College Planning for Juniors: How to Prepare for the College Application Process

START NOW!

High school juniors are at a pivotal stage in the college application process.

While senior year gets the spotlight, much of the prep work should happen NOW. Here’s a short guide to get you started on your college planning.

1. Evaluate Your Academic Standing

Colleges will closely review your grades and the rigor of your coursework. Depending on which country, college and program you are applying to, you may be required to have certain courses to be eligible or competitive. It is important you are on track to meet those requirements now while there is still time.

• Grades: Focus on maintaining strong grades, particularly in challenging courses like AP, dual enrollment, or IB courses.

• Course Selection: Ensure your coursework aligns with your future academic interests, goals, AND potential admissions requirements.

2. Research Colleges

Begin exploring potential colleges. You don’t need to finalize your list yet, but gather information on a range of schools that meet your academic and non-academic criteria. A great place to start researching colleges is Peterson’s, but remember the most accurate information will come from the colleges themselves.

• Build College List: Include a mix of reach, match, and safety schools

• Factors to Consider: Location, campus culture, size, academic offerings, student support, and career services are just a few of the important factors you should consider. Evaluate what is important for your personal college search.

• Plan Campus Visits: Don’t wait for summer break to begin visiting campuses. Plan visits now while students are on campus to give you a better sense of the culture and life there. It is important to visit campuses to gain a better idea of what you want and don’t want from your future college.

3. Prepare for Standardized Tests

If you plan to take the SAT or ACT, start preparing now. Plan to take the test at least twice this spring and summer to meet fall deadlines. While most colleges are test-free or test-optional, remember that more and more schools are shifting back to requiring testing. Research the testing requirements of your potential colleges as you plan.

• Test Dates: Register at least six weeks in advance for the SAT or ACT as space is limited and some locations get full early.

• Study Tools: Consider prep books, online resources, or tutoring if necessary – do what works best for your personal study habits and schedule. Check out my post with great tips and resources for preparing for the SAT.

4. Engage in Extracurriculars

Colleges want to see students who are involved outside of the classroom. Focus on quality over quantity. I recommend creating a student resume now so that you can see the full picture of your activities starting from grade nine. Consider where your strengths and weaknesses are and how you want to present yourself to colleges.

• Leadership: Seek leadership roles or greater involvement in your activities.

• Passions: Continue deepening your commitment to activities that align with your interests.

• Exploration:  Investigate options to help with choosing your college major and career options while building your resume.

5. Build Strong Relationships with Teachers

Letters of recommendation will most likely be a necessary part of your application. Build connections with teachers who can write detailed and supportive letters.

• Participate in Class: Engage with teachers to build meaningful relationships.

• Ask Early: Approach teachers in the spring for recommendation letters. More information about recommendation letters can be found here.

6. Start Thinking About Essays

College essays are an opportunity to show who you are beyond your academics. Now is a great time to begin brainstorming potential topics. Review the past Common Application essay prompts and think about what topics may be good fits for you.

• Personal Statement:  Review the personal statement prompts and begin generating ideas. Reflect on your experiences, challenges, and personal growth.

• Supplemental Essays: Look at past supplemental essay prompts for your potential colleges and remember to plan in extra time to write them this summer.

7. Plan for Financial Aid

Start thinking about how you’ll fund your college education NOW.

• Net Price Calculators:  Work with your family to complete net price calculators for colleges of interest. This will give you a general idea of your potential costs.

• Scholarships: Research potential scholarships available to juniors and start applying.

• FAFSA and CSS Profile: Do your research to understand the financial aid process and what forms and documentation are needed.

8. Stay Organized

Unfortunately, the college application process is not simple, stay on top of deadlines and requirements.

• Create a Timeline: Plan out your tasks for the next year. From test prep to application submission deadlines, include everything.

• Track Materials Needed: Create an excel sheet or system that works for you to organize and keep track of all application requirements such as essays, activity descriptions, transcripts, financial aid documents, and testing.

