Juniors
This year is the time when you will begin to make some major decisions regarding your path after high school. Your junior year is when the college process gets into full swing. If you have made the decision to forego college and pursue other avenues such as the military, vocational career, missionary work or any of the various other choices, we will support you and provide individual guidance to help you accomplish your personal goals.
This is the year you’ll take a number of standardized tests, start researching colleges, and start thinking realistically about going off to college. A vital part of the college application process is the taking of tests. Please see the Internet Resources page to obtain information on the SAT and ACT testing dates.
During the senior year some students may repeat some of these tests to improve their scores. During the second half of your junior year your class will have individual meetings with the college counselor. The College Counselor will guide you in your research and decision making. You are encouraged to use the many resources online and available in the College Counseling Office.
Researching
Colleges spend a great deal of time and money in putting together Web pages and brochures that convey life on their campuses. When you start receiving materials from colleges you’ll read them in great detail, but after awhile you’ll probably starting glancing at the name and little more. The key is to strike a balance between reading everything and reading nothing. Consider setting up three boxes to file your materials: Definitely Interested, Maybe Interested and Probably Not Interested. Once a week go through the materials that arrived and glance/read through them, filing each as you go. Or do it every day; just don’t let them all pile up until it’s too large a pile to manage!
Use other resources in addition to the materials the colleges produce. College counselors, teachers, and Rancho Christian alumni currently attending schools are all great sources. Read guidebooks, both purely factual and subjective, and if ever possible visit during summer trips.
