•  What You Should Be Doing Now as a Junior
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    Fall Semester
    ·         Continue to challenge yourself with AP and Honors classes. Colleges like to see students taking college level course work to help them prepare for their transition to college.
     

    ·         Research majors and look for "best fit" colleges.

    o   Best fit means a college that fits your needs academically, culturally, and resourcefully.

    o   You want to look for colleges that have your intended major, a backup major if you decide to switch, has free tutoring resources, a writing center, free transportation services if needed, has opportunities to allow you to grow/challenge yourself professionally, and exposes you to people who are different from you.
     

    ·         Make a list of 4 match schools, 4 safety schools, and 2 reach schools you are interested in. Your senior year you will narrow your list down to at least 4 match schools, 4 safety schools, and 2 reach schools that you will be applying to. (Feel free to list between 5-10 schools you will be applying to for admission your senior year.)

    o   Match schools are colleges you have the GPA, Rank, and SAT/ACT scores to get into automatically.

    o   Safety schools are colleges you are guaranteed admission and can be local community colleges.

    o   A reach school can be a dream school or a school you don’t exactly get into based on their requirements but you have a chance at being accepted.
     
    ·         Get involved and keep records of involvement for your resume.
     
    ·         Protect/maintain your GPA. Colleges will admit students based on their GPA junior year. Remember that it is easier to maintain your GPA than to improve it especially after 2-3 years of building your GPA.
     

    Spring Semester

    ·         Register to take the SAT and ACT. Save all login information in a safe place for future reference.
     
    ·         Start looking for scholarships if you haven't already. Know deadlines/requirements.
     
    ·         Continue working on your resume in a Microsoft Word document for easy editing.
     

    Summer

    ·         Write the first draft for your college essays.
     
    ·         Apply Texas applications open August 1st.
     
    ·         APPLY EARLY!!! -It will relieve some of the stress you will experience your senior year with testing, graduation, prom, events, extracurricular activities, etc.