Juniors

Class of 2025! 

2 Down and 2 more years to go! But this year is very important. This year is important because the PSAT and the SAT are planned for this school year. Colleges look at all your performance from 9-12 grade yet, 11th grade is the year that will determine your acceptance into college. Make sure you are taking classes and earning the best grade you can. Colleges look for the slips and improvements year after year and they look for AP classes, Honor classes, Dual enrollment, and Extra-Curricular activities. Be well-rounded!

This is a place where you can look for important junior information and updates you might need to know. If you cannot find what you are looking for here, please reach out to Ms. Bowens, [email protected].

PSAT/NMSQT

This is the test most people think of when they hear “PSAT.” Administered in the fall of junior year, it’s the exact same test as the PSAT 10—except that a sufficiently high score on the PSAT/NMSQT can qualify you for a National Merit Scholarship (Qualifying Test). 

SAT

The SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. 

The purpose of the SAT is to measure a student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. The SAT is switching to a digital format. The digital SAT will be shorter, reading passages will be more concise, questions will be more direct, and students will have access to a wider range of digital tools. (See the chart on the next page).

SAT Practice Testing sites: 

Collegeboard.org                             https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/practice-preparation

Khanacademy.com                          https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat/full-length-sat-1

Princeton Review                         https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/sat-practice-tests

Prepare for the SAT:

The Night Before

• Relax! There are a lot of good reasons NOT to study the night before Test Day. Marathoners don't go for a run before Race Day, and mental marathoners like you shouldn't study for more than an hour on the day before you take the SAT. Your brain needs to rest in order to do its best. Read a book or hang out with a friend or two.
• Avoid screen time. You're going to need to get a good night's sleep, and bright screens (televisions, phones, movies) will wake up your brain and make it more difficult to drift off at an early hour. 
• Have a healthy dinner. Drink lots of water and load up with complex carbohydrates, just like marathon runners do: potatoes, pasta, and rice are good choices here, as well as protein and vegetables.
• Make a plan to get to the testing site on time. 

Test Morning:

• Wake up early and have a healthy breakfast. Here are a few good choices: eggs, toast, cereal, bagel, fruit, juice, cheese, milk.
• If you drink coffee or tea, then stick to your routine. If you don't drink a caffeinated beverage every day, though, Test Day isn't the time to start. You need calm, slow-burning, consistent energy today.
• Get to the test site early.

What 10 things can I do now as an 11th grader to prepare for college?

1. 1. Start looking into colleges that you are interested in. Take into consideration the location, tuition (room and board, dining, fees and miscellaneous cost).
   2. Look for your major or the career field that interests you. Note: You do not need to know your major when you apply. It can be decided on later. 
   3. Are friends attending the same college. Sometimes having (the right) someone you know at the same college is beneficial. 
   4. Do you want to attend a PWI (Predominantly White University), HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Private, Trade School?
   5. Have an honest conversation with your parents about finances. Are they going to help you, are you on your own, some or half support? Look for scholarships!
   6. Visit colleges and attend College fairs (MMSA college fair is in October), FAFSA Night.
   7. Participate in extra-curricular activities. Colleges look favorably on students that participate in other activities. Pursue leadership roles in those activities. 
   8. Perform community Service.
   9. Talk with college students at different year levels in college. 
   10. Do well in class. Make sure you are present as much as possible. Plan doctor appointments and vacations on breaks, Saturdays, and on days we are not in school. Save doctor visits during the school day for emergencies. Remember your character is important!!

Important 11th grade Calendar Events