Junior year of high school is notorious for being the most important for a student. This is the year that colleges and universities will be looking at with a close eye to see how you do with the SAT, ACT, and other important factors. For many students it may seem daunting at first but with these tips, I plan on setting you up to make it the best year!
Why Does Junior Year Matter?
For students looking into pursuing a higher education, junior year has a number of important factors at play. While most students will begin taking the SAT and ACT, it’s also the last full-year transcript that colleges will look at during the admissions process. On top of this, junior year is when most students will be taking the hardest classes. Many students will also begin looking for work and will also be participating in extracurriculars too! So what should you be doing to maximize your chances of getting into college while also making junior year of high school the best it can be?
Begin Studying For The SAT or ACT
Most juniors opt to take the SAT or ACT (sometimes both) during the Spring semester of their junior year. The reason for this, is that this still allows you to take it a second time during your senior year if you need to. In general, the SAT is more focused on math with over 50% of the score being made up from just the math section. The ACT has more reading comprehension and also a science section. I still recommend you take both the SAT and ACT your junior year to see which one you like best. When in your senior year, you can retake the one that you feel like you’d do better on.
Another important thing to note is most colleges and universities now are going test optional. This means that the college does not require students to submit their test scores for the SAT or ACT. I still recommend taking the test so that if you score well you can submit the scores, which will later help you out during the admissions process. However, it’s important to realize that submitting below average scores to test optional schools will almost always hurt your chances of getting accepted, so keep that in mind as well.
Managing Your Time
Junior year can make the biggest difference for your chances on getting into college. Because of this, many students will overload on AP classes while also doing extracurriculars and working. It’s important to know your limits. While a C in an AP class is better than a B in a regular class, you want to make sure you still have time for yourself. Managing your mental health and avoiding burnout is key to making junior year of high school the best it can be.
So how do you make sure you have enough time to manage all of these different things? Well everyone has different ways, but the most common and effective way is to keep a planner. Planners can be both digital as well as physical, and allow you to keep track of assignments, important dates, and can allow you to block out times for various activities. This is a must for students that are looking to maximize junior year. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to get creative with it either! Spend time color coordinating different tasks, and most of all enjoy the satisfaction of clearing things off the list!
Be a Well-Rounded Student
While colleges will primarily look at your academics, they’ll also look to see if your a well-rounded student. So how do you go about being a well-rounded student? Well the best way is to look into participating in after school activities! The following are all great things to help you stand out from the other applicants:
- Being On a Sports Team
- Participating in After School Clubs
- Having a Job
- Volunteering
This list is by no means exhaustive either. Colleges will keep a close eye on your dedication in each of the things you participate in. They’ll look into things like: Are you on a varsity team? Are you a club leader? Have you been working at your job for long? How often you volunteer? While each of these things help paint the picture of you being a well-rounded student, it’s important to not spread yourself too thin. Remember how I mentioned the importance of managing your time? This is when it’s most crucial. While participating in more than one of these activities can make you look great, there’s almost always a tradeoff. Whether that’s at the expense of your grades or mental health.
Test Prep, Tutoring, and Counseling
While I mentioned the importance of taking the SAT and ACT it’s important to be prepared as well! Enrolling in a test prep class or course is a great way to do so. These courses can be offered at your school or even online, so look into what works best with your schedule. Also it’s important during junior year to make sure you don’t fall behind. Getting a tutor is a great way to prevent this fallback and getting one at the beginning of the year is a great idea. Our tutoring service: TenneyTutors is the best way to prevent falling behind. All of our tutors are one-to-one private school teachers that teach remotely through Microsoft Teams. This is the ideal way for you to tutor! Finally, make sure you’re meeting with your school counselor. They are in charge of making sure your on track for college and is the best source for catered advice!
Make It the Best Year!
Following these tips will help make junior year of high school the best it can be! If you’re curious about our online, one-to-one private school, fill out an inquiry form today to get started. Also be sure to click the links below to see our social channels and to keep up-to-date with the happenings here at The Tenney School!
