There’s no denying that spring of junior year is a busy and challenging time and the work load will continue to be intense through fall of your senior year – and beyond. You’ll be writing essays, preparing applications and visiting colleges in addition to carrying a full course load and participating in activities that are meaningful to you. One way to prepare for the increasing demands on your time, energy, and attention is to designate some quiet time this summer to begin your college applications. You might schedule a two-hour block of time once or twice a week, every week, from June through August to refine your college list, brainstorm essay ideas (see the Common Application prompts for 2014-2015 to get started), and begin working on your Common Application. Distributing some of the work over the summer will help you hit the ground running in the fall.
Now is not the time to let up, juniors. Dig in and finish the semester strong. “High school really is an exercise of the mind,” writes Beth Anne Spacht in the University of Richmond admissions blog. For more good tips, take a look at her post about planning your senior year schedule.