06 May Road Map for May: Juniors

Good luck to all of you in the thick of AP exams, as well as those of you taking the SAT this weekend!  I know it’s a busy time, so hang in there.

As you head into the tail end of the year, focus on a strong finish. This time of year gives you extra opportunities to do that with both the last grading period and final exams, so make the most of it. I also like to see juniors getting their letters of recommendation lined up. If you haven’t decided which teachers to ask, think about that and approach them. Most students are in good shape if they get letters from two teachers in core academic subjects.  And if you need to, you can use these next few weeks to step up your performance and participation in these classes. Give your teachers great things to say about you!

Your counselor will also be writing a letter for you and may request a brag sheet (a list of your activities, interests and accomplishments.) Even if you haven’t been asked for this, it’s a good thing to prepare so you can take stock of your qualifications and think about what you might want to highlight in your applications. If you haven’t started a Common App account this is also a good time to do that. Fill in the basic information (Profile, Family, etc.) and get started on your activities list.  (I’m offering a series of workshops starting in June.) I don’t recommend starting essays until after the school year’s over because I don’t want you to be distracted from finishing with the best grades you can get. Instead, plan on doing lots of essay work over the summer, so you can lighten your load when school starts in the fall.