Students should plan for senior year
A timeline for scholarships and tests
by Laura S.
May 27, 2008
Senior year is said to be the best time of a high school career.
Yet, between all of the fun, the stressful decisions of the next
step in life and the competition for scholarships keeps seniors
busy and, at times, stressed.
According to Joni Clark-Leiker, counselor, ACT states that the
spring of junior year is the best time to take the ACT test. During
junior year, academic levels are advancing which benefits students
by giving them the skills and knowledge to understand the test
more. Since it is late in junior year and summer hasn’t begun,
students are still current with useful information. It also gives
students time to retake the test if they aren’t happy with the
scores they received.
Many universities require incoming students who didn’t receive high
enough scores on the math and English portions of the ACT to take
remedial classes to help them transition better into the normal
College Algebra and English 101 classes.
Along with planning a date to take the ACT, it’s also the time to
begin considering college choices.
“Spring and summer is a great time because it helps students with
career interests, colleges, choosing majors, and scholarship
applications,” Clark-Leiker said. “It’s a big year for getting
ready for the year after.”
There is an option available to juniors and seniors concerning
college visits. Each year, juniors are offered one excused school
day and seniors are offered three excused school days upon request
through the career center and administration.
It is always possible to request more if needed due to traveling. A
choice many students may benefit from is having Clark-Leiker
arrange personal visits with advisors in different areas of the
university. When planning these visits it is important to remember
the local help that is offered.
Another resource to use is the power school bulletin when it comes
time to look for scholarships. The career center posts scholarships
that are mailed to them in order to keep students up-to-date with
the new information in a fast and easy way.
It’s also important to keep in mind the community organizations and
churches who may offer different scholarships.
Clark-Leiker also said doing internet research through sites like
google.com and fastweb.com open up new national scholarship
opportunities.
“Getting scholarships finished early and just getting a plan set is
a good idea for seniors,” Paige P., sr., said. “I wish I would have
begun looking at scholarships sooner, and I would have looked at
different schools. As of now, I will be attending CCC for at least
one year and then probably attending KU.”
Besides just looking at major decisions during junior and senior
years, it’s important to keep everything in mind, even as a
freshman.
According to Clark-Leiker, it’s important to take preparatory
classes all through high school, including senior year when many
students begin slacking off.
“Just following rigorous curriculum and taking classes that hold
career area interests is a good idea,” Leiker said.
It’s also important to remember that all students are in the same
position, and many staff members are there for advice.
“What has helped me most was all of the individual advice from
teachers and coaches. They help us pick our careers in sports and
academics,” Brady R., sr., said.