Final Thoughts

Junior year is crucial for setting up a smooth college application process. By focusing on academics, extracurriculars, college research, and relationships now, you’ll be in a great position to tackle your college applications senior year. The work you do this year will lay the foundation for successful applications and ultimately help you find the right college fit. If you would like expert college counseling, now is a great time to contact us.

Top College Application Tips for 2024

I recently had a great discussion about the current state of college admission with test prep expert Laura Heslin Whitmore of Strategic Test Prep. We spoke about all things related to the college application and have some great advice for students and their families. Check out the video for top college application tips for 2024 related to:

• Score choice vs sending all scores

• Should you go test-optional?

• Early Action vs Early Decision and Regular Decision

• Personal statement/college essay topics

• Extracurricular activities and how to shape your resume

• Who, how and when to ask for recommendation letters

• What to do if your application is deferred or you are waitlisted

• FAFSA

• The importance of campus visits

• Is demonstrated interest important?

  and so much more!

Stay tuned for our next post all about the digital SAT and how to prep!

Summer College Planning: A Guide for Rising Seniors

For rising seniors, summer represents a time of exploration, relaxation, and, importantly, college planning. With application deadlines on the horizon, the summer months are an opportunity for seniors to map out their college application plan and gather and complete most of the application materials. Here's a comprehensive guide to navigating summer college planning for rising seniors:

1. Reflect and Set Goals: Take the time to reflect on your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and personal interests. What are your strengths, passions, and aspirations? Set clear goals for your college application process. Whether it's aiming for specific schools, pursuing certain academic programs, or securing scholarships, having defined objectives will help guide your efforts.

2. Research Colleges: Use this free time to truly research potential colleges and universities that align with your academic and personal preferences. Consider factors such as location, size, academic programs, campus culture, and financial aid offerings. Create a list of reach, target, and safety schools to ensure a balanced application strategy.

3. Visit Colleges (in person or virtually): While college campuses are a bit sleepy during the summer with most students on break, an in-person visit is still your best option to get to know the school if possible! Try to tie in some campus visits while mapping out your family summer vacation plans. For the colleges you are unable to physically visit, take advantage of online information sessions and virtual tours. Read my tips for remote campus visits here.

4. Finalize Standardized Testing Plans: Determine whether you need to take or retake standardized tests such as the SAT, ACT and/or English proficiency exams. Utilize the summer months to review test materials, enroll in test prep courses, or schedule exam dates. Remember that if you are applying Early Decision or Early Action, the October test date will be the latest possible for you to have your scores in time. Don’t wait until the last minute!

5. Write College Application Essays: The Common Application announced that their essay prompts for the 2024-25 application year will remain unchanged from the past year. This means you have plenty of time to brainstorm and write your best essay. Colleges which require additional essays may not confirm them until later in the summer, but once your college list is finalized, you should begin creating a list of what supplemental essays are needed and get started on them as soon as you can.

6. Explore Extracurricular Opportunities: Engage in meaningful summer activities that demonstrate your interests, leadership skills, and commitment. Whether it's volunteering, internships, research projects, or part-time employment, these experiences can enrich your college application and showcase your diverse talents. This is your last summer to explore your interests and add to your resume for college applications.

7. Review Financial Aid Options: Discuss the potential college costs and how you plan to pay for them with your family. Take a look at the net price calculators for some of your colleges to get a general idea of what the colleges on your list may cost. Familiarize yourself with the financial aid process and deadlines of your prospective colleges. Investigate scholarship opportunities and explore avenues for reducing the costs. Many independent scholarships are open for application over the summer, it is a great time to apply.

8. Stay Organized: Maintain a detailed calendar and checklist to track application deadlines, requirements, standardized test dates, and other important milestones. Break down tasks into manageable steps and allocate time each week to make progress.

By approaching summer college planning with clear goals and good organization and time management, rising seniors can prepare most of their college applications before senior year even begins. If you do need extra support, ACM College Consulting is ready to help you find colleges fit for YOU and kick off your applications. Limited space is available for rising seniors and the more time we have, the better - start now!

