10 Pro Tips toensureastress-freestarttoyourstudent’sjunioryear
As you dive into this exciting and potentially intimidating season, let’s make sure you and your student are set for a fantastic junior year! Working with your student’s teachers and college counselor will help keep everything on track Here are 10 key things to keep in mind as you start the year:
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Academic Planning & Junior Year Coursework: Review your student’s course schedule to ensure they're on track for graduation and meeting college requirements Transcripts are heavily weighted in the college admissions process, so focus on excelling in challenging courses that align with future college and career goals
Standardized Testing: Your student will likely take the PSAT/NMSQT or ACT in October and receive scores in November Use these scores to guide your test prep strategy for the ACT and/or SAT, especially if submitting scores on college applications Keep track of test dates, registration deadlines, and prep accordingly Here are the 2024/25 test dates:
Test Date Registration Deadline 10/5/2024 9/20/2024 11/2/2024 10/18/2024
12/7/2024 11/22/2024
Test Date Registration Deadline 10/26/2024 9/20/2024 12/14/2024 11/8/2024 ACT 2/8/2025 1/3/2025
3/8/2025 2/21/2025 5/3/2025 4/18/2025 6/7/2025 5/22/2025 Register here
4/5/2025 2/28/2025 6/14/2025 5/9/2025 7/12/2025 6/6/2025
Career Exploration: Help them explore potential career interests through internships, job shadowing, or discussions with professionals in fields they are interested in. Roadtrip Nation is an excellent free resource to get started!
College Research: Begin exploring potential colleges and universities. This includes understanding different types of schools, programs of interest, and campus environments. Work hand-in-hand with your college counselor to build a college list that suits your wants and needs
Financial Planning: Start discussing college costs and financial aid options Work with your college counselor to learn about scholarships, grants, and savings plans available
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Extracurricular Activities: Support them in pursuing extracurricular activities that align with their interests and college goals Leadership roles and consistent involvement can strengthen their college applications
Time Management Skills: Effective time management is essential for balancing the increased demands of junior year, including coursework, test prep, and extracurricular activities Developing these skills helps students stay organized, reduce stress, and achieve academic and personal goals efficiently
Create Strong Study Habits: Start by creating a consistent study schedule, setting specific goals, and breaking tasks into manageable chunks. Use active learning techniques like summarizing information and self-quizzing, and create a distraction-free study environment.
College Application Timeline: Work with your college counselor to familiarize yourself with the college application timeline, including deadlines for applications, standardized tests, and recommendation letters
Stress and Well-being: Junior year can be stressful. Support your student by encouraging healthy habits, managing stress, and providing emotional support throughout this busy time.