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

How to Choose Your High School Courses

When deciding between the courses offered by your high school, you will likely have many questions about what is best. Making better decisions earlier along the high school pathway can lead to a more balanced, stronger transcript for applying to college. Here are 4 guidelines to keep in mind when choosing high school courses. While there may not always be a clear path, particularly during the earlier years, following these guidelines will certainly help.

Challenge Yourself- You should take courses in which you know you will be both challenged and successful. Curriculum choice should never be based solely on getting the highest GPA. By choosing higher level courses, you are effectively preparing yourself for the rigor of college and demonstrating that you are ready. Application readers take into consideration what level of classes were available to students and will certainly take notice if it seems that a student was being 'lazy' and/or not challenging themselves.

Balance Your Schedule – You should balance your curriculum strength from year to year and refrain from taking all advanced courses one year and none the next. Students who overload on challenging classes risk overextending themselves and thus not getting the grades they would have otherwise been able to obtain. It is also important for you to remember that senior year counts although courses will not be completed before application time. Colleges want to see that you are consistently challenging yourself and almost all colleges will look at mid year and final grades for seniors.

Meet College Requirements - While you most likely have not made your college choices before senior year, there are basic core requirements which almost every school has for freshman applicants. You should keep these in mind early on so that you are able to fulfill the requirements by graduation.

Follow your Interests – If you are particularly interested in a certain subject, college major or career, you should take some stronger courses in subjects related to those. Not only does this allow you to pursue your own interests or passions, it also strengthens your case for admission to certain college majors and/or programs. For example, if a student wants to go into engineering, they should focus on taking stronger science and math courses. It is important to keep in mind that you should not neglect to take your core subjects in pursuit of those electives which interest you more, but you can certainly replace the less important classes with them.

Whether it is an IB program, AP courses, AICE, Dual Enrollment or something else offered by your high school, you should thoroughly consider your options and choose a path which will allow you to be both successful and challenged. Remember that if your high school does not offer courses which challenge you enough or interest you, there are always other options to consider such as local community college courses, online courses or self studying for AP exams. If you have additional questions, do not hesitate to schedule a time to sit down with your high school guidance counselor to go over your options or give a college admissions office a call.

Some examples of college admissions requirements and tips for course selection:

University of Florida - Plan

Advice from Yale - Selecting High School Courses

Campus Visits Done Right

What may seem to be a long drive for a boring tour given by an overly peppy guide who speaks faster than ever imagined possible is actually more valuable than most families think if done right. Giving the students a clearer picture of what they want and don't want from their future college, allowing them a chance to demonstrate interest to their top choices, getting their questions answered and showing them what they are working for and where they may be in a short time are all reasons not to forgo the campus visits. Here are 5 tips for getting the out of your next campus visit.

• Research first - walk onto campus with some knowledge of the school and programs you are interested in. It is unlikely you will know exactly what you want to major in, but you probably have some ideas. These visits are your chance to sort through them. You should have your questions which were not answered online ready to go so that you can ask the admissions counselors or program directors on site.

• Tailor your tour – make arrangements ahead of time with the admissions office to meet the people you want to meet and see what you want to see. If you think you are interested in English, try to schedule a meeting with an advisor for that department and look at those classrooms and curricula. Interested in science? Take a good look at the labs, look at what students are doing in their classes, speak with some professors. Although many schools will not be able to or want to accommodate such individual requests, you can take the initiative to do most of these things on your own while on campus and if it is a school you are truly interested in, do not take no for an answer. Some schools also have open houses or visits geared specifically towards certain majors or departments. Pay attention to their schedules and attend one which most matches your interests. In addition to the academic facilities, you may be interested in athletics, arts, or another side of campus. Explore those as well. Scheduling your tour around an athletic competition, concert, or other student event is a fun and easy way to explore beyond the tour.

• Get a feel for student life – general student characteristics and social life can vary significantly by campus. Visiting campus while school is in session is crucial. Take the time to eat in a campus dining hall, visit the library, tour the student activity center, and pick up a campus paper and other information on student activities to get a feel for campus life. If you can not attend a tour while students are on campus before applying, be sure to revisit later.

• Explore the area– campus location can play a big part in your decision and it is better to find out what you think of the town/city now. Safety, transportation and entertainment options are among the things to take into consideration off-campus.

• Take notes – after a few tours, the campuses and information may seem to blur together. During or after your visit, do not forget to write down your thoughts. You can even take pictures to jog your memory later.

Big or small, urban or rural, religious or not – a student may have no idea what they prefer until they experience it in person. Campus visits are invaluable for showing a student what qualities they want in their future school. Even visiting a school a student knows they have no interest in can prove helpful as it shows them a different side of things and gives them a clearer picture of what they do not want. You wouldn't buy a car without driving it or a house without seeing it, so why would you pay for an education at a school which could potentially cost more than either of those without visiting beforehand? Do the campus visits, and do them right!

New Years Resolutions for High School Students Considering College

Most 15 and 16 year olds are thinking about their next game, their latest high school crush, or getting their driver’s license, not about their college plans for 2 -3 years down the road. It seems a bit unfair that they should have to think about such important things at a young age, but that is what the process has become and it is in their best interest to start early. Here are four resolutions for high school students considering college.

SOPHOMORES – Spend time researching college and career options

By now, many students have already taken some version of the SAT or ACT and 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 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 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

Students in their next to last year of high school should establish 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 stay organized and work ahead 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 documents.

SENIORS – Continue to put forth best effort in school and remember college decisions are NOT everything

By now many students at this stage in their high school careers have completed their applications, especially those for out-of-state colleges. Most of those even have their offers of admission already. The first of two resolutions for students at this time are to continue to put forth their best effort in school. 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 indeed have the power to revoke their admission offer if they feel the student is not meeting their academic standards.

The second resolution and unarguably the most important, is for students to remember that admissions decisions are not everything. Unfortunately colleges are unable to truly get to know each student before making an acceptance decision. Although a student may not have gotten into their dream school, their future is still very bright and they have plenty of opportunity to shape it the way they want it to be. Every college has something great to offer, students just have to take advantage of it. I do believe some colleges are better fits than others and strive to help students find the best matches, but ‘the perfect college’ does not exist. College is only the beginning of the journey. It can be a spectacular part of it, but it is not everything and it is certainly not the end.