Managing Finances and Budgeting in College

Check out my latest webinar which provides guidance for financial discussions families should have before students head to campus, details for mapping out a budget and plan for handling expenses, resources to help along the way, and tips from current students. A great resource for high school seniors and recent HS graduates preparing for college.

Budgeting in College

While keeping track of finances before college may not have been of concern to some students, it is a vital skill to learn for all. Parents should take the time to sit with their student and discuss budgeting before they arrive on campus for freshman year. It is important for families to establish a plan for how pay for expenses both expected and unexpected.

After the first major decision of how the direct expenses (expenses paid directly to the school) of tuition and fees and room and board will be paid for, families have to take into consideration the indirect expenses which will most likely be incurred. These usually include transportation, books and supplies, and personal expenses such as health insurance. Creating a list of these expenses and calculating what is expected to be needed monthly will help families understand what funds are necessary before the bills come in. A plan should be in place for paying for these expenses before the student sets off for college.

In addition to the expected expenses, it is a good idea to budget for the unexpected such as additional trips or activities the student may want to do and other discretionary spending. Where will these funds come from? Make a plan!

Many students already have their own checking account from saving and working while in high school, but if they do not, it is time to set one up together. Most major banks offer free checking accounts to students, but it is worth considering banks local to the college first in case an issue arises. Parents can easily send money to the account as needed and get access to the account summary (if student agrees of course). Check out this Forbe’s ranking of student checking accounts and what to consider when choosing where to open your account.

There are some very helpful programs to assist with keeping track of budget and spending and it is great practice for life in the 'real world'. Mint is a free program which allows you to set a budget for different categories, keep track of all expenses and bills, and make sure you make your payments on time. At any time, you can log in to see where you stand for the month and get a good look at how well you are staying on budget. They also have a mobile app which is perfect for today's students who never go anywhere without their phone.

Should students get a credit card? College is a great time for students to get their first credit card not only to have in case of emergency, but also to begin building their own credit history. They can also begin to acquire points for spending. As long as the student fully understands what the card should be used for, payments are made on time and you choose one with low or no fees, it can be a great thing to have. Take a look at NerdWallet's May list of Best College Student Credit Cards to get an idea of the associated details to consider.

Keep in mind as you are budgeting for future years that you need to fill out the FAFSA each year to continue to receive financial aid and you can continuously apply for outside scholarships throughout all college years. If you have any major changes in your financial situation which would increase your need, be sure to communicate that with the financial aid office as soon as possible.

These are all things you can begin working on this summer while your student is still at home. Make a plan, talk about it, and continue to communicate the importance of budgeting and discussing expenses even after they are on campus. It is a lifelong skill we all need and an important part of your student's journey to adulthood.

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College Planning for Juniors

If you have not already begun, it is time to get started! Juniors who begin planning for college now will give themselves a few extra months to prepare quality applications and find better fit schools. Unfortunately, many students delay planning until the summer before senior year and end up squeezing months of work into just a few weeks before they submit their applications which are often sub-par. Here are a few things to work on over the next few months to help you prepare to apply for college before you begin senior year.

COLLEGE SEARCH

Begin researching colleges online and thinking about the qualities you want your future school to have. Often, students do not know what they want until they actually set foot on a few campuses. Planning now allows you plenty of time to do some visits this Spring while the semester is in full swing and you can get a feel for student life on campus. Use your breaks and weekends to do some campus visits. If you can not visit, do your best to research online and connect with past or current students to get more information.

RESUME BUILDING

Take the time to truly write down everything you have done throughout high school. Include activities both in- and outside of school as well as jobs, hobbies and awards. Write quality descriptions of the activities and your role in the organizations. Doing this now will give you a better picture of what may be missing. While it is not a good idea to suddenly add lots of new activities or clubs, you still have time to increase your involvement in what you currently do and add things which complement it. Writing your resume now will also make the process of completing your application later much simpler.

