I’m diving head-first into my junior year, and let me tell you, there is certainly a lot going on. I keep having to remind myself that I cannot do everything, but at the same time I really, really wish I could! Junior year is notoriously difficult, and I’m afraid that I am no exception to this common mold of a student. Between ACT prep, a fun-filled (read: busy) course-load, clubs and extracurriculars, and working on my own hobbies, I’ve ensured that I have very little free time left over. To help other curious and anxious high schoolers out there figure out what they’re doing, I’m sharing how I’m preparing for college right now.
First off, I started doing ACT prep over the summer, once I received my PACT score back. The colleges I’m looking at have an average ACT range of 29-36 (my list includes some state schools, larger universities, and MIT, just for kicks), so my goal is to get a 33. I’m fortunate enough to have been put in touch with an excellent tutoring company, Compass Prep, that has helped me raise up my score significantly, so I’m quite thankful for their help.
By now, I’m settling in on my list of colleges to apply to as well as continuing to search for others to add to my list. My school has colleges come and “visit”, virtually, of course, and so I have signed up for those that look interesting to see if I would like to apply there. Right now, my list is about 12 long, with an even mix of safety schools, ideal schools, and reach schools, which I think is a crucial component of the college search. While I don’t recommend applying to 30 schools, I also advise steering away from applying to your one dream school and that school alone. Its important to have a backup plan, and to have some options once you begin receiving acceptance letters.
I also started an Excel spreadsheet with my college list, and I organized the various acceptance rates, average ACT acceptance scores, location, population, teacher: student ratio, surrounding area type (urban, rural, suburban), cost, and important admissions notes. This helps me keep the facts organized and compare the pros and cons of each school at a glance. I also color coded the schools by which are my safety, ideal, and reach ones to keep things straight for my mind. Next week, I plan to start looking at scholarships, both ones offered by the schools and ones offered to the general public by organizations, companies, and programs. With this will come…you guessed it… another spreadsheet.
Junior year is the time to settle in on one’s hobbies and interests. As I mentioned, I want to pursue nearly everything under the sun, but I’ve done a couple things in advance to free up some time, and I have honed in on a few areas of interest. First off, I took a free summer history course that my school offered to get my history requirement out of the way. This enabled me to take Latin 1, a language I’ve always wanted to explore, and one that I know will be helpful in the medical field, since I had a free block open to me. I also signed up for a couple science classes: a 2-week medical class through Wake Forest, and a 6 month Intro to Biology class through MIT. These two courses have helped me identify a definite passion for biology and science, and I know I want it to have a key role in my life. I also worked with one of my friends to form a club at school that will participate in the Conrad Challenge, which is a STEM-based competition where a team invents a solution or designs an invention to fix a problem. Finally, I joined the Newport Chapter of Interstem, a student-founded organization that aims to educate others during the pandemic. I get to write weekly articles for their blog, am the HR manager for the chapter, and help brainstorm ideas for events and programs.
Overall, while I am heading into junior year with a plate slightly overfilled and a schedule a tad bit over-planned, I’m passionate about the activities I’ve committed myself to and engaged in my classes. This is the most important thing during high school: not doing things simply “for college.” College is not the end-all-be-all in life, and we need to enjoy what we do with every single year. My ultimate advice? Find your interests, and if you don’t know what they are, sign up for things! 30 minutes spent searching for opportunities can lead to a year of excitement and discovery, so put in the time now. Keep your information organized as you search for colleges, and set parameters so you don’t end up with a list a mile long. Enjoy the year! You only get to be a junior once.
