August
Your junior year may be your busiest yet. Not only will your courses be harder (remember, you're challenging yourself), but your grades are more important than ever. Your junior year grades will be used by college admissions officers as a measure of how well you will do in college. Remember, even though an upward trend counts, grades are cumulative: If you hope to be admitted to a selective or highly selective college, you need to continue to crank out good grades in every class throughout this year and next. Also, since your junior year teachers are the ones you'll most likely ask to write your letter of recommendation, make sure your junior year teachers know you well—and have a good impression of your overall attitude and character.
To Do:
- Review your academic schedule: Make sure you're taking some challenging courses. Prepare for the PSAT.
- At the very least, do a practice test to alleviate anxiety.