Episode 98: College Planning Timeline: 11th Grade

[0:00:07] BHA: When it comes to the college search process, it can feel like all eyes are on junior year. From the classes you take and the grades you earn, to the steps you take to explore colleges and universities, your junior year in high school might be the most essential.

[0:00:19] BT: That's why in this series of College Admissions Insider episodes, we're taking you through our college planning timeline year by year — giving you tips, tricks and insights to support your college search.

[0:00:30] BHA: I'm Becca Haupt Aldredge, from Bucknell University. In this episode, we'll be offering advice to high school juniors.

[0:00:36] BT: And I'm Brooke Thames, also from Bucknell. If you missed our episodes for 9th and 10th graders, go back and check them out. As for juniors, let's get started. Becca, why is junior year such an important one when it comes to the college process?

[0:00:48] BHA: Junior year, the whole process becomes real and so much closer. You've passed the halfway point of high school, and maybe you can really start envisioning yourself as a college student. At this point, it's time to start making some decisions about your post-graduation plans. Even though I'm not a junior in high school, this episode is already making me a little stressed out because there's a lot for juniors to be doing. Brooke, is junior year really as stressful as they say it is?

[0:01:18] BT: Also, yes and no. In some ways, by this point, juniors are already settled into the rhythm of high school and its expectations. In other ways, the college search process could introduce new stressors as it starts to ramp up — but that's where this episode comes in. Becca, let's assume it's the fall of junior year. How should a student hit the ground running?

[0:01:37] BHA: The best way to get started is to make a game plan. That game plan might start with building your college list. Your college list is a list of schools that you want to explore closer, visit, check out their website and start to get a sense of whether it's somewhere that you might want to apply.

In Episode 89 of the College Admissions Insider, we actually did an entire episode where we cover lists in-depth, including safety schools, reach schools, and how you organize a successful college list. Junior year is the time to start with what we call a "long list." It doesn't mean you'll actually be applying to all of these schools, but it's just a list of places you're curious about and want to explore more. While this all sounds good on paper — literally — how do you bring this list to life?

[0:02:26] BT: Well, the top way is to make a plan to see campuses for yourself. Whether that's exploring the school's virtual tour options, if you're a little bit farther away, or penciling in visits during weekends, or school breaks, you'll want to invest time now in getting a sense of each school's vibe — from academics to student life, just as the types of people that are on campus. As you learn more about the schools, they might move up or down your list, or jump categories entirely. Visiting while school is in session in the fall is a great way to see campus in action, versus waiting till the summer when students might have gone home. Speaking of summer, how can a student make the most of that time if that's the only time they can visit schools, or even other breaks?

[0:03:08] BHA: We know junior year can be really busy, especially with extracurriculars, whether you're an athlete, an artist or a musician, your weekends might already be booked up. Summer can be a great time for those students to see colleges and universities, but just keep in mind, it might be a little bit quieter on campus than you'd expect during the academic year. Same goes for holiday breaks.

Summer can be a really great time for students to also explore jobs, internships or extracurriculars to help bolster their application. Some colleges even have summer programs to help expose high school students to what it's really like to be a college student. At Bucknell, we offer the Bucknell Academy Summer Experience to high school students who are rising juniors and rising seniors. For a deep dive into summer college programs, check out Episode 87, where we talk about why programs like this could be beneficial.

[0:04:05] BT: I think BASE is an excellent example, Becca. It allows high schoolers to spend a little bit of time actually living and learning as a Bucknell student, and for a lot of students who participate, that experience is what really convinced them that they wanted to attend Bucknell. Beyond things like pre-college programs, junior year is also the time to consider taking your first SAT or ACT. When you're researching schools, you'll want to keep track of who is test optional, and what their average test scores are, so you can get a sense of how yours compare — or if you want to submit your test scores at all. Aside from those tests, there are other parts of the application that students can start preparing now. Becca, what are those?

[0:04:40] BHA: It's a great time to start thinking about recommendation letters, which most colleges and universities will require at least some form of as part of your application. An ideal recommender is someone who's known you for a little bit, who you've performed well in their classes, and can speak to your abilities academically, and the ways that you show up and contribute in the classroom. It's common to ask for these recommendations at the end of junior year, or early and senior year. Some teachers even spend time over the summer working on them.

Because we know that writing letters of recommendation is hard work and an important part of your application, don't forget to make time to thank your recommenders for the time that they took to write those recommendations. Whether it's a simple note card, or a verbal thank you when you see them, be sure to let them know that their letter was important to your process, and be sure to let them know where you were accepted and where you end up enrolling.

[0:05:37] BT: Exactly. The college journey is a long one, and no student goes it alone, so be sure to thank all of those who are supporting you in your journey thus far, especially family. Speaking of families, during junior year, it's important to continue to engage that support system in conversations around financing and paying for college. At the end of the day, everyone should feel confident and excited about a student's college decision. Keep those conversations going around the dinner table.

[0:06:02] BHA: From visiting schools to being thoughtful about extracurricular and summer engagements, and having important conversations with families, recommenders, and other stakeholders in your college search process, there is no shortage of college prep a student can do as a junior, which is what makes it such an important year. By making a plan and sticking to it, you'll be feeling prepared heading into senior year and ready to tackle the next steps in the process.

[0:06:31] BT: As we mentioned up top, this can feel like the most intense year of college prep, which is why starting early, staying organized and continuing to lean on all of your support systems will ultimately set you up for success when it comes time to apply.

[0:06:43] BHA: I think that's a great spot to close out the episode. Thanks to everyone out there listening. If you're a fan of the podcast, please take a moment to rate, subscribe and share this episode with the students and families in your life.

[0:06:54] BT: We'll be back with another episode in a few weeks, our last episode in this series meant for seniors in high school. In the meantime, send your questions, comments and episode ideas to podcast@bucknell.edu. We read every note you send.

[0:07:08] BHA: Finally, you're invited to follow Bucknell on your favorite social media apps. Just look for @BucknellU on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and TikTok. You can also follow our student run Instagram account, which is @IAmRayBucknell.

[0:07:23] BT: Until next time, keep on reaching for your dreams and your dream school.

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