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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.
Your senior year is finally here (well, almost)! Your junior year was likely spent working hard to keep up your GPA and participating in extracurriculars. The work doesn’t end here, but you’re definitely in the home stretch. College applications are right around the corner and there’s no time like the present to start thinking about where you’d like to be when next summer rolls around.
To help steady the course, Grand Canyon University has compiled a summer checklist for soon-to-be seniors. Consider this the first pit stop in a road map to college (and beyond).
Start by making a list of all the college campuses you’d like to visit. These should be schools you’ve already researched in detail. Whittle that list down to four or five top choices and try to coordinate visits this summer. Depending on geography, time and funds, you may be able to hit several schools in one trip.
Campus visits are a tremendous help when deciding which school is right for you. By being on campus, you’ll be able to really “see yourself” there next year–or not.
Sign up to take the SAT and/or ACT as soon as possible. Taking them now will give you enough time to retake the exams in the fall if you want to shoot for a higher score. Many colleges, including GCU, consider college aptitude scores when awarding scholarships.
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If you do not have one already, consider applying for a part-time job. It’s a good idea to start saving money now in order to ease the transition to college. Plus, employment is a fantastic resume boost and proves your responsibility and independence to college admissions teams.
Speaking of building your resume, think about taking a summer course at a local college or university. In addition to looking like you’re serious about your future, you’ll likely be able to get college credit for each course you take.
Narrow down your top picks and organize all the application deadlines and requirements. Put them on the calendar (in ink!) so you won’t miss a deadline.
In the meantime, start researching scholarship opportunities. While schools may offer you institutional scholarships, there are literally thousands of outside or private scholarship opportunities also open to you. Start searching online for scholarships you qualify for and apply—it might just pay off big time.
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