Video: Junior Year Advice

Advice to high school juniors from a senior! Kat goes over six simple tips that contributed to her junior year success.

Advice to high school juniors from a senior! Kat M. goes over six simple tips that contributed to her junior year success, including prioritizing her mental health and keeping a balance between studying and socializing. Check out her video below!

Make your mental health a priority (0:15)

Everyone has bad days, but if these bad days stretch for a long period of time and you continue to feel stressed out from school, it’s time to take a step back. Talk to a trusted adult and make sure you are mentally healthy before returning to your school work. Though it may seem like it sometimes, school is never more important than your mental health!

Take courses that are challenging (within reason!) (0:40)

Colleges do like seeing rigorous classes on your schedule. However, it's important to pick classes that will challenge but not overwhelm you.

Talk to your counselor about the college search (1:05)

Your high school counselor’s job is to help you succeed, so take advantage of this resource as much as possible. Ask your counselor questions about the college search and keep them updated on your progress. Your counselor will help you generate a list of colleges that are the best fit for you and then help you work toward getting accepted.

Make a list of teachers for your college recommendations (1:26)

Choose teachers who know you well and are aware of your potential. Colleges usually require recommendations from teachers that teach core subjects like English, science, or history; however, some will accept recommendations from elective courses in the arts or physical education.

Choose extracurriculars that will ultimately make you happy (1:53)

Colleges prefer to see someone involved in extracurriculars they genuinely enjoy and are committed to, as opposed to being a part of several extracurriculars and having little to no involvement. Don’t spread yourself too thin!

Balance school with your social life (2:15)

Socializing is a great way to reduce the stress of junior year. Have fun and work hard!

Find even more tips and watch other videos from our student vloggers on the CollegeXpress YouTube Channel.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About CollegeXpress

CollegeXpress

Welcome to CollegeXpress, your one-stop college shop! We’re a free college planning website used by millions of college-bound students, parents, and counselors—anyone who needs help navigating the college search and application process, financial aid opportunities, and more. You’ll find comprehensive College Search and Scholarship Search tools, tons of articles and expert advice, unique college Lists & Rankings, and lots of other resources to help make your life easier. Teen Vogue even named us one of the 7 Best College Search Websites! But current college students and recent grads also love CollegeXpress for our Graduate Program Search and endless information on student life, internships, and beyond. We really have something for everyone, no matter where you are in your college journey. Create a free account to start connecting with colleges, winning scholarships, and more!

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Saginaw Valley State University

University Center, MI


Rose Kearsley

Rose Kearsley

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has seriously helped me out a lot, especially when it comes to scholarships and studying for tests like the ACT. I also really love the financial help. It’s a little harder to pay because I live with a family of eight, so any help is appreciated. Thanks for this opportunity!

Kelly Nogueiro

Kelly Nogueiro

Counselor

For me, CollegeXpress has given me a valuable tool to use with my students to explore colleges easily beyond objective data. It helps me find colleges for students that fit their needs and wants that aren’t quite so black and white. It's a wealth of knowledge, and the Type-A side of me loves all the lists and the fact that I know they're coming from folks who know what they're talking about. I share it with colleagues and students alike, and it's always well received.

Rhiannon Teeter

Rhiannon Teeter

$2,000 Community Service Scholarship Winner, 2012

I have spent a lot of time aggressively searching for scholarships. It was a long and frustrating process until I found the CollegeXpress network. This site made my search so much easier. With the simple check of a few boxes, the site sorted out scholarships I was eligible for and led me directly to the correct websites. Winning this scholarship has definitely given me and my family some financial relief, and CollegeXpress has allowed me to improve my chances of winning further financial aid. Thank you so much!

Joseph Johnsly

Joseph Johnsly

High School Class of 2021

It's an honor for me to be writing to share a little about my experience with CollegeXpress. I've been using CollegeXpress for about a year now, and the reason why I chose it is because it provides astonishing scholarships for every student around the globe. Besides that, this organization dispenses all the information necessary to help students get to college. CollegeXpress has helped me have an easier experience with applying to colleges and choosing the best fit for myself.

Ariyane

Ariyane

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress really helped me by letting me know the colleges ratings and placements. They gave me accurate information on my colleges tuition rates and acceptance. They even let me know the ration between students and faculty and the diversity of the college. Overall they told me everything I needed and things I didnt even think I needed to know about my college and other colleges I applied for.