Academic Record

Juniors: Here's what you need to know when selecting next year's classes

Posted on Thu, 01/23/2014 - 12:56

Juniors, as you meet with your counselor to select your classes for next year, keep in mind that what colleges want to see are students whose course of study is characterized by appropriate challenge and rigor.

So what does that mean?

It means that colleges want to see evidence in your courses that you are willing to stretch intellectually and academically in the core areas of the curriculum -- science, math, English, social studies and foreign language -- and that your choice of classes demonstrates a pattern of increasing difficulty. For example, if a student wants to study science, she would take progressively more demanding courses in that core area. This is an important signal for college admission officers. In fact, one report found that taking progressively more difficult and higher- level courses increased an applicant’s chance of being accepted at a competitive college— more so than a higher grade point average.

Here's what Douglas Christiansen, vice provost for enrollment and dean of admissions at Vanderbilt University, has to say about what challenge and rigor mean:

What should juniors be doing right NOW?

Posted on Wed, 01/15/2014 - 12:11

For most students, the second semester of junior year is when the college application process begins in earnest. So this month, we asked our high school counselors: What’s the most important task for juniors to tackle in second semester of junior year? Read on to get a jump start on your to do list!

 

Mai Lien Nguyen
College and Career Center Coordinator
Mountain View High School
Mountain View, California

Juniors: Finish the Semester Strong

Posted on Tue, 12/10/2013 - 08:58

Juniors, as the semester winds down and thoughts of winter break begin to dance in your head, remember to continue to give your best effort in all your classes and finish strong.  Grades have been consistently rated as the top factor in admission decisions by colleges for the past decade. In the most recent State of College Admission report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling, 84 percent of colleges reported grades in college prep courses as decisive. One more time for emphasis: the grades you earn and the classes you take are important -- and grades in your junior year can be critical. For now, focus your efforts in the classroom… Winter break will be here soon.

Check out Chapter 5 in College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step for more information about what defines a challenging curriculum and achieving balance between grades, challenging courses, and personal time.

Juniors, Focus Your Efforts in the Classroom

Posted on Tue, 09/24/2013 - 14:15

Juniors, start the year off right by giving your best effort in all your classes. The 10th annual State of College Admission 2012 report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that "academic performance in college prep courses" has been consistently rated as the top factor by colleges in admission decisions for the past decade. In 2011, 84 percent of colleges reported grades in college prep courses as decisive. One more time for emphasis: the grades you earn and the classes you take are important -- and grades in your junior year can be critical.

So focus your efforts in the classroom. Take a strong academic courseload and challenge yourself. If you are doing less than three hours of homework each day, talk with your counselor about enrolling in more advanced classes. First and foremost, what colleges will want to know about you is what you are like as a learner. Show them that.

 

Juniors: Plan Your Senior-Year Coursework

Posted on Wed, 02/06/2013 - 10:37

Meet with your counselor to plan your senior-year coursework. A fourth year of math and a laboratory science as well as a fourth year of science are highly recommended. And if your school does not offer an AP, IB or other advanced curriculum, consider dual enrollment -- enrolling in a course at a local community college or university. You should be challenging yourself to signal to colleges that you are likely to succeed if admitted. "Academic ability is the ante to get into the game," says Katharine Harrington, Vice President of Admissions and Planning at University of Southern California.

For more information about a recommended course of study and the role of the academic record in admissions, see Chapter 5, "The Academic Record," and Appendix II, "A Recommended Course of Study," in College Admission: From Application to Acceptance, Step by Step.

Juniors, Finish the Semester Strong

Posted on Wed, 12/12/2012 - 10:37

Juniors, as the semester winds down and thoughts of college dance in your head, remember to continue to give your best effort in all your classes and finish strong.  The just-released 10th annual State of College Admission 2012 report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling found that "academic performance in college prep courses" has been consistently rated as the top factor by colleges in admission decisions for the past decade. In 2011, 84 percent of colleges reported grades in college prep courses as decisive. One more time for emphasis: the grades you earn and the classes you take are important -- and grades in your junior year can be critical. For now, focus your efforts in the classroom… It's almost time for winter break.

Juniors: Researching Yourself as You Research Colleges

Posted on Fri, 10/19/2012 - 14:21

 

As you work on your initial list of colleges, you need to research yourself as well as the colleges. Because college is a learning environment, you will need to honestly evaluate yourself as a student in order to figure out what schools are best for you.

First, consider your academic record. Keep in mind that there are no "right" answers. You're just mining for information. Here are some questions to help you begin:

What is your GPA? What is the highest GPA reported by your school?

Are you challenging yourself in the classroom with advanced classes, such as AP’s?

What is the most intellectually engaging class you have taken in high school? Why? How did it influence you?

What do you choose to learn when you learn on your own? Consider what topics you choose for research papers, lab reports, or independent reading.

What subjects have you excelled in?

What has been your greatest academic success?

What are your weaknesses academically?

When you have struggled in your class work, what did you do about it?

How do you respond to academic pressure?