The winter holidays have passed, and students are back in school. For college-bound juniors, this marks a critical time to lay the groundwork for a smooth, purposeful, and strategic college admissions journey. Starting preparations now will make the summer months more productive and reduce stress during senior year.
Follow These 12 Steps to Promote a Successful College Admissions Process
ONE: Prioritize Academic Excellence
Junior year grades carry significant weight in college admissions, as they are the most recent grades available when applications are reviewed. Strive to excel in classes and seek help from teachers if needed. Students taking Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes should aim for high scores on their exams to bolster their applications and potentially earn college credit. Additionally, consider whether increasing academic rigor during senior year is appropriate.
💡Expert Tip: The high school transcript is the foundation of most college applications. Strong grades provide essential credibility to other achievements.
TWO: Develop a Test Strategy: ACT or SAT?
While many colleges are test-optional, it is important to contextualize what “test-optional” means based on individual and institutional characteristics. With grade inflation at an all-time high, objective data in the form of strong test scores can enhance an application. By the end of junior year, aim to have completed a testing plan by:
- Deciding which test (ACT or SAT) suits you better by taking diagnostic assessments.
- Setting a score goal and creating a personalized prep plan.
- Taking practice tests and scheduling tests strategically.
- Evaluating scores to decide if retesting is necessary.
💡Expert Tip: Focus on one test to avoid wasting time and resources.
THREE: Build a Relationship with Your High School Counselor
Most colleges require a high school counselor’s recommendation, and many colleges value such recommendations highly during the holistic review process. Since most high school counselors have excessive student caseloads that surpass the number recommended by the American School Counselor Association and must juggle many responsibilities, it is on you to schedule meetings to introduce yourself, share your resume, and provide insights into your goals and personality. Regular communication ensures a personalized recommendation letter that is more than a generic “copy-and-paste.”
💡Expert Tip: Set up a meeting ASAP and arrange a series of follow-up meetings.
FOUR: Focus on Quality in Extracurricular Activities
Dedicate yourself to a few meaningful extracurricular activities that reflect your passions and values. Strive for long-term commitment and aim for leadership roles. Ultimately, demonstrating commitment over time and making an impact in whatever you choose to do will result in personal growth. Importantly, college applicants will be well-positioned to tell authentic and powerful stories in college essays.
💡Expert Tip: Colleges value depth over breadth.
FIVE: Create a Balanced College List
By the end of junior year, aim to have a preliminary list of eight to ten colleges that align with your academic, social, and financial criteria. Ensure the list includes a mix of “likely,” “target,” and “reach” schools. If you plan to apply to “unlikely” colleges, use data and informed judgment to prevent excessive work, expense, and disappointment. At this point, your college list may be more extensive than those to which you ultimately apply, but it should contain at least eight to ten colleges where you feel confident you will thrive. We recommend that your list includes colleges that you are highly likely to be admitted to and that are affordable for you and your family (including a public school where you qualify for in-state tuition). Creating a balanced college list is critical!
💡Expert Tip: To learn more about creating a balanced, read Creating a Balanced College List: Reach, Target, and Likely Defined and Don't Be a Square Peg in a Round Hole: 5 Ways to Identify “Good-Fit” Colleges.
SIX: Visit College Campuses
Look at your school calendar and carve out some days and times to schedule visits to colleges of interest to get a sense of their environment and culture. Attend information sessions, take tours, eat in the cafeteria, and interact with current students. If in-person visits are not feasible, take advantage of virtual tours and online resources. For colleges that consider demonstrated interest in the admissions process, engaging in person and/or virtually is a must!
💡Expert Tip: Plan visits during the academic year when classes are in session and plan ahead because tours fill up fast on days when school is out.
SEVEN: Select College Recommenders Thoughtfully
Choose teachers who know you well and can highlight your strengths. Provide them with your resume and details about your goals to help them craft strong, personalized recommendations.
