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.

Applying to US Colleges as an Expat

While expat students are not considered international, there are a few additional factors to take into consideration as you apply. Below are a few tips to help you submit successful applications as an expat.

High School Curriculum and Grades

If you attend a non-American school, you need to be sure that the college understands your grading scale and curriculum. If your transcripts are not in English, you will need an English translation from a reputable or official translator (requirements vary by school). It is recommended to include a key to the grading scale with your translation. Typically, admissions offices have staff which are familiar with the various international curricula, but even if they aren’t, most will review the student’s application holistically without full grade and course conversions.

Your high school counselor or another school official can also prepare a school profile which is a great resource to provide colleges with an overview of the school. It typically includes information about the curriculum, graduation requirements, exams, grading system, demographics and class sizes, and any other important information that would help give general context of the school. This profile can be shared with all colleges the student applies to and should be written in English.

Proof of English Proficiency

Even if a student has a US passport, if English is not their native language or the language of the school they have attended, they will need to provide proof of proficiency. These requirements vary by college, but typically one of the standard tests such as TOEFL, Duolingo, or IELTS will be necessary. Students should familiarize themselves with the format of the test and do a bit of practice even if they are proficient in English. Luckily, these tests can be taken online at home. Although it may seem unnecessary, some schools require an English proficienty test even from expats attending English speaking schools. It is best to plan on taking one of the tests well before you apply to avoid last minute surprises!

Testing

Although testing is currently optional for admission to many colleges, getting a good score can still help you and give colleges another way to evaluate you, especially if you are attending a high school with a curriculum less familiar to them. Many international high schools offer the PSAT and SAT and/or ACT. If you attend a school which does not offer the tests or dates which fit your schedule, you will need to look elsewhere. This will take planning ahead as the locations and test dates vary and you should register for your spot early. Search the College Board website for upcoming SAT dates and locations near you and the ACT website for ACT dates and locations. Note that the ACT is only offered digitally at international testing locations while it is still available in paper format in the US. The SAT has gone digital everywhere.

Timeline

It is important for students to begin their application process early. In contrast to many colleges abroad, US colleges have application deadlines as early as November of the student’s senior year. Students should take the time to familiarize themselves with the requirements for each of the schools they are interested in applying to well before then. Also, students who will need standardized testing should plan well in advance to give themselves time to register for the tests, prepare well and possibly retake them. Visiting colleges in the US from abroad may not be possible during the school year, so families should plan these in to their summer and longer breaks if possible. The college planning process should really begin by 10th grade at the latest so that students have time to explore their options and prepare well.  

Check out the other posts in our expat series for more tips regarding financial aid and application status for American expats applying to US colleges.

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.

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.

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