I'm a junior in high school - so what should I do during my second semester to prepare for the whole college admissions thing next year?

There are many things you can do during your second semester of your junior year, including:

-.Determine what you are looking for in a college.

-.Research colleges to find ones that meet the criteria you have determined.

-.Visit the colleges, while the college is in session.

-.Set up your Common App and fill in what you can for the "common" portion. The application will roll over on August 1.

-.Brainstorm ideas for your college application essays.

- Once the Common App essay prompt comes out (typically in January), you can begin work on that essay.

- Select challenging classes for your senior year of high school.

- Make plans to do something meaningful (e.g., get a job, volunteer, learn something new, etc.) over the summer between your junior and senior year of high school.

- Prepare for and take the SAT or ACT.

- Keep up your grades and extra-curricular activities.

If you need guidance on any of these tasks, feel free to reach out to me.