Spring Semester Preparation for High School Juniors

We’re about halfway through the fall semester, which means now is the time for high school juniors to start taking exams, strategizing extracurricular activities, and narrowing down schools to apply to. This is exciting stuff! It’s the point in your life when the future is laid out before you like a buffet, and you have the enviable privilege of deciding which direction to take. We realize, however, that the endless possibilities can energize some students while overwhelming others. 

So, we’re here to help guide you on your way to preparing for higher education. Here are a few key tips that’ll help land you a spot at that university you’ve had your eye on for years.

Test Preparation is Key

Standardized test scores are among the most critical factors colleges and universities judge when reviewing applications, although many institutions have become test-optional. These exams are universally accepted as measurements of college readiness because they challenge students’ critical thinking and analytical skills, as well as time management. Needless to say, millions of students around the world strive for the highest scores possible each year.

For this reason, test preparation courses abound and range in price from free to the thousands. In an ideal world, all students would start prepping for standardized tests during their sophomore year. However, there’s no reason high school juniors can’t reach the pinnacle of scoring success by starting now. 

A good starting point for upcoming exams is to assume you’ll take the SAT or ACT–depending on which test suits you best–multiple times. Do yourself a favor and give yourself multiple chances at success. Once you’ve mentally prepared for at least one exam do-over, start to take inventory of your needs. Do you have a reliable, hardworking study group? Are you going to need tutors, and can your family afford them? If not, have you researched the resources you can leverage to ease financial concerns? Also, how long does it typically take you, on average, to make it through the entirety of your practice tests? 

These are all questions you’ll need to answer as you prepare to take your exams. Keep in mind that you only get one shot at AP exams, and prepare accordingly.

It’s no secret that junior year is test-intensive. For students who struggle with test anxiety, this can be a real Achilles heel, but it doesn’t have to be. By participating in appropriate test prep and, of course, remembering to prioritize your mental health, you can pull off those high scores you’ve been working toward your entire high school career.

Strategize Your Extracurricular Activities

Colleges and universities are looking for more than good grades and stellar test scores to inform their admissions decisions. Well-rounded students with a healthy variety of interests diversify student bodies by adding to the arts, culture, sports, student organizations, and research development already present on university campuses. 

As you prepare for your spring semester of junior year, it’s best to get strategic about your extracurriculars. What opportunities can you explore that would demonstrate college readiness, academic creativity, leadership, or intellectual curiosity? If you’re already involved in an organization at school, like the Student Government Association or school yearbook, maybe you can take it a step further and pursue a leadership role like SGA President or Senior Editor. You could try out for the varsity team, explore summer programs, or pursue volunteer and internship opportunities. You could even pursue entrepreneurship and innovation by working with the Leadership and Innovation Lab to start a nonprofit or develop a new product or service. 

Another option is participating in advanced academic research to enhance your college applications by showing colleges and universities how committed you are to your future major. We at Scholar Launch offer plenty of different research programs that allow you to pursue unique projects under the mentorship of esteemed Faculty Advisors. You can engage in university-level research methodology, receive guidance on publishing your work in academic journals, and potentially earn letters of recommendation from your FAs. 

This winter, we’re offering group programs like “Financial Crises: History and Future”, “The Business of Digital Media: How Do Enterprises Leverage Technology, Media and Innovations?” and “Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessments: Safeguarding Digital Assets”. However, our spring programs are just around the corner, and our customized, one-on-one programs are designed to align with your schedule.

The point is you will never run out of options for extracurricular activities in which to participate. As you prepare for spring, consider which opportunities are the most fulfilling, add the most value to your resume, and get you closer to where you want to be. 

Narrow Down Your Collegiate Wishlist

There are universities all over the world that maintain reputations for excellence, but you can’t apply to them all. Application fees can quickly add up, and submitting multiple applications is incredibly time-consuming. So, you must be strategic about which schools you’re applying to and why. 

You can narrow down your options by attending college fairs and other informational sessions to gather general information about the schools you’re interested in. Be sure to ask plenty of questions about your anticipated major to gauge how specialized the university is in your chosen field. An aspiring journalist wouldn’t want to spend valuable time and resources applying to MIT.

After you’ve gathered enough pamphlets and brochures from college representatives and gotten an initial feel for the schools on your wishlist, you should be able to eliminate the ones that don’t check enough boxes. From here, you can start planning the campus visits you’ll embark on in the spring for the schools that remain. Many colleges invite high school students and their families to tour the dorms, meet with professors and current students, and get better acquainted with college life. This hands-on approach to narrowing down your wishlist will help you explore each campus’s culture and envision which school you can see yourself attending.

After you’ve spent the spring semester taking exams, participating in extracurricular activities, and touring campuses, you should be ready to start applying to the colleges at the top of your list. During the summer before your senior year and that subsequent fall and winter, be sure to get organized and prioritize applications based on deadlines. Include only your highest test scores, most sterling letters of recommendation, and most recent and relevant extracurricular activities in your academic profile. 

The spring semester of your junior year is an important time in your academic life. That’s why it’s essential that you stay focused, make a plan, and stick to it. Your future in higher education depends on it.