Key Takeaways: Junior year is an important time during a students’ high school career, but it can also be a busy and demanding season because they’ll be juggling rigorous coursework with early college preparation. Students should create a testing timeline for the SAT or ACT and begin preparing for these standardized exams. Juniors should also begin building strong relationships with core teachers, since recommendation letters often come from junior-year teachers. Finally, juniors should refine their college list by visiting campuses virtually or in-person. By prioritizing these items in advance, students can reduce some of the uncertainty and stress of their upcoming application season.
For high school students, junior year is a crucial time and milestone. Juniors will likely experience their most challenging academic coursework to date, as earlier courses will have hopefully prepared them for more rigorous curricula such as Advanced Placement. What’s more, junior year is the ideal time to prepare for the start of a student’s application season the following summer.
While earning strong grades in high school is always a priority, here are some other ones to keep in mind, too.
1. Prepare and take official standardized tests (SAT or ACT)
Standardized testing is a key component of a college application profile (with the exception of colleges that are test-blind). Alongside a transcript, a test score will help demonstrate a student’s ability to be successful academically in college.
One way to lessen test anxiety is to put together a standardized testing timeline, a simple schedule that details which standardized test(s) students plan to take, the dates on which they plan to take them, and how much time they have leading up to the chosen exam dates.
Creating yours should take no more than 15-30 minutes. To do so, sit down with a calendar and:
- Pick a test and a goal testing date. If you’re not sure which test is better for you, take a diagnostic exam for both the SAT and ACT to gauge which test structure you prefer and which one you do better on initially. You can also consult with a test prep tutor/expert who can help you interpret your results and plan your preparation. Free, official exams are available online through the official test prep websites and usually through test prep organizations such as Applerouth Education.
TIP: Before you pick and schedule a test date, keep in mind key dates or windows where you might have other obligations that could impede your availability, such as athletic seasons or tournaments, or the end of the school year when you may be busy with finals and AP/IB exams. - Establish an appropriate prep timeline. Many factors contribute to the definition of “appropriate” here. What’s your realistic goal score? How much improvement over your diagnostic score does that represent? How much work do you estimate you’ll need to do to achieve that increase? While there are many questions, a good point of reference is that your test prep––whether through self-study, in-person or online courses, or tutoring––should begin around three months before your first exam.
TIP: Method Test Prep suggests working backward from your test date to determine when to start prepping. In addition, plan to take at least a few full-length practice exams to sharpen your skills and develop stamina. Finally, pick at least one test date for a second try. Most students fare better their second time, so unless you hit your goal score on your first try, plan to take the SAT or ACT at least once more. - Designate specific, consistent times for prep. The struggle against procrastination is real–most students have many other things they’d rather be doing than test prep. This is why it’s important to carve out a block (or blocks) of time every week that you know will be dedicated to SAT or ACT prep. Schedules change and priorities get shuffled, but if you’re serious about improving your scores, make sure to choose time for prep and do your best to stick with it. Make it a regular habit and start early!
For assistance with your test preparation, whether SAT or ACT, contact us for a free consultation with one of our Admissions Strategists.
2. Start thinking about requesting Letters of Recommendation.
Most colleges will require applicants to submit at least one letter of recommendation from a teacher. Since students tend to take their most challenging courses in junior year, colleges prefer that recommendations be written by teachers who have taught them in junior year. Expect to request recommendations from core teachers and, in anticipation, prioritize developing strong, positive relationships with your teachers from the start of your fall semester. Colleges will already know from your transcript whether you’ve earned an A or not in the class. Instead, they are looking to better understand who you are from a teacher’s perspective. Show that you are more than a grade. Are you also:
- A student who is an active leader or contributor in class discussions?
- A student who regularly helps peers understand course material?
- A curious student who shows passion for a subject beyond course material?
- A student who’s made a lasting impact in the class?
The more personable and informative a recommendation is, the more likely it’ll leave a more favorable impression on the college.
3. Visit colleges and refine your college list.
Junior year is also a great time to learn about and visit colleges that are still on students’ college lists. As students progress into junior year, they should develop a clearer understanding of colleges that may or may not be reasonable options for them. Cumulative GPA and official standardized tests will provide a realistic, albeit rough, estimate of the selectivity of colleges that may be feasible. Coupled with an increasing clarity about one’s college preferences (e.g., location, size, availability of academic programs, cost, etc.), students can build an initial list of colleges that they want to learn more about. When college application deadlines loom during fall semester of senior year, you’ll be glad you took the time to learn about and visit colleges earlier so you can apply to a variety fo colleges that you’ll know you’ll be happy to attend.
TIP: School breaks are great times to schedule a few in-person college visits if that’s feasible. Schedule official campus visits with each college’s admissions office, attend information sessions, and even speak with a college’s admissions officer if you have questions. For colleges you can’t travel to in-person, make sure to check out available virtual admissions offerings, such as online information sessions, virtual campus tours, and more. Some colleges track demonstrated interest and consider it when reviewing applications, and researching colleges in this way can count toward that.
FAQs:
During junior year, students should focus first on earning strong grades in rigorous courses. Colleges will pay close attention to junior-year performance because it often reflects a student’s readiness for college-level work. Beyond academics, students should create a standardized testing plan, build relationships with teachers who may later write recommendation letters, and begin refining their college list. Starting these steps early can make the application process feel much more manageable during senior year.
A good standardized testing timeline usually begins with a diagnostic SAT and ACT in the fall or winter of junior year. From there, students can choose the test that seems like the better fit and begin preparing about three months before their first official exam. Many students aim to take the SAT or ACT for the first time in the winter or spring of junior year, then leave time for a second attempt later in junior year or early senior year. Students should check the official SAT test dates and ACT test dates before building their plan.
Junior year is important because it is often the most recent full year of grades colleges see when evaluating applications. It is also the year when many students take their most challenging courses, such as AP, IB, honors, or advanced electives. Strong junior-year grades can show academic momentum, while strong relationships with teachers can lead to more detailed recommendation letters. Junior year is also when students should begin making practical decisions about testing, college visits, and their early college list.
Students typically request letters of recommendation near the end of junior year or at the very beginning of senior year, depending on their school’s process. It is best to ask early, politely, and in person when possible. Junior-year teachers are often strong choices because they have taught the student recently and may have seen them handle more advanced coursework. Students should choose teachers who know them well, can speak to their work ethic and character, and can provide specific examples beyond grades.
Students should begin visiting colleges during junior year if possible, especially during school breaks or long weekends. Spring and summer can be useful times to visit campuses before senior-year application deadlines become more urgent. If in-person visits are not realistic, students can still learn a great deal through virtual tours, online information sessions, student panels, and admissions webinars. The goal is to better understand each college’s academic programs, campus culture, location, size, and overall fit before finalizing the application list.
Sources: Free SAT and ACT Practice Tests (Applerouth Education). Minimizing extra stress is as easy as a little forethought. Juniors: start planning today, and your college admissions journey will run much more smoothly.
Originally Published: Aug 2018, Updated by a consultant before being republished in June 2026
Admissions Evaluator at Vanderbilt Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Associate Director of Admissions and Recruitment at Vanderbilt Law School
4 Years in Vanderbilt Admissions
6,000+ Applications Read and Evaluated
Grace Chee is an Admissions Consultant with Solomon. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Vanderbilt University in Human and Organizational Development and English, and a Master's in Education in Higher Education Administration from the same institution.
