college bound

Juniors:

• If you are still planning to apply to a summer program and have not completed the application, please work on it now. Programs will fill up, so don’t wait to submit apps at the deadline.
• Many colleges don’t proactively ask for online resources yet, but with a rise in the use of platforms like ZeeMee in college admissions, you may have an interest in creating a digital portfolio (LinkedIn, SoundCloud, personal website, and/or blog). You’ll also want a LinkedIn account up and running when you start college, so now is a good time to get it started.
• Now is also a good time to do a social media audit. Connecting with colleges on social is a way to demonstrate interest, but only if your profile is squeaky clean. Before you tweet to any of your top schools or like them on FB, follow them on Instagram, etc., review all of your accounts.
• If you plan to visit schools and interview, prepare. You should always prepare for interviews, even if a school states they are not evaluative.
• Continue to prepare for standardized tests and think ahead to AP exams.
• Update your resume.

• Have you thought about what major(s) you will mark on your application? You can only have a clearly defined “story” for your college apps once you know what major(s) you will be marking on them. This is a critical part of the process that should begin to think about now. Even if you don’t know an exact major right now, you should be able to articulate what excites you academically and be pursuing those interests through your coursework and outside of it via clubs and other activities. As you approach 11th grade (and through it), you want to begin to narrow your academic interests and hone in on one or two viable options for your apps.
  • Please note: marking undecided is always an option. However, you still need to talk about specific possible majors if undecided is what you choose. When you look at your resume, does a theme jump out at you?
• Keeping working hard in your classes. Your academic transcript is the most important part of your college application. If you have room for improvement, colleges want to see you improve (upward trend!)!
• Make a firm plan for preparing for standardized tests and think ahead to AP exams.
• Also, firm up your summer plans. You should be doing something this summer, and, hopefully, something that helps you explore your academic interests.
• Continue working on your resume.

Freshmen:

• Keeping working hard in your classes. Your academic transcript is the most important part of your college application. If you have room for improvement, colleges want to see you improve (upward trend!).
• Firm up your summer plans. You should be doing something this summer, and, hopefully, something that helps you explore your academic interests.
• Think ahead to preparing for AP exams or subject tets if you plan to take them.
• Continue working on your resume.

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