Junior Year To-Do List

• Understanding PSAT results - also see Carolyn Lawrence's blog
• Download BCPS's Junior Jump Start guide
• Pikesville HS Library's SAT prep Livebinder site
• Baltimore County Public Schools' school counselors collaborated to develop the Junior Jump Start college planning guide - use this for charting your course for the last two years of high school.
• Use this spreadsheet to anticipate your cumulative GPA and QPA.
• Your grade point average is already two-thirds set for college admissions, so understand that if your GPA is less than a 2.5 at this point, even straight A's this year will not bring your cumulative GPA over the 3.0 mark. However, smaller colleges will definitely notice if you've consistently and progressively improved your academic rigor and success since whatever transitional issues you had in freshman year. Just be sure to finish your high school program with a solid load of academic rigor, including Advanced Placement coursework.
• Make sure you go on college visits this year, and register - don't just randomly stroll around. By registering for such a tour, you are showing "demonstrated interest," which could help you gain a potential edge in the admissions process.
• In order to come back as a senior, you will need to be enrolled in every remaining credit that you need for a diploma, even if that means taking classes in evening school and/or Saturday school.
• Consider applying for the Alexander Hamilton Foundation Award
• If you are (1) considering a college with elite-level prestige, (2) done taking your world language, and (3) were very successful in world language last year, register in September for the November SAT Subject Test in that language with listening.
• If you plan to be eligible for NCAA intercollegiate athletics, use this spreadsheet to anticipate your core GPA. 
• Before you leave for summer vacation, make sure you ask 2-3 teachers to write letters of recommendation for you, so that they can focus on this before we all get inundated with the responsibilities of the school year in the fall.