Don't Panic! Prepare!
Junior year is known for being a step up in terms of difficulty – but it doesn't have to be unmanageable! With planning, you can stay on top of it all. Your big objectives this year are: testing, building your college list, and preparing for application season.
Note from our Founder
This is the critical year in the college application process so shine brightly inside and outside of the classroom. Visit colleges, dream big, and be curious enough to look beyond the institutions you already know. As you explore, build your team with the people who will help you find opportunities, support your vision, and lift you to become the person you hope to be.
— Keith Wilkerson, CEO and Founder
This Year's Priorities
Your big objectives this year
Testing
- Pick the test you want to take: the SAT or the ACT. Trying to take and prepare for both can spread you too thin!
- Plan out your schedule. Start with the spring of junior year, and look ahead to the fall of senior year. Make a tentative schedule.
- Consistency is key! Study a little bit every day.
Building the List
- Think about the college experience you want to have. What kind of people do you want to surround yourself with? What size feels like the right fit? How near/far are you looking to go?
- Gather your information. Your scores, your GPA, and your goals all feed into the best college list for you.
- Plan some visits. Take a spring break family road trip to some far away schools or a Saturday afternoon to see a local one. The more you know what you like and don't like, the easier it will be to filter the right schools for you.
Preparing for Applications
- What financial aid are you looking for? What avenues will that come from?
- Who are you asking for a letter of recommendation? Build some strong connections with your teachers, coaches, mentors – anyone you'd consider asking to write your letters of recommendation. The more they know you, the better!
- What does your life look like outside the classroom? Are you taking on any leadership positions?
Free Roadmap
Ready to Put These Priorities Into Action?
Junior year can be tough to manage with the mounting pressure. To guide you through, we put together a short resource of 10 things that juniors must do this year. Click below to claim your copy!
Junior Year: The 10 Things You Cannot Afford to Miss
How We Help 11th Graders
The CollegeThoughts Approach
Ready to take the reins of your junior year? Contact us!
11th grade with CollegeThoughts is comprehensive and always looking down the road. Preparation is key.
Keeping you on track is our number one goal, and we can help facilitate a schedule with an appropriate workload. First, we lay out the full timeline, working backwards from application deadlines so that you understand the full scope of the next two years. Then, we focus on getting test prep off the ground and building habits that align with your goals, interspersed with discussions about how to pick the right college for you, managing extracurriculars and other opportunities, and what additional steps to take. In the spring, the preparation starts to pay off as we support you through the busier half of your year, then look ahead to the summer.
Questions From Families
FAQs
It depends on your goals. However, many schools are reverting to their pre-COVID testing policies, and those who still accept test optional applications show a trend of preferring students who submit test scores.
By junior year, you should have a few activities that you are committed to and passionate about, but stress quality over quantity. Depth in areas you care about matters more than skimming the surface of everything. Jobs, research, summer programs, and additional activities are all ways to add depth to your life outside of the classroom.
Most colleges require students to submit a 650 word (maximum) personal essay with their application. We recommend beginning that essay in the summer between 11th and 12th grade. It will take a heavy load off your senior year when you need to focus on applications while also giving you time to reflect on as much of your high school career as possible.
Junior year is full of opportunities to plan and take hold of your future, you just have to know when to look for them.
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