Junior Jumpstart: Preparing for Your Future College and Standardized Tests

The shoreline is glimmering brightly in the distance, you may even glimpse the warm glow of college dorms radiating towards you…but focus captain, you’ve got to keep your college-bound ship steaming proudly ahead. The waters between you and your destination may appear dark and treacherous, and a standardized test-shaped sea monster may rear its ugly head but fear not, we are here to help you navigate the roiling seas of junior year. 

Here are a few tips on how to best prepare yourself in your junior year for college applications:

1. Teacher recommendations

Start thinking about which teachers you want to ask for these. And then compliment them on their outfit every day! No, please do not do this, and don’t overthink it, but just keep it in mind when you’re in their classes and when you’re doing work for them. 

You don’t need to reassure them that you’re a future Nobel Prize winner in every interaction with them but you do want them to maintain a positive impression of you as a smart, organized and hardworking student. The article “How to ask a teacher for a letter of recommendation” may be useful here. We strongly advise you to read it.

2. Take the SAT/ACT

Standardized testing, oh joy! Firstly you will want to decide which test you want to do; here is a brief comparison of the two, but you may also want to take a practice test in both and see which one you do better in without preparation. The good news is research shows that practicing either test improves your score so you can certainly climb up from your initial score. You will need to incorporate test practice into your regular weekly routine, making sure you’re spending several hours every week practicing tests and carefully going over any mistakes you made and learning from them. 

It is good to start preparation early on so that you have time to take the test again if you need to, which many students do. Remember that most colleges look at your superscored result so if you are preparing to take the test again, make sure to be strategic and work specifically on improving on your weakest areas. 

3. Explore Сolleges

It’s time to start considering which specific colleges you want to apply to. If you are considering one of the Ivy League colleges, you will find the article “How to get into an Ivy League?” useful. This article will help you understand the requirements for admission to these colleges.

Junior year is also the perfect time to help your future essay-writing self and start planning your answers to the why questions many colleges will likely ask. The key to answering these well is to be specific, so you want to comb through college websites for details that align with your interests (e.g. classes you would love to take, extracurriculars that appeal to you). Attending college fairs or speaking to any students or recent alumni can also be a great way to find out more specific information and personal anecdotes that you can refer to in your essays.

4. Essays

Speaking of answering questions, you may also want to start reflecting on what you would like to write about in your personal essay, and which experiences you may want to draw on when answering other questions. Writing the right essays for you can take some trial and error so it’s good to have a list of several meaningful experiences, in addition to big themes/passions in your life, so that if an essay you try doesn’t quite work, you have another idea at your disposal and that you have probably thought a bit about. 

5. Keep developing your college resume

Keep taking challenging classes in the subjects you’re interested in, and doing your best in them. Keep going with any extracurriculars you are involved in, and if there are leadership positions available in any of these, junior year is a great time to go for these. You may even want to think about planning or taking charge of a particular event that aligns with your interests, to further demonstrate your leadership abilities and commitment to your activities.

Conclusions

As a junior, the choices you make today will set the stage for your future college and career path. By focusing on your academic strengths, staying ahead with standardized test prep, and exploring extracurriculars that align with your interests, you can ensure a solid foundation for your senior year. It's not just about getting good grades—it's about developing a well-rounded profile that reflects your passions, work ethic, and curiosity. So take the time now to plan ahead, stay motivated, and take advantage of every opportunity to grow academically and personally. Your future self will thank you!