Episode Description:
Junior year is here.
And no, juniors, that does not mean you should open the Common App and start writing essays.
Please don't.
What junior year does mean is that some of the choices you make now can make senior year a whole lot easier.
In Episode 19 of Drop In, Lisa and Josh turn their attention to the Class of 2028 and break down what high school juniors should actually be doing now: testing, grades, activities, recommendation relationships, college visits, summer planning, and beginning to figure out what they actually want in a college.
If you would rather read through the whole junior-year roadmap, start with this week's companion guide, College Prep for Juniors: What High School Juniors Can Do Right Now to Get Ready for College Applications.
Start with something boring: make a college email
First name. Last name. Maybe a number if you need one.
That's it.
Create one email address for college-related communication and, perhaps even more importantly, actually check it.
That gives students one place for admissions messages, testing information, college visit confirmations, and eventually application communication instead of burying everything under the rest of their inbox.
Use the PSAT to build a testing plan
If you took the PSAT, do more than look at the total score.
Where were your strengths? Where were your weaknesses? Did one section feel much more natural than another?
Use that information.
For many students, winter or spring of junior year is a good time to take a first SAT or ACT, but the right timing depends on the student's academic and activity schedule.
And Lisa and Josh would like to permanently retire one testing strategy:
"I'll just take a real SAT or ACT cold and see what happens."
A real test does not need to be your practice test.
Take an official, full-length SAT and ACT practice test first. Compare the experience and results. Pick the exam that fits you better, and focus your preparation there.
For a deeper look at test anxiety, preparation, and testing strategy, read Test Anxiety and Testing Strategy: What Actually Works. And because testing policies continue to change, Test Optional, Test Blind, Test Required: What Families Need to Know can help families understand what those policies actually mean.
Yes, junior-year grades matter
Nobody's favorite section.
But probably the most important one.
Junior year is the most recent full year of grades colleges will see when students apply, so consistency matters.
That does not mean one B ruins everything.
Colleges evaluate the whole academic record: course rigor, trends over time, what the high school offered, the choices the student made, and the context surrounding those choices.
If a grade starts slipping, do something early.
Talk with the teacher. Ask questions. Go to office hours. Use tutoring if it is available. Figure out what is not clicking before the report card arrives.
And there is another reason those classroom relationships matter: junior-year teachers are often the people students ask to write college recommendation letters.
The goal is not to demonstrate that nothing was ever difficult. A teacher who watched a student struggle, ask for help, adjust, and improve may have something meaningful to write about.
Go deeper in your activities, not busier
Start an activities résumé now.
Seriously. Future-you will be grateful.
Write down:
your role
hours per week
weeks per year
what you actually did
what you accomplished
problems you helped solve
responsibilities you took on
skills you developed
what changed because you were there
how you grew
And please do not hear this episode and join six clubs tomorrow.
Junior year is about depth, not collecting activities.
Leadership does not always mean president. Training a new volunteer, solving a problem, taking on additional responsibility at work, creating something new, or becoming the person others rely on can all demonstrate leadership.
Our guide to extracurricular activities and why depth beats breadth digs further into what meaningful involvement actually looks like.
Start thinking about summer before summer
Not because every student needs a prestigious summer program.
They don't.
But internships, camps, research opportunities, jobs, and other structured programs can have deadlines much earlier than families expect.
And working a regular job is completely valid. So is volunteering. So is caring for siblings. So is spending meaningful time doing something you genuinely enjoy.
Not every summer needs to be engineered for college admissions.
Visit colleges now
You do not need a final college list before you start visiting.
Actually, that's part of the point.
Visit a big university. Visit a small college. Visit a city campus. Visit somewhere near home even if you are pretty sure you will never apply.
You are gathering information.
Do you like big? Small? Urban? College town? Close to home? Far away? Saturdays with 40,000 people at a football game? Or does that sound like your personal nightmare?
Sign up for the official tour and information session, but do more than the scripted visit.
Eat on campus. Walk around without the tour guide. Sit in the student center. Read the campus newspaper. Watch how students interact. Talk with people who are not being paid or trained to tell you how much they love the school.
And Lisa's favorite question to ask a current student?
"What would you change about this place?"
