Happy winter break (or almost-winter break)! I hope your time away from school has/will be been some combination of restful, fun, and cozy.
Soon, you’ll be gearing up for your New Years Eve festivities, too. Now is a good moment to look back over the past year, contemplating everything you’ve accomplished...and what you still need to do come January. It’s a good strategy (and good for your mental being) to acknowledge the past year’s victories and to celebrate ALL of your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. That’ll get us off to 2023 on the right foot!
So here are some questions to reflect on as we leave 2022 behind and plunge ahead into all of the new challenges and opportunities of 2023.
Freshmen, ask yourself these questions:
In what ways have I succeeded at adjusting to high school?
What new friendships have I made?
Which of my courses am I learning a lot in?
What new interests have I discovered?
Sophomores, reflect upon these prompts:
How am I doing grade-wise?
Which courses excite me the most?
How am I cultivating my extracurricular interests?
How are my relationships/friendships?
Juniors, here are your questions to consider:
How is my college list developing?
Have I chosen to take the SAT or the ACT yet?
When am I taking my first SAT or ACT?
Am I on schedule in my prep for that test?
How am I keeping up my grades despite the added pressure of standardized tests?
Seniors, here’s what you should think on:
Have I sent in all my regular decision college applications before the 1/1 or 1/15 deadline?
Did all of my additional materials (recommendation letters, transcripts, SAT/ACT scores) arrive on time?
How have I kept up my grades despite having to juggle applications in the autumn?
Are there any classes I need to give some extra “love” to in the Spring, to bring up my final average before the year is over?
You may have noticed something from the above questions: winter break can be a time of contemplation and relaxation for freshmen, sophomores, and even some of you lucky (early decision admit) seniors. But can you guess for whom it’s NOT all that restful? Sorry, juniors, it’s you. So keep reading, because I’ve got particular words of advice for those of you in that particular winter of discontent.
Here’s the thing (which won’t really be news to you if you’re a junior): of all the classmen, you juniors are the ones still running the marathon that is test prep. It’s a treadmill that stops for no one and no vacation. So, if you’re a junior in high school—or know someone who is—make sure they get this message:
Dear High School Junior,
There’s no sugar-coating it: you’re about to begin what might be the most stressful semester of your high school career: Spring of Junior year. So soak up every minute of that New Year’s party, because once you hang up your high heels or tie, it’s go time. These tasks, in particular, should be on your radar come early January:
Prepping for your first SAT or ACT, if you didn’t already take it in December. You’d likely be prepping for a February ACT or a March SAT. I know that seems far away, but it’s not! January is less than two weeks off. Spend half your time reviewing content, and the other half taking practice tests, up until your test date.
Throughout this prep work, you should also be going on college campus visits every chance you can get. This will set you up to establish and finalize your college list, which in turn will help you figure out the target score you need to earn on your SAT or ACT.
Please keep up your grades! This will be the last complete school year admissions officers see on your high school transcript. Don’t let it lag because you’re overwhelmed with test prep. If you need to hire a test prep expert in order to balance both, please do. A good prepster will develop a solid study/applications plan for you so you don’t have to spend precious brainpower on the big-picture thinking of your college apps and tests.
At the same time, stay involved in your extracurricular activities.
If this seems like an overwhelming list, remember that a combination of excellent planning and conscious self-care will help carry you through. Many, many juniors before have made it through this tunnel, and you will, too.
Best wishes,
Kristina
(YOUR Test Prep Expert)
