Your College Advisor: Juniors must focus on three things

For high school juniors, it’s time to get serious about college and the college admissions process. Since this process includes decisions and deadlines, if you haven’t started to think about college—stop putting it off. Regardless of where you are in your college search, now is the time to sit down with your parents and high school counselor to discuss your college and career goals and develop a plan.

Because there’s so much to do, to help juniors and their families stay on course, let’s keep it simple by focusing on three things that are the absolute, must-do basics in the college admissions process:

1. Explore colleges and create a list of possible choices. If you haven’t started thinking about college, you’re late to the game. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be left out in the cold. You still have plenty of time to come up with a list of colleges suited to your needs. If you haven’t started your college search (or if you have), visit my favorite site: www.collegeboard.org. In addition to exploring colleges and creating a list of schools to apply to, you’ll find information about college costs and the SAT and AP tests.

Exploring colleges with the goal of narrowing down your list should be the top priority from the spring of your junior year into the fall of your senior year. You can do additional research by visiting college websites, taking a virtual tour, attending college fairs, and attending sessions when a college representative visits your high school.

Of course, the best way to find a college that’s the best match for you is to visit. Although visits while colleges are in session are best, touring a college during the summer is fine. Many families spend the summer between junior and senior year doing the "college tour road trip." If you do visit a college—have a plan. Don’t miss the opportunity to arrange an interview with an admissions representative.

2. Know which tests are required for college admission. I hope juniors took the PSAT in October and carefully absorbed the results. Whether you were disappointed or satisfied with your scores, I recommend taking the SAT twice in the spring of your junior year and once in the fall of your senior year. To find information about the SAT, as well as the dates, fees, and to register for the test, visit www.collegeboard.org.

Students should take the ACT (act.org.), too. In the past, colleges on the East and West coasts favored the SAT, while colleges in the Midwest favored the ACT. In fact, the SAT was often considered a superior test—but not anymore. And as more and more colleges began accept ing the ACT, in 2012, more students took the ACT than the SAT. What’s the difference between these college admissions tests? The ACT is more curriculum-based—based on knowledge, while the SAT is based on reasoning. The ACT includes a Science section, but the SAT does not. So, if a student excels in science, the ACT could be a better choice. The ACT does not take points away from your raw score for a wrong answer the SAT does. By taking both tests, and comparing the scores, students will know which test they feel more confident taking.

If you really suffer from test anxiety, hundreds of colleges and universities deemphasize or do not use the SAT or the ACT for admissions decisions, so you might not have to take either test. To see if any of schools you are considering are among the 850 on the list, visit fairtest.org.

3. Choose senior courses carefully. Since junior year carries the most weight in the college application process, students often think they can slack off and take easy courses during their senior year. Don’t. Colleges take particular note of senior-year course selections. In fact, the 2013 State of College Admission report compiled by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), revealed that grades and challenging courses were the most important factors when admitting students. Why put all that effort into achieving your goals and then jeopardize them by taking fluff courses senior year?

It always amazed me when a student who worked hard and whose goal was to go to a competitive college would opt for an easy course load during senior year. Students should take courses that not only interest them, but challenge them as well.

So, get moving and get organized. Remember, the college admissions process is like anything else in life: when you do your homework, you’ll get the results you aim for.

Counselors Tip: Some schools that require SAT subject tests besides the regular SAT for admissions will accept the ACT scores for both. Why? Because they are more curriculum based.

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