You’re at the halfway point of your high school experience—congrats! Before you dive into summer fun, take some time to reflect on the goals you set this year. What went well? What would you do differently? Use those insights to set a few goals for the months ahead.

If you’re traveling this summer, consider visiting colleges near your destination, especially if you've got a trip planned for mid- to late-August when colleges may be back in session and you can see a typical day on campus. Visiting a variety of campuses—big and small, urban and rural—will help you get a feel for what might be the right fit. Then you can make your junior year visits more focused and productive.

This is also the perfect time to plan for standardized testing. In fact, it's one of the best ways to make your junior year less stressful. Most juniors will take their first SAT or ACT between February and April next year, but planning now can give you more options and perhaps use some open time this summer to get ahead. To get started, take a diagnostic of each test, choose the one that suits you best, and consider starting prep this summer. If you need help developing your plan, or guidance on other college-related topics, I’d love to hear from you.