COLLEGE
BOUND
Dear Junior,
A Guide for Juniors
This will be a very importantand very
busyyear for you. This is the year you need
to seriously consider your college options,
take college tests, make college visits, and
narrow your list of college choices. You also
Table of Contents
What Colleges Look For
months to improve your academic record
Your Fall / Winter To Do List
and GPA.
Take College Tests
There may be a lot for you to do this year,
Explore College Options
10
the college process, and it will tell you what
Make College Visits
12
you need to do each step of the way.
Your Spring To Do List
14
Get Ready for Your Senior Year
15
want to work extra hard over the coming
but not to worry, this booklet will explain
Woodburn Press
Copyrighted Material
All Rights Reserved
What Colleges
LOOK FOR
Colleges use some, if not all, of the information
listed below when determining whether or not
to accept an applicant.
Grade point average (GPA)
Strength of courses
ACT / SAT scores
Class rank
Recommendations
Special talents / awards
Activities
Essays
Interviews
Demonstrated interest
When colleges look at your high school record, what will they see?
To have an impressive high school record,
here are four things you need to do.
1. Take college prep courses
Four-year colleges generally recommend that students take
the following college preparatory courses in high school:
4 years of English
3-4 years of math (including Algebra I, Geometry,
and Algebra II)
3-4 years of science
2-3 years of the same foreign language
3 years of social studies
1 year of fine or performing arts
2. Get good grades
When you apply to a college, they will
request a copy of your transcript (your
high school record). This transcript will
list your GPA, all of your high school
courses, and all of your grades.
While colleges are interested in seeing
all of a students grades, they generally consider
the grades earned in college prep courses to be the
most important criteria for college admissions.
3. Prepare for college tests
Most colleges require that applicants submit ACT or SAT
scores. Colleges use these test scores to assess a students
readiness for college level work. The more competitive the
school or program, the more important these scores are.
(Two-year colleges generally do not require ACT or SAT
scores for admission.) More about these tests on pages 8 and 9.
4. Be involved in activities
Colleges are looking for students who
are active and involved in their school
and community. They are also looking for students who have leadership
abilities, unique experiences, and an
interest in community service.
With regards to activities, colleges are
looking for quality, not quantity.
Competitive schools and programs consider the above to
be the minimum requirements. They also recommend that
students take advanced courses whenever possible.
Your Fall / Winter To Do List
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
Set up a calendar for the year
Use this calendar to record test dates, college fairs,
college visitation days, and events at your high school
(financial aid meetings, college representatives visiting
your school, etc.).
Create a college file
Use this file to keep brochures, notes on college visits,
copies of test scores, etc.
Make a Testing Plan
Learn about the PSAT, ACT, and SAT. Make a testing
plan, and put the registration deadlines and test dates
on your calendar.
If youre an athlete...
If you hope to play a sport in college, talk to your
counselor to make sure that youre taking all of the
courses you need. Also, register online with the
NCAA Eligibility Center. www.eligibilitycenter.org
Work hard to get the best grades possible
When you fill out college applications in the fall of
your senior year, a copy of your transcript will be
submitted along with your application. Because your
junior grades will be the last grades on your transcript,
its important that you do as well as possible
your junior year. Colleges like to see
improvement, so if your grades
havent been as good as they
should be, now is the time
to bring them up.
Develop your interests
Participate in activities in and out of school, take on
leadership roles when possible, and do some volunteer work. Community service, such as volunteering
for a local food bank or animal shelter is very worthwhile, and its impressive on any application.
Colleges are looking for students who have something
that makes them stand out. If you have an interest,
talent, or passion, take time this year to develop it.
Explore your options
Think about what youre looking for in a college
and learn about the schools you want to consider.
Talk to your parents and your counselor about your
college options.
Think about a major
As a college student, you must choose a major.
This is the subject you will study in depth. Think
about your abilities, talents, and interests in terms
of a possible major. For help in choosing a major,
go to www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org.
Make college visits
Visiting different colleges is the best way to find
out what kind of college will be the best fit for you.
Talk to your parents to determine which schools
you will visit.
Have a conversation about college costs
Talk to your parents about how your education
will be paid for. Will you need to get financial aid?
Will you apply for scholarships? To get an estimate
of the federal financial aid you may be eligible for,
use FAFSA4caster at www.FAFSA.gov.
