Are minutes in the day shrinking or is the calendar just moving faster? Sometimes it feels like both are happening. Seniors in the midst of finalizing early applications know this better than anyone -- while high school junior, sophomore and freshman parents are astonished at the fact that their students are moving up the high school ranks en route to their college futures.
In reality, the college process has sped up in many regards, with all students in my practice completing at least one early application. For juniors, early fall is a great time to gain a head start on pieces of the college process and optimal for seeing schools when the weather is still good and academic obligations have yet to pile up.
Most seniors are done with application tasks by now -- but not all. Some students are still making campus visits and re-visits as well as making one final attempt to boost SAT/ACT scores. For juniors ready to step into their college process, it's worth taking time during the next couple of months for the following:
1. Register and prep for standardized testing
Chances are a student will be required to take either the SAT or the ACT as a condition of application to at least one intended college. Some students align with and focus exclusively on one of these tests, while others try out both to see which one best fits their testing style. At the very least, it's smart to visit the SAT or ACT websites to sample the style and types of questions one may encounter on these exams. Most students will begin testing during the winter of junior year, if not earlier, espeically if their winter and spring schedules are full with extracurriculars.
2. Schedule campus visits
It takes more than a little planning to organize student and parent calendars in order to make campus visits a priority. With busy weekends full of homework, projects, athletic and family obligations, campus visits may easily slide onto the back burner. Before you can say "summer’s here,” senior year has arrived with its own set of priorities that may tighten up schedules even more. Besides, it’s best to visit schools during the normal ebb and flow of the academic year rather than during summer break when there are typically few students in attendance. Prospective applicants need to view campus life in action, in part, to determine a good college fit.
3. Don't ask teachers yet for college recommendations…
... but start to consider the fact that most schools require at least one academic teacher's evaluation. Students should begin to think about connecting in some way with teachers and how to get to know them better in or out of the classroom -- or both.
The college process is made up of many more steps than mentioned here, but with these three items underway students and parents are off to a good start! ________________________________________________________________