Odds are, you’ve been receiving letters, leaflets, pamphlets, and emails from various colleges. Some of these colleges may be local and well-known, others may be faraway and obscure. Maybe you aren’t exactly sure what to do about this avalanche of mail under which you’ve been buried. Or, maybe you haven’t received any mail yet and hearing that other students are is making you worry.
Whichever student you are in this scenario – don’t panic.
Your participation in the ACT or SAT is most likely the reason you have started receiving a lot of attention from colleges and universities. If you haven’t taken either test, then you may just not be on the school marketing lists yet. The vast majority of these marketing pieces, whether they arrive digitally or physically, are to generate interest and make you aware of all your college options.
That doesn’t mean, however, that these items are worthless. Colleges could be sending you some really cool stuff if you pay attention. Spend a few minutes with each new piece of mail. Look at the photos, read the content. Are there key words or graphics resonating with you? Do they seem to value the same things you value in your education? What is the focus? If nothing about the school interests you, toss the mail in the trash or delete the email. But, if a school catches your interest, file the item away in a safe place or specific folder. When you’re ready to start exploring colleges, you’ll already have a great starting point of potential options.
Things to focus on now
The reality is, as a junior in high school, you need to focus mostly on keeping a solid GPA, taking all of the required credits for graduation, and scheduling your ACT or SAT exam.
You can start to plan for life after high school – research different majors, explore college websites, ask questions, take a virtual tour. But you don’t need to stress or make any final decisions just yet.
