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When should I get ready to apply for college?

I'm a junior right now.

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Chirayu’s Answer

As a junior in high school, it's a great time to start preparing for the college application process. Here are some steps you can take to get ready - Start looking into different colleges and universities that interest you. Consider factors like location, size, majors offered, and campus culture. Many colleges require either the SAT or ACT, so it's a good idea to take one or both of these tests in your junior year. Your junior year grades will be an important factor in college admissions decisions, so make sure you're doing your best in all of your classes. Colleges like to see well-rounded students who are involved in extracurricular activities. Consider joining clubs, sports teams, or volunteering in your community. Your guidance counselor can provide valuable information and advice on the college application process, so schedule a meeting to discuss your plans. Visiting college campuses can help you get a feel for the campus and see if it's a good fit for you. Plan visits to some of the schools you're interested in. Overall, starting to prepare for the college application process in your junior year can help ensure that you're ready to submit strong applications when the time comes.
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Gregory’s Answer

Hi Vincent.

There is no time that is too early for this process. I would make sure you are in order with your SAT's and if you haven't taken them yet, start a diligent review process to prepare yourself. I would make sure you have periodic meetings with your Guidance Counselors so you are all on the same page on your goals for your college career.

I would also start taking visits to schools that interest you. Academics aside, you want to be comfortable in the setting that you put yourself in. If you are not comfortable with the school itself, it will be very difficult to succeed.

Thank you
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Ritika’s Answer

Hey Vincent! Your junior year is a great time to study for your SAT/ACTs. It would be beneficial if you took them towards the end of your Junior year. After that it would be a good idea to look into majors and career paths you find most interesting and look into colleges that align with your interests. That way once your senior year comes around you are ready to apply. Having a list of colleges and majors for every college would be a good thing to have done in your Junior year. Good luck!
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Nhi’s Answer

Hi Vincent. Since you are a junior, you should start looking into the schools that you are interested in and plan to visit the schools this summer. You will need to gather all the extracurricular activities and transcript for college application.
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Terri’s Answer

Hi Vincent - I agree with what folks are saying above. Be prepared to take all your exams (SATs. ACT's) etc. by the middle to end of your Junior year. Do not be afraid to take the exam a second time if you feel you could do much better. During the Spring of your junior year start visiting schools you are interested in. Visiting a school is key as you get a feel for the school, the area around the school, public transportation etc. Do not be afraid to visit schools in cities and suburbs as they all present different vibes. I would also recommend to try and find out if previous students from your high school go to schools you are interested in as they are a great source of information. The actual application process should occur in the fall of our Senior year. I wish you all the very best in this existing time in your life.
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Sandy’s Answer

The sooner the better. Personally I didn't start my search/prep work until my senior year. Now that I'm a parent, I started talking to my kids about college when they were old enough to comprehend the concept of continued education. I took my kids to visit my college campus when they were (14 and 7). Understanding that not all kids chose to attend college, my son (7 at the time)...was able to grasp the concept and through the years has found great value in Higher Education. He is a Sophmore in HS now, and we are in the midst of his college exploration. He'll be attending an Engineering camp this Summer at Georgia Tech....and I"ll continue to support him in visiting colleges on his own (if he choses to). His initial thought was to attend a Junior College but as he's continued to explore his options, he's feeling confident in doing what I did...go straight to University. But we still have another 1.5 years before he makes a commitment. Bottom line is to remember that College/University/Higher Education is not a one size fits all...it's ok if your path doesn't follow everyone else's, follow your gut feeling about your future and chase something you're genuinely passionate about.
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J’s Answer

Yes, I would agree with doing some research on your schools of interest now as indicated in previous posts. Also, see if your schools of interest have "open house" . Open House is different from New Student Orientation. Think of a college's Open House as a mini college day. Typically, you have a chance to see the majors offered, speak with faculty and staff, meet a few student leaders. You may want to consider attending Open House during the spring of your junior year or fall of your senior year. Open House will help you determine if you want to apply to the school. If you cannot make an in-person open house, see if the school has an online Open-House. Also, you may be able to arrange to speak with an admissions representative via Zoom/Google Meet, etc. if the school's Open House schedule does not fit your time.

You can call the admissions office to see if they are holding an Open House. Also, I have known students to arrange meetings during the summer months. Let us say you and your family are visiting family members and there is a college/university in the area. It does not hurt to call the admissions office and see if you can arrange a campus tour.

I hope this helps
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Sharon’s Answer

Junior year is critical for college. It is the full year that will appear in your application, so make sure you do as well as possible. Do the best you can in classes, and make sure you participate in extracurricular activities!
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Ryan’s Answer

Everything college related usually has to be done much further in advance than you would imagine. Between getting parking permits, registering for classes, and applying for colleges, everything takes awhile. Start applying now honestly so you have a lot of options when the time comes around to choose. Because closer to the start of your first semester, you will have a lot of things to take care of such as financing if needed, class registration, etc. Stay ahead. Good luck!
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Jolese’s Answer

Hi Vincent,
Now is a great time to start focusing on studying for college entry exams and also applying for scholarships. There are countless opportunities for funding on government websites. You can search Google for funding like grants as well. Good luck on your quest and I wish you all the best!
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Thomas’s Answer

You should start thinking about colleges that you want to apply for in the summer before your senior year. You should start applying for colleges in the early fall of your senior year. By late winter or early spring you should accept which college (that has accepted your application) you'll be attending.
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Lauren’s Answer

I started preparing my junior year! I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do at that time but I started researching things I may be interested in. After taking some online skills tests, pharmacy just seemed to suit me. So I started looking for schools that had a pharmacy program. This was very specific to me but if you have a few schools in mind, I would start researching what you need to apply.
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Amile’s Answer

During my son's junior year, we focused on lots of college visits (both remotely and in person). Schedule as many visits as you practically can. Work with your high school counselor... there are many options. For the more competitive schools, it would be wise sooner than later. I would recommend getting all of your applications in over your summer vacation between Junior and Senior years.
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david’s Answer

The answer is NOW. Visit every school you're considering, as many offer spring tours to students. Time will never be your friend, so issues such as costs, grants, applications, and areas of general interest should all be on your agenda. Schedule a talk with school guidance counselor. Talk with your family as well for their support and direction. Once you are doing some activities toward the goal, you will feel less stress. This is doable and your timing is right where it needs to be. Good luck.
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Luke’s Answer

Now is a good time to start doing light research. Most universities' application submission deadlines are in the fall or spring of your senior year, so it wouldn't hurt to have a handful of colleges in mind come Fall 2023 when you start applying.
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J’s Answer

Yes, I would agree with doing some research on your schools of interest now as indicated in previous posts. Also, see if your schools of interest have Open House . Open House is different from New Student Orientation. Think of a college's Open House as a mini college day. Typically, you have a chance to see the majors offered, speak with faculty and staff, meet a few student leaders. You may want to consider attending Open House during the spring of your junior year or fall of your senior year, the earlier the better. Open House will help you determine if you want to apply to the school. If you cannot make an in-person open house, see if the school has an online Open-House. Also, you may be able to arrange to speak with an admissions representative via Zoom/Google Meet, etc. if the school's Open House schedule does not fit your time.

You can call the admissions office to see if they are holding an Open House. Also, I have known students to arrange meetings during the summer months. Let us say you and your family are visiting family members and there is a college/university in the area. It does not hurt to call the admissions office and see if you can arrange a campus tour.

Do not forget about taking your SAT/ACT as mentioned in other posts

I hope this helps
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