Then take notes immediately afterward.
Because after campus number four, every "really pretty library" starts becoming the same really pretty library.
And yes, your college list should change
That is not a failure.
That is the point.
You are going to visit schools. Take new classes. Discover majors you did not know existed. Learn that you love something you thought you would hate. Fall out of love with the college whose sweatshirt you have worn since seventh grade.
Good.
College research is not supposed to confirm an answer you chose before you started. It is supposed to help you find the answer.
For another perspective on using junior year intentionally without turning it into a year-long admissions panic, read The Junior Year Head Start That Actually Works. The article's central advice lines up closely with this episode: thoughtful academics, meaningful activities, a sane testing plan, and steady progress beat simply doing more.
And if your family wants more structured support with testing strategy, course planning, activities, visits, summer planning, and building a thoughtful college list, learn more about Decision Drop's junior-year college planning.
The biggest takeaway?
Junior year is for curiosity, not commitment.
You do not need to finish the college process right now.
You just need to start learning enough about colleges, and about yourself, that when it is time to make those decisions, they actually belong to you.
And if you want Lisa and Josh in your corner while you figure all of that out, connect with Decision Drop.
In this episode:
What high school juniors should be doing now
Why juniors should create a college email address
How to use PSAT results
When to take the SAT or ACT
Why a real SAT or ACT should not be your practice test
Why junior-year grades matter
What course rigor actually means
When to ask for help in a difficult class
Why junior-year teachers matter for recommendations
How to start an activities résumé
What leadership actually looks like
Why depth matters more than joining more clubs
When to start thinking about summer opportunities
When juniors should start visiting colleges
What to look for during a college visit
Why students should take notes after campus visits
Why a junior-year college list should change
How to prepare for senior year without trying to do senior year early
🎙️ Also available on: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | iHeart
Top Questions Answered in this Episode
What should high school juniors be doing now to prepare for college?
Juniors should focus first on strong academics while beginning the practical parts of college planning. That can include creating a college email address, reviewing PSAT results, building an SAT or ACT testing plan, getting to know their school counselor, starting an activities résumé, thinking about summer opportunities, visiting different types of colleges, and beginning to identify what they want in a college. The goal is not to start senior year early. It is to keep senior year from starting at zero.
When should juniors take the SAT or ACT?
For many students, winter or spring of junior year is a good time for a first SAT or ACT because it leaves time to prepare, see the result, and test again if needed. The best date depends on the student's academic, athletic, and extracurricular schedule. Students with a particularly busy spring may want to test earlier. They should also register early because nearby testing centers can fill.
Should juniors take both the SAT and ACT?
Students do not need to prepare indefinitely for both exams. A good starting point is to take an official full-length practice SAT and ACT under realistic conditions, compare the experience and results, and choose the test that feels like the stronger fit. Students can then concentrate their preparation on that exam rather than dividing their time between both.
How important are junior-year grades for college admissions?
Junior-year grades matter because junior year is usually the most recent complete academic year colleges see when students apply. Admissions officers still evaluate the entire transcript, including course rigor, trends, the classes available at the high school, and academic context. One imperfect grade does not erase a student's record, but students should respond early if a class starts becoming difficult.
Why are junior-year teachers important for recommendation letters?
Junior-year teachers are often strong recommendation writers because they taught the student recently and may have watched them work through more advanced coursework. Students should build genuine classroom relationships by participating, asking questions, seeking help when needed, and taking responsibility for their learning. A teacher who has seen a student's growth, persistence, curiosity, or contribution can often write a more specific letter.
What should juniors include in an activities résumé?
Students should record each activity, their role, hours per week, weeks per year, responsibilities, accomplishments, problems they helped solve, skills they developed, and any impact they made. Students should update the document periodically rather than trying to remember several years of involvement when applications open. Jobs, family responsibilities, athletics, volunteering, clubs, creative work, and other meaningful commitments can all belong.
When should juniors start visiting colleges?
Junior year is a great time to begin visiting colleges, especially during weekends, school breaks, and spring break. Early visits do not have to be to schools the student plans to apply to. Visiting different types of campuses can help students discover preferences around size, location, setting, academic environment, and campus culture. Students should take the official tour when possible, explore beyond the tour, talk to current students, and take notes immediately afterward.