Spring is the perfect time to ask teachers to write you a college recommendation letter. Decide which core (math, ELA, science, social studies, world language) teachers will write you the strongest college recommendations. Ensuring you have a strong rapport with your teachers will help them speak to your academic and character strengths. Be prepared to provide an updated resume and a brief description of who you are outside of the classroom. Providing your recommenders with information about the multi-dimensional person you are will not just make their jobs easier but likely result in a more personalized (i.e., stronger) recommendation letter.
💡Expert Tip: Select teachers from core academic subjects for maximum impact.
EIGHT: Explore Your Interests
Take time to reflect on your passions, values, and potential career paths. This exploration will help you choose colleges that align with your interests and increase the likelihood of graduating on time.
While it is perfectly acceptable for teens to have no clue what they want to study in college or what career they plan to pursue, investing time into exploring interests and how they align with personality and values helps students maximize the chances that they attend colleges that help them reach their postsecondary goals. Additionally, since college is expensive, identifying colleges where students have the best chances of graduating in four years should be a core component of a strategic college admissions process.
💡Expert Tip: Read Beyond the Degree: How Early Career Exploration Can Maximize College ROI and Five Simple Steps to Start Career Exploration in High School
NINE: Plan a Meaningful Summer
Summer vacation is long: ample time to chill and engage in activities that promote personal growth. Creating meaningful opportunities makes you a more well-rounded person and, by extension, will increase the quality of your college applications. Ideas include getting a job, volunteering, shadowing a professional, connecting with a college faculty member, conducting research, getting in shape, taking an online class, spending time on Duo Lingo, etc. Balance productivity with relaxation to recharge for senior year.
💡Expert Tip: Get inspired by reading School is Almost Out for Summer: 12 Ways to Make it Fun AND Meaningful
TEN: Review Essay Prompts
Familiarize yourself with the Common Application essay prompts. Reflect on potential topics that highlight your core values and unique experiences. The 2024-2025 Common Application essay prompts should be confirmed in the spring: use them! The best college essays are authentic, personal, and deep, reflecting core values. Since most of the topics require students to delve deep into topics they may never have thought about, preview the questions now to create the opportunity for meaningful reflection,
💡Expert Tip: Authenticity and personal depth make for compelling essays. Resist ChatGPT and other AI. Essays written by AI are generic, impersonal, and boring; they will not help you get into competitive colleges. More importantly, it is unethical to present work composed by AI as your own.
ELEVEN: Consider Hiring a Qualified Independent College Admissions Counselor
With over 4,000 colleges in the United States and the constant barrage of misinformation regarding the college admissions process, navigating the options can be overwhelming. Furthermore, every college has its own nuanced application process and requirements. Students and parents inundated with marketing materials can benefit from investing in an expert to help navigate the increasingly complex process. With college costing anywhere from $25,000 to $95,000 per year, for most people, graduating in four years must be prioritized during the application process.
A qualified college admissions counselor can provide expert guidance tailored to individual needs, helping students make informed, data-driven decisions about where to apply and how to craft a competitive application.
💡Expert Tip: In the unregulated independent educational consultant space, it is essential to do your due diligence to ensure that whoever you hire is qualified to work with teens. For tips, read 21 Questions Worth Asking Before Hiring an Independent Counselor and Five Smart & Fiscal Reasons to Hire an Independent College Consultant.
And most importantly, TWELVE: Care For and Value Yourself
The college admissions process can feel overwhelming, but remember that your worth extends beyond test scores and application results. Focus on finding schools where you will thrive academically and personally. Remain grounded by relying on facts, data, and professionals. Resist the temptation to overly personalize the process and to make decisions based on emotion. Take care of yourself by exercising, eating well, and getting enough sleep.
💡Expert Tip: Avoid being swept up in what has become mass hysteria over college admissions by making a strategic college admissions plan and sticking with it.
Ultimately, strategically investing time empowers high school juniors to have a manageable college application process and lays the foundation for a rewarding and low-stress senior year.
For more information on what high school juniors can do to set themselves up for a purposeful and successful college application experience or about anything related to the college admissions process, please contact me at kathy@fineeducationalsolutions.com.
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