Junior Planning Guide
Bandera High School 2021 - 2022
WELCOME TO YOUR JUNIOR YEAR!
Your junior year is the most important year of of your high school transcript. This is the transcript with the most recent full year of grades that will be submitted with your college applications. This is the year that highlights your mastery and expertise. The juggling act has begun as you manage AP classes, debate team, sports, and such, all while keeping in mind the end goal—college and career. You live in two time zones, present and future, and the key to success lies in the balance.
Junior year is a time for widening and deepening your commitments, such as expanding your number of AP courses and Dual Credit course or gaining a leadership position. Know what is expected of you and try to stay one step ahead of your next project deadline.
September/October
- _____ Add the Counselor's Corner Google classroom to your list of google classes. As information on graduation, college, career, military, etc becomes available, it will be shared there. The code is xwb5bix
- _____ Conduct a self examination: Make a list of your abilities, social/cultural preferences and personal qualities. List things you may want to study and the colleges you may want to attend.
- _____ Log into Naviance through Clever: Go to the career's page and click on Explore Career Clusters to take a self awareness assessment and be linked with compatible careers.
- _____ Learn about colleges: Look at college websites. Used Naviance to explore colleges. Click on College Board College Source to research the colleges you are interested in attending. Talk to your family, friends, teachers and recent graduates of Bandera High School graduates about college. Make a list of the features and programs you like at the various colleges that interest you.
- _____ Make a file to manage your college search and information.
- _____ Register and Study for your PSAT
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/practice
November/December
- _____ Start thinking about taking your SAT/ACT. There are several test dates available; however, the only date the SAT will be administered on BHS campus is October 2. The only date the ACT will be administered at BHS campus is October 23. As a Junior, you may want to consider taking your ACT or SAT for the first time in the Spring (March, April or May). You can take these college entrance exams at locations other than BHS. Click on the links below for a full list of dates and locations for these tests.
- _____ Start studying for your SAT/ACT. Links to free study programs are provided at the end of this checklist.
SAT TEST DATES https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines
ACT TEST DATES http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html
January/February
- _____ Make sure you register for your SAT or ACT test. It's a good idea to take your SAT or ACT in the spring of your Junior year. Make sure you register and show up for your test. Links are provided above.
- _____ Begin a search for financial aid sources. Take a look at the Scholarships360. Also, take a look at our BHS scholarship resources.
- _____ Consider which course you will take your senior year. Review our course selection guide. Plan what you want to take next year. If you are wanting to take Dual Credit classes, click on the Dual Credit button and explore TSI requirement.
Bandera High School Course Selection Guide
TEA Graduation Tool Kit
Please visit the TEA Graduation Toolkit for information on High School years and beyond provided by the Texas Education Agency.
Dual Credit Course Offerings
Click on the button to be directed to information on dual credit courses.
March/April
- _____ Take your SAT or ACT.
- _____ Begin taking a more serious look at colleges and universities. Narrow your search down to your top 10 schools.
- _____ Begin planning your college visits. Spring break is a good time to make college visits. Try to visit colleges near you. Make sure you visit small, medium and large schools.
- _____ Think about lining up a summer job, internship or co-op.
May
- _____ Take a look at some college applications and consider all of the different pieces of information you will need to compile.
- _____ Make a list of teachers, counselors, employers, and other adults you might ask to write letters of recommendation for your college applications.
- _____ Start working on your brag sheet. You will need this to give to the people you want to write a letter of recommendation as well as your college applications.
Summer
- _____ Continue investigating colleges.
- _____ Begin thinking about your applications. Generally, colleges will have their applications online by the beginning of August. Work on the essay before you return to school.
Paying for College
How are you going to pay for college? Most students are concerned about the cost of college, but it’s important to know that most college students receive some type of financial aid to help them afford the cost of their education. You can make your college dream come true, but it helps if you understand a little about how to pay for college. Click on the links below to explore the types of financial aid available and get an estimate of your eligibility for federal financial aid.
Raise.me
Earn money now by doing well in school. Raise.me is a program that allows high school students to start earning scholarship money for college. The money is tied to a students' individual achievements. The better you do in school, the more engaged you are with the community, the more money you can earn from Raise.me college partners. Go to the link below for more information.
Cafe College
Cafe College strives to create college opportunities, access and success for students in San Antonio and surrounding areas. For more information on the programs and services they offer, click on Cafe College below.
University HQ
Colleges and Universities have a wide variety of locations, settings, social styles, and academic offerings. They have rankings that try to provide a picture of the school as a helpful guide to students and their families engaged in the selection process. There are many ways to consider a school and rankings are a familiar way. University HQ is a resource to help you identify colleges/universities that fit you!
FAFSA
Start your financial aid application by clicking on the FAFSA link below
Transcript Request
To request your high school transcript, click on the link below. Give yourself plenty of time to order and mail transcripts.
SAT Prep
To adequately prepare for the SAT and ACT exam you need to practice. The Kahn Academy is a good source for SAT prep. Go to the Kahn Academy by clicking on the link below:
Alamo College Vocational Certificate Programs
If you are interested in a vocational career, check out the Alamo College vocational certification programs. Cling on the link below.
Military Careers
Interested in exploring a military career? Click on the link to below to go to Today's Military.
ASVAB Preparation Programs
The ASVAB exam must be taken by anyone interested in pursuing a military career. To maximize your score on this exam, you need to practice. Click on the link below to get information on the test and preparation programs.
Build a High School Resume
Resumes are not just for adult job applicants. High school students applying to college, summer jobs and internships need resumes too. Click on the link below to receive tips on building your high school resume.
Stress
Your Junior year of high school is often stressful. Be proactive. Take control of your stress. Watch the video below for tips on managing stress.
Managing Stress - Brainsmart - BBC
ApplyTexas was created through a collaborative effort between the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the colleges and universities represented on the site. The goal of the project is to offer a centralized means for both Texas and non-Texas students to apply to the many outstanding post-secondary institutions available in Texas. Click on the link to go to the ApplyTexas website