First thing’s first, HAPPY SUMMER!

You’re officially a rising senior in high school. College may seem light years away or right around the corner. Either way, the summer is both a time for relaxation and a time to get a head start on college tours, college applications, and standardized test preparation.

Some students elect to take either the SAT or ACT in their junior year of high school, which gives them time to either improve their score or cross it off your list of “Things to do Before Graduation”.

If you have yet to take one of these exams (which most colleges and universities in the United States require), now is the optimal time to get assistance with studying from Zinkerz.

Even if you only have enough time today to go over several vocabulary terms while eating a meal, the more time you spend studying, the better your chances are at earning your desired score.

As you begin or continue the college search process, enjoy the excitement of thinking about the future and the next chapter of your life. Try to talk to students that you may run into on college campuses and get of grasp of what you’re looking for in a college and What you want to get out of the experience.

These answers won’t necessarily dawn on you overnight, but it’s important to ask yourself these kinds of questions.

Similarly, several questions to keep in mind while going on college tours are:

• Is this a safety, target or reach school?
• Does this school offer a major or minor in the area I wish to study?
• Does this school offer other programs I could be interested in?
• Is this the size of school I’m looking for?
• Could I see myself spending four years of my life here?

This summer is also a great time to hone in on college applications for schools you’re looking to attend. Most schools require a college essay, which is a good place to start, because no matter where you go, chances are you’ll need one to complete the application.

Another thing to get started on is college-specific essays. If you have a list of colleges you know you will be applying to in the fall or winter, check and see if they require their applicants to submit additional essays. If this is the case, see if they have published the topics for the upcoming year, and if so, begin the writing process!

I know that the last thing you want to think about is going back to school, and maybe you’re nervous for college (which is totally fine). However, if you can designate even a couple of minutes per day to studying and learning more about colleges and universities that you may be interested in, it will help make your inevitably crazy senior year a little less hectic. Take my word for it.

Sincerely,

A Senior in College