Five Tips to Help You Prepare for Your Senior Year of High School

You’ve done it! Nearly 11 years of school and you have finally made it to senior year! This upcoming year will be full of exciting memories and a lot of commitments. Here’s a checklist of things you can do this summer to help you prepare for your senior year of high school, and for that last stretch of college planning!

1. Narrow Down Your College List

Ask yourself these three questions when deciding which colleges you want to apply to:

1. Where do I see myself thriving?

2. What do I want to study?

3. What can I afford?

Be honest with yourself! Your answers to these questions will be essential in your process. Make a list of each university you are interested in and how they compare to others.

2. Apply for Scholarships

There are plenty of ways to make getting a higher education more affordable. One way is to apply for scholarships! There are plenty of grants and scholarships out there, you just have to look for them. Some popular places to look are Bold.org, Raise.me and ScholarshipOwl.

3. Ask for Letters of Recommendation

If you know you’re going to need a letter of recommendation, ask ahead of time! Not only does asking early ensure that the person you ask has plenty of time to write it, but it also shows that you care about their time.

4. Build Your Resumé

Building a strong resumé makes you a more competitive college applicant! If you have any work, volunteer or extracurricular experience, now is the time to make note of it. Putting on display that you’ve put yourself out there, tried new things and even gained some leadership skills will work to your advantage in the long run. If you don’t have any work, volunteer or extracurricular experience, now is the best time to get some!

5. Experience New Things

Lastly, go try something new. College is a wild ride of new people, responsibilities and lots of exciting experiences. All this “new” might be frightening at first, but it will be something you hold onto forever. Get into the rhythm of trying something new now, so when you find yourself on a college campus, new opportunities don’t feel as foreign!

Though senior year will be filled with many deadlines and decisions, it will also be filled with great memories. Starting early with these tips can help you feel more prepared for this final year of high school and give you more time to soak up all that senior year has to offer. Here’s to hoping you have the best year yet!

Office of Undergraduate Admissions