

Also, plan to attend review sessions, generously provided by many of ECHS’ AP teachers.

_____ If you have not participated in activities outside of class, now is the time to get involved.

Consider school clubs, team sports, leadership, yearbook, community service, local

internships or jobs. Once you find an extra-curricular activity that you enjoy, stick with it.

Colleges like to see consistency in student involvement beyond the classroom. Don’t pad your resume with activities you think colleges will like. Instead become involved with things you have an interest in. If you need advice on what to do or where to look, ask your counselor or go to the Career Center.

_____ Take the PSAT. ECHS offers the test for free in October each year. Scores become available in December-January. Once you have received your scores, review them to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses. Consider joining an SAT or ACT review course (free and low-cost review programs are often offered to ECHS students—check in the Career Center or the JMP). Free practice tests and study tips can be found at www.act.org,

www.collegeboard.org, and at www.number2.com or www.khanacademy.org.

____ Make sure you have set up your free account with the College Board or the ACT websites.

Once you have created a profile and account, you can register for upcoming tests, retrieve your scores, take practice tests, search for college information, and have scores sent to schools on your list.

____ Make a testing plan!!! Consider taking either the SAT or ACT (with writing) during the winter or spring of your junior year. If you are taking the SAT, also plan to take 2 SAT Subject Tests.

It is advised to take a subject test soon after you have completed a particular course. For example: if you are taking AP U.S. History, consider taking the Subject Test after completion of the course while the material is still fresh in your mind. Taking the SAT/ACT for the first time during your junior year allows you to assess your scores and decide whether you will take the test(s) again during the fall of your senior year. Many students take the test more than once. Fee waivers for standardized tests are available. Visit the College and Career

_____ Attend a college fair and college presentations. Listen for announcements regarding college visits at ECHS or in the area, visit the College and Career Center to pick up the monthly

“College Visit” bulletin, and visit college websites to find out if and when they will be in the Bay Area. Attending college fairs and college presentations is free but registration is often required. WCCUSD and the Ed Fund sponsor a college fair in the fall, St. Mary’s College in Moraga hosts an extensive college fair in the spring, and Colleges That Change Lives hosts an excellent fair during the summer in both Marin and San Jose (see www.ctcl.org for dates).

College fairs and presentations are great ways for students to learn more about colleges and to have an opportunity to meet with admissions personnel. The more information you have, the better able you will be to make informed choices about colleges that may be a good fit for you.

____ Visit one or more college campuses. There are many campuses within ten minutes-to-two- hours from ECHS. Tours and Information Sessions are free but advance registration (either online or by phone) is often required. There is no better way to find out if a particular campus or type of campus is right for you than physically being on a college campus. The more

campuses you visit the more you will be able to get a sense of what you want in a college:

size, location, academic focus, campus involvement, residence life, etc. Helpful tip: bring a small notebook to write down observations about your visit, the campus, information you learned.

This information will be helpful when you create your college list. Use the February President’s Week break and the April Spring Break to schedule college visits.

____ Research colleges. Read several college guides and visit college websites. College guides are available in the College and Career Center, at local libraries and bookstores. Each college also has its own website, each with extensive information about admission, academics, campus life, financial aid, etc. Go beyond the homepage and delve into academic departments that interest you. Do they offer courses that you would want to take? What is the faculty-student ratio?

How many professors are in particular departments? Are research or internship opportunities available for undergraduates? Do they offer study abroad programs? What are the residential options for students? There are often virtual tours offered on many college websites, which can give you a sense of the campus and college offerings. Do your research and begin to make some notes about your likes and dislikes.

If a college is of interest to you, get your name on their mailing list. You will then receive email and mail information about these schools. Remember to use your professional email address, the one you will ultimately use for the college application process during senior year.

_____ If you are planning on playing sports in college, make sure to talk to your guidance counselor and coach, contact college athletic departments to get information about their programs.

Read the Intercollegiate Sports and NCAA sections of this handbook and go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net for eligibility information and athlete registration.

_____ If you are planning on applying to pursue the arts in college, talk with your counselor and arts teacher to get guidance on portfolios, audition tapes and other specialized materials that may be required for admission to arts programs. See the Resource section of this handbook for more information.

_____ Start or continue the conversation about finances with your family! It is extremely important to be clear what your family can contribute towards your college education and also how to begin to research financial aid and other scholarship opportunities. Have your parent or

guardian take an initial look at the FAFSA or CSS Profile financial aid forms, which will be filled out during your senior year.

Spring and Summer Checklist:

_____ Continue to do your best in your courses. Get help if needed.

_____ Meet with your counselor to discuss your senior year schedule. Although it is tempting to take the minimum amount of classes (especially if you have reached the graduation credit requirement), make note that colleges will look at your senior schedule and assess whether you continue to challenge yourself academically. Additionally, maintain good grades, as your fall grades will be submitted (to private colleges) as part of the mid-year report (sent by your guidance counselor in February or March). Also note that it is important to keep your grades above a “C”, particularly for CSU and UC admissions. If your grades fall below, you risk having an acceptance revoked.

_____ Take the SAT/ACT (with writing) and SAT Subject tests (if needed).

_____ Think about lining up a summer internship, academic course, job or volunteer opportunity.

Talk with your teachers, counselor and visit the College and Career Center for ideas and resources.

_____ During the February President’s Week break and the April Spring Break, plan to visit college campuses. If you are going on vacation, check to see if there are colleges in the area and make a point to visit one or more. Make sure to register (online or by phone) for a free campus tour and information session. If offered, consider signing up for an on-campus interview.

_____ If you are considering applying to private colleges, you will need two teacher

recommendations. Approach two teachers (in core subjects) who have taught you during your junior (preferably) or sophomore years and politely ask if they would be willing to write a recommendation on your behalf. Ask teachers who really know you and who can speak about you as a student and contributor to the classroom environment as well as speak to your intellectual abilities. Some teachers place a limit on the number of recommendations they will write so ask early. Also, refer to the “Recommendation” section of this handbook for more tips on recommendations.

_____ Request (from the ECHS Registrar/Main Office) a copy of your complete ECHS transcript.

Look it over carefully and make sure all of the information, including your name, is accurate.

If there are any mistakes, go to your counselor and have corrections made.

_____ Before the end of your Junior year ask your counselor for a copy of the Senior Profile or copy it from this manual. Over the summer, begin to think about how you might answer the

questions. This profile is what your counselor will use to write your counselor

recommendation for colleges (private). The more specific and detailed you are in answering the questions, the more information your counselor will have to write about you. Try to complete a draft of the profile over the summer.

_____ Over the summer, create a preliminary list of colleges to which you will apply. Remember to create a balanced list with schools that are “good bet” (safety), “likely” (match) and “reach”

(wild card) options. Refer to the “Choosing a College” section of the handbook, college guides, and college websites.

_____If you are planning on applying to UC or to private colleges, you will be required to write application essays. Although the applications do not open for enrollment until August 1^st (for the Common Application) and October 1^st (for UC), you CAN get a head start on drafting your essays. Refer to the “Essay” section of this handbook for more detailed information on tackling the application essay. The more you complete the summer before your senior year, the less stressful the process will be. Begin filling out the Common Application form.

____ Get organized. Over the summer, set up a file box, with a folder for each college you plan to apply to. Create a preliminary calendar of due dates for applications, financial aid, interviews, etc.

_____ READ! READ! READ! Ask your teachers, parents, friends, and librarian for suggestions.

In document THE COLLEGE APPLICATION HANDBOOK (Page 50-55)