TESTING

If you begin preparing now, you have months to prepare for the Spring and Summer SAT and/or ACT test dates. You should allow yourself 4-6 weeks to prepare for the tests and by taking them earlier, you will have time to get your scores, work on your areas of weakness and retake them before you have to submit your applications. Also, taking these tests early will give you an idea of where you stand and what level of schools you should consider your targets, safeties and reaches. Students who end up taking their tests in the Fall of senior year face the added stress of having to worry about getting the new scores added to their applications and making sure they arrive in time to be considered.

ESSAYS

The Common Application recently announced that their essay prompts for the 2020-21 application year will remain unchanged from the past year. This means you have plenty of time to brainstorm and write your best essay. Schools which require other essays may not announce them until later in the summer, but you can get this one out of the way early and often times it can be re-used for schools which do not use the Common Application. Take the time to write several drafts and review for grammar and content improvements.

CAREER EXPLORATION

A very important part of college planning is figuring out what you want to study. While you may change your mind several times throughout the next few years, you can do some exploration now to get on the right path. Organize job shadows, internships and/or summer exploration programs to help you dig a little deeper into potential careers and college majors. Do not be afraid to ask family and connections for help with organizing these opportunities. Even if it is only for a few hours or days, that may be all that’s needed to help you eliminate or solidify your interest in something.

2020 Resolutions for High School Students

Many 15 and 16 year olds are not thinking about their college plans for 2 -3 years down the road, and it seems a bit unfair that they should have to. However, that is what the process has become and it is in their best interest to start early. Here are three 2020 resolutions for high school students considering college.

Sophomores – Spend time researching college and career options

By now, many students have had a broad discussion of college plans with their parents and/or high school counselor. What they probably haven't done is actually sit down and do some self-reflection and research. What are their potential career and college major interests? What type of college do they envision for themselves? What are the requirements for admission to those colleges? While they may not have the answer to these questions right now, it will only help to begin thinking about them. They should make it a goal to spend time doing research now while they still have time to adjust their high school path, visit schools, prep for tests, and set up job shadowing and classes to help them with their admission and final decision. That small amount of time they spend over the next year has the potential to make a BIG difference.

Juniors – Establish college application timeline and goals NOW

High school juniors should establish a rough timeline for college applications. Although they may not have their 'list' narrowed down to the final few schools, it is not too early to establish personal deadlines for preparing application materials. The key is to set those deadlines early - take the potential college deadlines and move them back by 6-8 weeks. There could be future changes in admissions deadlines, a lot of unexpected delays, added requirements and other bumps along the college application road, and it is better to be done early than to risk an incomplete application. Students often forget to take into consideration the fact that there are pieces to the applications which are not in their hands. Recommendation letters, high school transcripts, and test scores are just a few examples of requirements which may not be sent directly by the student. Students need to give their counselors and recommenders plenty of time to complete their pieces.

Seniors – Maintain or improve GPA

By now many students at this stage in their high school careers have completed their applications, some even have decisions. A resolution for seniors at this time should be to maintain or improve their GPA. There are plenty of other students willing to take their spot at their potential future college and there is little room for slacking and decline in grades. Colleges do pay attention to this and have the power to revoke offers of admission if they feel the student is not meeting academic standards.

Budgeting in College

While keeping track of finances may not be of concern to some students, it is a valuable skill to learn for all. Students should take the time to sit with their family and discuss budgeting before arriving on campus for freshman year. Many unexpected expenses could arise and it is important for students and their families to establish a plan for how decisions about these expenses will be made and how they may be paid for.

After the first major decision of how the direct expenses (expenses paid directly to the school) of tuition and fees and room and board will be paid for, families have to take into consideration the indirect expenses which will most likely be incurred. These usually include transportation, books and supplies, and personal expenses such as health insurance. Creating a list of these expenses and calculating what is expected to be needed monthly will help families understand what funds are necessary before the bills come in. A plan should be in place for paying for these expenses before the student sets off for college.

In addition to the expected expenses, it is a good idea to budget for the unexpected such as additional trips or activities the student may want to do and other discretionary spending for the student. Where will these funds come from? Make a plan!

