Advice for a Rising High School Senior

If you are like me and will be returning to school as a senior this fall, then this is the guide you should read to be one step ahead of your peers! Now, you have probably felt the mixed emotions when people would remind you that “YOU’RE GOING TO BE A SENIOR!” A part of you is ecstatic to finally be done with high school, but another part of you realizes that “Oh… senior year is the year where I apply to colleges/universities… Oh boy that is scary!” Trust me, I am feeling the latter. However, here are a few tips I have acquired so far to alleviate any stress high school juniors might be having now about the prospect of beginning their senior year.

1. Start your college research right now!

The summer of your junior year is the right time to start researching potential colleges and/or universities you might be applying to in the fall. You should start taking advantage of the time you have at your disposal by building up a college list and asking yourself “Do I want to go to an in-state or go out-of-state college?” “Do I want to go to a public or private institution?” These are examples of questions that you take into consideration when undergoing your college search. Collegeboard.org (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search?navid=gh-cs) is the perfect site to start your college search.

2. Squeeze in Summer Jobs/Internships/Volunteering

Remember colleges are not solely accepting those with 4.0 GPA’s or those who have perfect SAT scores; they look for more than test scores. Volunteering allows college admission officers see your dedication and commitment to helping others as well as let them see that you are able to manage your time between academics and extracurricular activities. Idealist.org (http://www.idealist.org/) is a place you can start looking for volunteering opportunities. Furthermore, summer jobs or paid/unpaid internships offer you valuable experiences and skills that will make a positive impression on college admission counselors that you are a motivated applicant.

3. Remember to take a deep breath…

Encourage Them To Study A Little Extra During Free Time Or When They’re Bored

This won’t exactly be music to their ears every single day, but it will help them out a lot – especially when they’ve been slacking off a little or have been struggling somewhat. Keeping their minds active and keeping everything ticking over is what will land them in success later on in life. They’ll have homework, but a little extra is always advisable – especially when they have very little to do with their spare time. Learning about businesses, making money, or their specific problem subject would help out an awful lot. Using online tools like video lectures, particular games, or something like a critical value calculator for their math work could do wonders. For a lot of kids, studying is meant for school, but that sporadic, on-off kind of behavior is a habit and can make many students switch on and off at the wrong times. Think about it.

This might sound overwhelming for some but it should not if you take the necessary steps to start early and do not wait until the last minute to do what I advised. Summer is the time that you earned to get a well-deserved rest and enjoy the beaches and barbeques with friends and family but don’t forget to take advantage of what summer provides you--time. Searching for the “perfect” college/university is not going be a piece of cake because every college has its pros and cons, but that is something that should not prevent you from going out there and exploring what the college campus can offer you. Embrace the cons because that is the only way we will be able to step outside our comfort zones and maybe learn a thing or two about the world.

Sreymich lives in sunny side California and attends John Marshall High School as a junior. Currently she is going through a phase of discovering her passion. From volunteering at her local hospital and now writing for Her Culture blog, Sreymich's interests vary across a wide spectrum and she loves it! Sreymich has been on her school volleyball team for two years now where she has a love-hate relationship with the sport. When Sreymich is not studying for the SAT, she loves hiking, going to the beach (even though she can't swim), is slightly addicted to watching Youtube vlogs, and strumming obnoxiously on her ukulele. Carbs (bread, cookies, muffins, all kinds!) makes Sreymich happy, but so does staying fit. After high school, she hopes to do something great and give back; travel and go zip lining through the Amazon Rainforest.