07 Sep Road Map for September: Juniors

I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer break and are refreshed and ready for the year ahead. Junior year is definitely a busy time but if you plan well, you can keep your workload manageable and reduce your stress level. Your first priority is to have the best year possible in your academic work. You may be taking more challenging classes than you have in the past, so think about what you’ll need to be successful, such as scheduling specific times to do homework or meeting with your teachers regularly.

Another priority for the fall is figuring out what you want your college experience to be like and exploring colleges that might offer what you’re looking for. If you’re thinking of traveling to campuses out of town, identify dates throughout the year when you can do that. The best times to go are when you don’t have school but the colleges have a normal day, so look for professional development days and other dates that you wouldn’t have to miss class. Then check out these tips for college visits. Of course you may not be able to travel to every school you might be considering, so make use of the virtual tours and information sessions that colleges offer as well as any visits with college representatives at your high school that you might be able to participate in.

As you do these visits and meetings, be sure to take notes on your impressions of the schools and what you do or don’t find appealing about them. This will help you figure out throughout the year which schools should actually end up on your list.