Tips for Juniors

You may have been warned about the stress that comes along with junior year – and now you might be facing that reality! Since you already have so much to juggle, we’ve put together some steps to help you stay on track on your journey to college.

  • Explore colleges online. Determine which features of a college (student body size, location, academic programs, extracurricular activities, etc.) are most important to you and search for schools that match your criteria on site such as Cappex.com or Petersons.com.
  • Visit Mount Mary (and other college campuses). Junior year is a great time to visit Mount Mary to get a campus tour, meet professors and learn about scholarships and financial aid. You also can attend college fairs or meet with admission representatives who visit your high school.
  • Find out how much college costs. A college education is a big investment and you can find out how much financial aid you can expect to receive and the amount you can expect to pay for a Mount Mary education using our Net Price Calculator. Also talk to your parents about how you and they expect to pay for college.
  • Begin looking for scholarships. Several organizations offer award competitions or scholarship opportunities that you can apply for as early as your junior year. Search online for scholarships, art contests, essay contests, video contests and science competitions. Plus, Mount Mary has partnered with RaiseMe, so you can begin earning microscholarships toward college while you are in high school.
  • Start earning college credit while in high school. Earn college credits by taking Youth Options courses or by taking advanced placement (AP) courses and taking the AP exams.
  • Impress your teachers and get good grades. Some people say junior year is the toughest, so hang in there! A high GPA not only helps give you a better chance for admission, but it also impacts the amount of academic scholarship money you may qualify to receive. Doing well in class also gives your teachers a good impression of your abilities, so they can write letters of recommendation for you.
  • Become a leader in school clubs. Colleges look for students who take on leadership roles in student clubs or volunteer activities. Participate in groups or volunteer efforts at your school or in your community and seek out leadership opportunities.