Walt Whitman High School

Junior Year

It's never too early to plan for the future!!

• Build strong skills by taking CHALLENGING COURSES
• STUDY hard and get excellent grades
• READ - to strengthen your vocabulary
• Become involved in CLUBS or INTRAMURALS
• INPUT school activities, honors, awards, activities, volunteer work, etc. into the RESUME TAB ON NAVIANCE
• Meet with your Guidance Counselor to FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF with GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS and available COURSES
• Make SUMMER plans - VOLUNTEER, attend SUMMER PROGRAMS

August:

Junior year grades are very important because they are a measure of how well you do in advanced, upper level courses. Keep your grades up!!

Keep in mind that colleges look for the following:

• Strong GPA
• Involvement in CLUBS or INTRAMURALS (sports, volunteer work, etc.)
• Obtain a Social Security number. You will need it to apply for college and financial aid.

September:

• Identify the sources of college and career information at your school. (Meet with your guidance counselor, visit the College and Career Center, look through guidance publications, college catalogues and guidebooks).
• Check your program of courses and make sure they will lead you to where you want to go.
• Register for a PSAT and/or PSAT Review Class.
• Talk to your parents and guidance counselor about plans for after graduation
• Obtain dates and locations for college fairs and "parent nights" in your local area.

October:

• Take the PSAT, which is also the National Merit Scholarship Program. (Eligibility for these scholarships will be announced during fall of your senior year.)
• Inquire about Advanced Placement (AP) or summer college courses.
• Attend college fairs and financial aid/parent nights.

November:

• Start researching for scholarships, but keep in mind 95% of scholarship money comes from the college you will be attending.
• Start looking into eligibility requirements for federal and private student loans.

December:

• Your PSAT/NMSQT score report should arrive. Use their enclosed guide to interpret and understand your score.
• Start planning to take the SAT I, ACT and/or SAT II exams, if necessary. Check with colleges you are applying to and find out specific testing requirements.

January:

• Select a program for senior year that is as strong as possible.
• Listen for announcements of college representatives who are visiting.
• Examine report card. You still have one semester to improve grades.
• Begin to make a preliminary list of colleges you would like to investigate further.

March:

• Register and study for the SAT and ACT exams, if you haven't already done so.
• Meet with guidance counselor about post-high school plans.

April:

• Register and study for the SAT and ACT exams, if you haven't already done so.
• Take a SAT prep course to help prepare for the upcoming test.
• Visit schools during the vacation.
• Continue to evaluate and modify your list of colleges.
• Begin preparing essays and activity resumes for college admissions.
• Attend college night program at Walt Whitman and/or Huntington.

May:

• Take the SAT and/or ACT exams.
• From early to mid-May, AP exams are given in high schools nationally.
• Ask for letters of recommendation from two teachers.
• Attend a college fair.
• Plan a productive summer - apply for an internship, volunteer, consider summer courses, special academic or enrichment programs at local colleges, work and try to save money for college.

June:

• Take the SAT and/or ACT exams, if you did not take them last month.

July-August:

• Plan some college visits during the summer vacation - take a tour.
• If you are very interested in a particular school - set up and interview.
• Do something productive over the summer.
• Continue to refine your college list.
• Research college websites or send for college applications, catalogues, and financial information as much as possible.
• Continue to prepare for the college application process - draft essays, develop an activity sheet, athletic resumes, and assemble portfolios or audition tapes, if necessary.

College Resource Guide

What Can Parents Do:

• Continue to monitor academic progress.
• Assist your child with selecting courses for the following school year.
• Make sure that your child takes the PSAT. An exam will be ordered for every junior.
• Begin talking seriously about college options. Early in the process, determine what is important to you and your child.
• Make sure your child registers for the SAT and/or ACT in the spring.
• Consider starting to make college visits in the spring.
• Carefully review the course selection for senior year.
• Start checking into scholarships. (95% of scholarship money comes from the colleges).
• With your child, begin to identify teachers, administrators, and other adults who will write recommendations.
• Contact colleges for catalogues, view books, and brochures.
• Look into summer programs that many colleges offer to juniors.
• During the summer, assist your child with collecting applications, refining their college list, and preparing the different components of their application.