September Junior Update
Junior Year: What NOT to Worry About (Yet)
Dear Junior Families,
Welcome to junior year! Yes, this is an important year. But before the college-admissions anxiety starts creeping in, let me give you permission to not worry about everything just yet. There is plenty of time for the college process to unfold. Here are a few things that can wait:
Don't Worry About Having a Final College List
Your student doesn't need to know where they're applying yet. Fall of junior year is a great time to start exploring colleges, identifying preferences, and figuring out what matters to them in a college experience. Take your junior on a couple college tours, even locally, to help them visualize a future in college.
Don't Worry About Writing College Essays
Seriously. There is plenty of time for essays. Instead, focus on helping your student become a stronger writer and encouraging them to notice the experiences, interests, and ideas that are meaningful to them. For some students, application essays are difficult because it is the first time they've been asked to seriously reflect on their values and passions; so help your junior think deeply about what drives them.
Don't Worry About Picking a Major
Your student does not need to have their future career mapped out at 16 or 17. Encourage curiosity and exploration rather than forcing a decision.
Don't Worry About Building the "Perfect" Résumé
Colleges aren't looking for a student who does 14 activities just to fill a résumé. Meaningful involvement, genuine interests, and increasing responsibility matter much more. Encourage your junior to follow their interests, keeping an eye out for opportunities for them to deepen their leadership skills and community involvement.
Don't Compare Them to Other Students
Each student has their own unique strengths, passions, and path to a life after high school. This is likely to be the hardest year of high school for them. If you look hard enough, there will always be another student with better grades. Support your junior as they build their identity and celebrate their progress towards their own personal goals, not somebody else's.
So What Should You Worry About?
- Junior-year grades.
- Good study and organizational habits.
- Building independence and self-advocacy.
- Exploring interests.
- Planning a testing schedule for the SAT or ACT.
- And helping your student develop the skills they'll need to manage the college process themselves.
Junior year is a great time to build the foundation, not finish the house. Your student doesn't need to have it all figured out. This is their time to give their greatest effort yet with academics and activities, with your loving support. Let's keep them moving forward,
Jen