Things to remember as you begin your junior year:

 (1)  Your junior year is very important for your high school academic transcript.  Work hard.  Your GPA counts!  Your class rank counts.  The difficulty of your class matters.

(2)  Stay involved or get involved.
      -Volunteer in an area of interest
      -Get a part-time job
       Employers such as Wegmans & Wal-mart offer
       scholarships to qualified employees
      -Join a club, sport, or extra-curricular activity
      -Develop leadership roles as a team captain, class
       class officer, club officer, or student council
       representative

(3)  Prepare for standardized tests. 
      -Note important dates for PSATs, SATs, PSSAs, AP
       exams and the ASVAB in your planner.
       ALL JUNIORS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE PSSAs.  
      -Visit the College Board's website for preparation
       information.
      -Ask an English or Math teacher to give you sample 
       questions for any of these exams.
      -Sign up for a preparation class.
      -Familiarize yourself with test formats before the exam.
      -Take a practice test.
      -Read.  Read.  Read. 

(4)   Start thinking about life after high school.  
       Do you want to:
       -Go to a 4-year college or university
       -Go to a 2-year community college
       -Go to a vocational school to pursue a trade
       -Attend a military academy (See your counselor early in
        your junior year if you are interested.  Acceptance is
        VERY competitive and will require early involvement 
        and close attention to deadlines
       -Enter the military
       -Seek employment after graduation

(5)  Get to know your school counselor.  Schedule an appointment.  Ask questions frequently. 

(6)  Create a list of potential scholarships and familiarize yourself with application requirements.
     -There are thousands to choose from...anything that 
       makes you unique or different may allow you to apply
       for a scholarship.  (Example:  Your parent or guardian 
       served in the military; you have a certain illness 
       asthma, juvenile diabetes, etc.)
     -References.  Start thinking about individuals you 
      can use as references for your application.  
      (Examples:  Your boss, a teacher, a supervisor at a 
       facility where you volunteer, a neighbor, etc.)
     -Essays.  Ask an English teacher to review application 
      essays if they are required (give them adequate time for
      review, ask kindly, and always thank them for their 
      help)  
     -Deadlines.  Make sure you gather materials well before
      they are due.  There are usually no extensions.
     -National scholarships vs. Local scholarships.
      National scholarships usually offer larger monetary
      awards ($5,000, $10,000, etc.); however, there are  
      usually more students competing for these awards,       
      making them more difficult to win.  
      Local scholarships usually offer smaller monetary       
      awards (i.e. $100, $500, $1,000); however, you usually 
      have a better chance of receiving these awards  
      because there are less students competing for this  
      money.

(7)  Schedule college visits.  
      You may love the school on paper but hate where it is 
      located, the professors, or the facilities.  All schools
      look like resorts in brochures. 

      -Visit cousins, friends, and family members at college. 
      Ask them to give you a tour of the campus.  These are
      usually the most honest and thorough tour guides.
      -Take a friend with you or ask to go with a friend and 
      their family.
      -If you are vacationing or visiting family near a college
      or university, schedule a visit/tour or just stop by to 
      look around.

(8)  Have fun!  If you're not having fun, see your counselor.  You should enjoy high school!
     
Special thanks to Mrs. Holly Colonna, Coordinator of the School Counseling Department of the Tucson Unified School District in Arizona for granting me permission to use resources from her website (http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/counseling/Documents/junior.pdf).  Their Junior Handbook served as a model for much of the information included on this website. 

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