Time for juniors to get in gear

The senior class is making final preparations for life beyond CHS.  Now, it is time for juniors to get busy deciding their path as they look toward their final year as Cadets.

There are many things for juniors to do to prepare for graduation. Like it or not, most seniors will need to take either  the ACT or SAT, if not both. And, there is no time like the present to start studying for these college entrance exams.

“In order to prepare for the SAT, I will be reviewing and doing practice tests in an SAT prep booklet that was purchased when I signed up for my course,” said junior Alyson Owen.

 Not only can you use a prep booklet, but you can also use Khan Academy that has official SAT practice tests.

Juniors can also get a head start on sending in college applications. 

“Colleges open the applications in July. We encourage students to apply to all colleges by Halloween,” said guidance counselor Chris DuBois.

But not all students apply for colleges. Roughly 70 percent of students attend a four year college, 20 percent attend a two year school, while five percent go into the workforce and five percent go into the armed forces.

There are some students who choose not to go to college and join the workforce right away. 

Dubois said, “Some students do not think they are smart enough or they can not afford it.  But, both of these statements are untrue.  Some students just do not want to go to college because they want to start working and making money.  Each student will have a different plan for after high school.  Students who plan on entering the workforce, need to have a plan of attack and not hope they will get on somewhere.” 

Some students are still deciding on what it is they want to do after high school, and that is why they need to start thinking about it now.

“After high school, I am interested in pursuing a career in either engineering or teaching, but I have not decided which one,” said junior Kaylin Cook.

While there is a little more than a year of their high school years, juniors still have plenty of time to figure out their plans for after high school. But they should not procrastinate.