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Juniors, you are now officially more than halfway through high school! With only three semesters left, you can’t afford to coast along without a plan. If you’ve been following our Checklist for Incoming Juniors, you should be in good shape. If not, here’s our must-do list for second semester junior year.
Tips for a Successful Second Semester
- Start Out Strong. It’s essential that you keep your grades up during junior year, so make sure you hit the ground running second semester (especially if your first semester grades weren’t so hot). It’s always easier to stay on top of things rather than get into a hole that you have to spend the rest of the semester digging out of.
- Take the ACT/SAT. When planning your ACT/SAT schedule, give yourself enough wiggle room to be able to take the test 2-4 times. If you already took the ACT in the fall, you can retake it in February, and if February will be your first test date, you still have time to retake it in April. Remember to sign up for a test prep course, too!
- Think Through College Goals. You can’t start college applications quite yet, but you can definitely have a running list of schools where you want to apply. This list should take into account a host of factors, such as what majors you think you might want to pursue (i.e., probably don’t apply to all liberal arts colleges if you know you want to major in finance) and location (i.e., do you want to be able to drive home on weekends?). We can help you figure out what majors to pursue and what colleges fit them as part of our college planning package.
- Prepare for Summer. We don’t mean get a spray tan. The summer after junior year is a very important time because our goal is to have students complete all apps and essays before senior year begins. So take a look at some possible essay questions from the schools on your list and keep them in the back of your mind as you finish up your junior year. Plan on getting a summer job as well. Having a job both looks good on college applications and ensures you’ll have some extra spending money once you actually start living on your own!
Our college planners and tutors are always available to help you work through any specific questions or issues you have. You can reach us at info@eliteacademics.com or 720-216-2222.