Now that you’re almost done with your required education, the time has come for you to kick up your feet, close your eyes and relax as the year rolls by without a hitch – that is if you do not mind taking all these classes again next year! Your junior year is anything but a breeze (unless there is a breeze through your hair as you hang your head out the window of the bus or car because you cannot stay awake after losing sleep from all your homework).
For some of you, getting good grades requires little effort, while others bend over backward to get an A. I have one piece of advice to say to all of you: try harder. Why? Your junior year is the most important year of high school. When applying to colleges, they focus on your most recent year and how you have improved.
You might be thinking, “What if I can’t afford to go to college?” Now more than ever, there are resources to help pay for college. Everyone reading this should at least strongly consider going. Because there are over 200 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania alone, you should start visiting some now, especially those who give free food, so you can visit at least 10 in order to give you plenty of options for your final decision.
Many colleges will let you apply for free when visiting campus, or even if you just subscribe to their emails, so apply to as many as you can. Even if you have no preference as to which you should attend, you can go to the one that gives you the best price for tuition.
Most colleges require SAT or ACT scores to get accepted, which means you should schedule those tests soon. Most people score better a second time around and take their tests in the spring of junior year and fall of senior year.
Aside from all the stressful decisions of when to test and where to go, you can still have a good time. Taking advantage of extracurricular activities can be a great way to not only impress colleges, but also to hang out with and make new friends. This is killing two birds with one stone! Expand your list of friends and acquaintances while having loads of fun.
Don’t kill yourself over school: have a social life. Some may struggle with the balance of getting good grades, having a social life and getting enough sleep, but equilibrium is possible. With the right balance, this very well may be the best year of your life. Have a happy junior year!