Many students already have their own checking account from saving and working while in high school, but if they do not, it is time to set one up together. Many banks offer a free checking account, but it is worth considering banks local to the college first in case an issue arises. Parents can easily send money to the account as needed and get access to the account summary (if student agrees of course).

There are some very helpful programs to assist with keeping track of budget and spending and it is great practice for life in the 'real world'. Mint is a free program which allows you to set a budget for different categories, keep track of all expenses and bills, and make sure you make your payments on time. At any time you can log in to see where you stand for the month and get a good look at how well you are staying on budget. They also have a mobile app which is perfect for today's students who never go anywhere without their phone.

Should students get a credit card? College is a great time for students to get their first credit card not only to have in case of emergency, but also to begin building their own credit history. They can also begin to acquire points for spending. As long as the student understands what the card should be used for, payments are made on time and you choose one with no fees, it is a great thing to have. Take a look at NerdWallet's May list of Best College Student Credit Cards to get an idea of the associated details to consider.

Keep in mind as you are budgeting for future years that you need to fill out the FAFSA each year to continue to receive financial aid and you can continuously apply for outside scholarships throughout the student's college years. If you have any major changes in your financial situation which would increase your need, be sure to communicate that with the financial aid office as soon as possible.

Make a plan, talk about it, and continue to communicate the importance of budgeting and discussing expenses after the student is on campus. It is a lifelong skill we all need and an important part of your student's journey to adulthood.

Featured in Ask Grand Carol's latest blog post

Learn more about how I can help your family in Ask Grandcarol's latest blog post. We had a wonderful discussion about my work with students and the benefits of hiring a college consultant.

 #collegecounseling #collegeconsultant #swfl

College Planning Timeline for Juniors

Spring break is here and many high school juniors are FINALLY coming to the realization that it is time to focus on the college search. Here are my tips and timeline for juniors at any stage in the process. Start now!

1. Spend time researching college and career options

While many juniors have (hopefully) already done this, there are probably equally as many who have not. Most students have had a broad discussion of college plans with their parents and/or high school counselor. What they probably haven't done enough of is actually sit down and do some self reflecting and research. What are their potential career and course of study interests? What type of college do they envision for themselves? What are the requirements for admission to those colleges? They should make it a goal to spend time doing research now while they still have time to visit colleges when the semester is in full swing, prep for standardized tests, and plan summer activities to help them with their admission and final decision.

2. Establish college application timeline and goals NOW

Juniors should draft their timeline for college applications now. Although they may not have their 'list' narrowed down to the final few schools, it is not too early to establish personal deadlines for getting their applications done. The key is to set those deadlines early - take the potential college deadlines and move them back by 6-8 weeks! There can be a lot of unexpected delays, added requirements and other bumps along the college application road, and it is better to be done early than to risk an incomplete application. Students who do not stay organized or prepare early often forget to take into consideration the fact that there are pieces of the applications which are not in their hands. Recommendation letters, high school transcripts, and test scores are just a few examples of requirements which may not be sent directly by the student. Students need to give their counselors and recommenders plenty of time to complete their pieces.

3. Plan Productive Summer Activities

The value of a job shadow, volunteering, or internship for all high school students is often underestimated. There are many other benefits aside from building one’s resume. Students who are unsure of their college major or future career interests should research local companies and organizations where they can shadow or volunteer in the summer. Even a few hours or a week would be helpful for the student to get an idea of what actually goes on in a particular job beyond the standard descriptions read online. While most companies may not want to pay a high school student or don’t openly advertise unpaid internships or job shadows, students should not shy away from seeking them out. Many professionals are open to helping. Students should seek out opportunities for self-exploration and learning more about potential careers and majors before they apply for college and summer is the perfect time for this.

ACM College Consulting, LLC

For more tips check out these other great resources:

The College Essay Guy: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/junior-february-whats-next

The College Board: https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/CollegePlanning/media/pdf/BigFuture-College-Planning-Calendar-Juniors.pdf