Advice to Rising Juniors From a Rising Senior

I finished my junior year less than a month ago, which means I am starting my senior year in August. And that means I have already started on my college applications, looking at scholarships, and already coming up with plans to save money for my last year of high school.

Senior year is a HUGE year and though I thought I was prepared for it all, I'm now realizing that the time has sneaked upon me so quickly that I feel like I'm running out of time to do anything.

However, this post isn't advice on senior year because I haven't even started the new school year yet. This post is advice on junior year, and if you're a rising junior and are lost on what to do, I will give you helpful advice that I wish I received before I began my junior year.

Study for the SAT/ACT

You have probably already heard this advice from other people but I wanted to remind you as well.

Personally, I've studied for the SAT and I received a score I didn't like. Money is tight so I'm unable to retake the SAT but I'm actually applying to test optional schools, which means I'm not going to submit my scores. I am thankful for the universities that give students the choice between submitting and not submitting their scores!

I say to not stress over the SAT or ACT too much. A test doesn't define you. I remember stressing over it so much and then in the end, I was really disappointed.

If the school you will be applying to the next year is test optional and you receive an SAT score that doesn't fit the school's requirement, you can choose not to submit your score. Colleges will look at OTHER factors of your application, like your grades, extracurriculars, etc.

Please don't stress. And if you want a good score, start studying.

Start Looking at Scholarships

I believe it's important to stay prepared in advance. If you have financial issues like me, it's a good idea to start look at scholarships now.

There are many opportunities online, so just keep applying to hundreds of scholarships and hopefully, you'll receive one in the end.

There are many scholarships, like the essay or non-essay options. They're all good options, but research carefully to ensure that they are real and not just a scam.

Research Colleges

I know it seems as if you have lots of time left, but I suggest research colleges you may want to apply to now.

Check if they're test optional, look at their websites and campuses, and their requirements such as SAT scores, GPA, etc.

Remember, all of you have a chance of getting into college. Don't think that you'll be rejected from every school. I believe in all of you. Always remember to have a positive mindset.

Try to Balance your Social Life and School Life

I know it's important to worry about your grades which makes you end up studying for hours on end that you forget to even have a life outside of school.

Remember to take a breather and stop working every once in a while. It's super important to take care of yourself, mentally and physically.

Maybe you can try new extracurricular activities outside of school! Find out what you are interested in and just do it! It's really important to find your passion, and if you are interested enough in what you are doing, colleges will love seeing that as well.

So, balance your social life and school life. It's important to receive good grades, but it's also important to focus on activities outside of school.

Attend College Fairs

Attend some college fairs! It would be great to visit the colleges that you may think about going to and get an idea of what that college may be like.

I had college fairs at my school and I attended some of those. It was nice having the representatives from that college talk to us and give us an idea of what their college may be like.

It really helps because then you'll have an idea if you truly want to go to that school or not. There are many options and you have the choice to apply to any school, so attend those college fairs to think about it in depth.

That's it!

These are some of the really important advice I wish I received before I began my junior year. It would have helped me out tremendously and I would've definitely had a head start on many things.

However, it's not too late to start any of these. You can honestly begin these at any time, but just make sure you do it before you summer before senior year.

I hope some of these advices help you out a bit. Remember to enjoy your junior year as much as you can!

I'm sure you have heard that junior year is tough, and in my opinion, it was! But don't let the discourage you!

There will be times where you lose motivation or are burnt out, but you'll manage to get back on your feet at some point! Don't stress yourself out!

Best of luck to you all! You got this!