International College Counselors Offer Six Tips For College Bound High School Juniors
Miami, FL (PRWEB) January 30, 2015 -- Junior year is an extremely important year for high school students. Critical decisions will have a major impact on a student’s next five years and long beyond.
“Junior year comes with a lot of stress, but with planning and positivity, it can also be a time filled with excitement about the future. All this hard work can pay off,” said Mandee Heller Adler, founder of International College Counselors.
College admissions officers look very closely at what a student does in junior year, and the year is almost over, so here are six tips for college bound juniors:
1. Prepare and Take Standardized Tests
Take the all-important SAT and ACT. Students who take their tests in their junior year have time to see their weaknesses and study to eliminate them. The SAT or ACT can be retaken in the fall, and with the right preparation, scores almost always improve.
Students should take the SAT Subject tests in the subjects that they took this year. Students who wait until their senior year to take the SAT Subject Tests, may find they’ve forgotten the material.
2. Consider Possible Majors
Make a list of possible college majors. Start with personal interests. These interests can include animals, nutrition, film, medicine, writing, or a million more. Make sure to include any motivating school subjects, like algebra or literature. The idea is not to commit to a career path, but to try and narrow down career possibilities. It’s worth noting that many students switch their major at least once during college.
3. Research Colleges
Gather information on different colleges and universities from books and websites. Attend local college fairs, as well as presentations by traveling college admissions officers. Go on as many campus tours as possible. Talk to alumni and-or current students. Scour social media for tidbits of information. Consider taking a college road tour over spring break. The goal is to start senior year with a list of fifteen to twenty colleges of interest. Having an idea of college majors makes the college search easier, but it is unnecessary.
4. Search for Scholarships
Research scholarship opportunities and apply to them. There are many scholarships open to students in their junior year. Diligent juniors will also discover many scholarships they may want to apply to in their senior year.
5. Plan to Maximize Summer
Incoming seniors should spend the summer in a meaningful way. Colleges want to see that students spent their time wisely on an activity like an internship, job, or college program. To achieve this, students need to start planning their summer now.
Many competitive and prestigious summer programs are available and these satisfy hundreds of interests. The right programs help students learn and also look great on college applications. Attending a summer program at a college of interest also looks good to a college. While this does not guarantee admissions, it may help a student confirm interest in the school and make an early decision choice easier.
6. Get Good to Great Grades
Senior grades are not listed on college applications. This means colleges look at junior year grades to understand the academic abilities of a student. A drop in grades can send the wrong signals to a college, however, easier classes should not be taken in an attempt to raise grades. Another reason to get good grades: Junior year teachers are typically the ones to ask for letters of recommendation.
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE COUNSELORS:
The college advisors at International College Counselors help students from all over the world find, apply to, and gain acceptance into the college of their dreams. The expert educational consultants at International College Counselors are dedicated to helping students and their families successfully navigate the college application process.
For more information on International College Counselors or to contact an expert college counselor, please visit http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com or call 954-414-9986.
Cheree Liebowitz, International College Counselors, http://www.internationalcollegecounselors.com, +1 (954) 414-9986, [email protected]
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