Junior Year
The junior year and the first part of the senior year are about positioning yourself for the broadest options in college choice and developing a sense of the best fit between college and student.
Continue to challenge yourself
Take as many honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses as possible while still maintaining a grade point average of 3.2 or higher.
Take the PSAT again
This is the year National Merit Scholars are chosen based on test results.
Military preparation
If you’re interested in the military, get involved in Junior ROTC and/or Civil Air Patrol, and take the ASVAB test. The military looks favorably upon these activities.
Continue to volunteer
And, where possible, develop leadership roles in various clubs and committees.
Seek guidance
Arrange an in-depth conference to discuss college plans with your guidance counselor.
Visit more colleges
Plan college visits during spring break and attend the National College Fair.
Aggressively seek scholarship information
Visit our free scholarship search engine for over 2.4 million individual awards.
Take the tests
Take the SAT and ACT in the spring of this year, and again in the fall of your senior year.
This is an excerpt from Get Cash for College: Real Advice for Real Results, our exclusive guide to helping high school students and their parents prepare for college academically and financially. Download the complete transcript—free.
High School Students
» Freshman Year
» Sophomore Year
» Junior Year
» Senior Year
» What You Need
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» First Step: Completing The FAFSA
» The Financial Aid Calendar
» The Financial Aid Process
» Know Your Options