Should a junior already have a final college list?
No. A junior should begin exploring colleges, but the list should remain flexible. Students are supposed to learn new things, change preferences, discover academic interests, and add or remove colleges as they research and visit. A changing list is usually evidence that the student is learning more about fit, not that something has gone wrong.
Chapters
00:00 – Junior Year College Planning: What Should You Be Doing Now?
03:03 – Start Here: College Email, PSAT & Your School Counselor
06:21 – SAT vs. ACT: When Juniors Should Test
10:01 – Junior Year Grades, Rigor & Asking for Help
13:07 – Activities, Leadership & Building Your Resume
16:05 – College Visits: What to Look For & What to Ask
22:03 – Hot Take: Your Junior-Year College List SHOULD Change
23:37 – Go Deeper, Not Busier
25:20 – Drop the Mic: Start Now, But Do Not Compare
28:01 – Next Week: College Recruiting for Student-Athletes
Read the full Episode 19 transcript
Josh (00:20)
Every week we drop the noise.
Lisa (00:21)
Drop the stress.
Josh (00:22)
And drop some knowledge.
Lisa (00:24)
Welcome to the Drop In, the College Admissions podcast by Decision Drop. If you want to learn more about our services or have Josh and I guide your family through this process personally, head over to decisiondrop.com and check us out. And please, please like and subscribe.
Josh (00:40)
I'm Josh.
Lisa (00:40)
I'm Lisa. Let's go. I've really got to work on that pitch. Like that was, I think I'm slightly hoarse. So sorry y'all who are listening to our podcast. But like that was a lot more like, woo, right?
Josh (00:55)
Little bit, slightly closer to the screen, but it's a balancing act. It's a balancing act there. Okay.
Lisa (00:58)
Okay. True, true. I'll get better. I'll get better.
Josh (01:03)
Episode nineteen, Lisa. Wow.
Lisa (01:05)
Mm-hmm.
Josh (01:06)
Alrighty, so Lisa, so far we have spent a lot of time with our seniors this fall.
Lisa (01:12)
Mm-hmm.
Josh (01:13)
Essays, early deadlines, interviews, applicant portals, all the college application things.
Lisa (01:19)
Right, as we should, Josh, because you know what? They are in it. But today, seniors, you know we love you. We are actually going to turn our attention to somebody else.
Josh (01:29)
That's right, the Class of 2028.
Lisa (01:35)
Hello juniors. Yes, it is your turn. And remember before anyone panics, no, we are not telling you that you should already be filling out the Common App.
Josh (01:46)
Please don't do that.
Lisa (01:47)
Please, please, please, please do not do that. But this is important. And we know that we are still finishing up with seniors. And how does it already feel like it's time for juniors? But it is, because junior year, y'all, it is important because this is when some of the choices you're going to make senior year actually become a whole lot easier.
Josh (02:07)
Yeah, it's the most recent full year of grades that colleges will have when you apply. And for a lot of students, it's when testing really starts. It's when activities may turn into leadership or some form of deeper involvement. And it's also when families start visiting colleges and figuring out, you know, what they actually like.
Lisa (02:24)
Which does not mean that you need a perfectly color-coded college list with twelve schools by Thanksgiving. You don't. I mean, you could. You know I would love that, but you do not have to.
Josh (02:39)
Exactly. But what you do need, students, is a starting point.
Lisa (02:43)
Right. This is not do senior year early. That is not what this episode is about. What it's about is what can you do now so next August does not feel like someone dumped your entire college process on your kitchen table overnight.
Josh (02:58)
Exactly. So no panic, no trying to do everything all at once. Just a plan.
Lisa (03:03)
And you know how much we love a plan. So let's do this, y'all. Okay, juniors, let's make this practical. All right, Josh, what can we actually tell them that they could be doing right now?
Josh (03:14)
Yeah, so we can start with something that we told our seniors a number of episodes ago when we were first starting with them. Make a college email address.
Lisa (03:23)
Yep. First name, last name, keep it simple.
Josh (03:26)
And actually check said email address.
Lisa (03:28)
That's probably the most important thing about this number one, because that is a very important detail. And here is something that you do not hear me say very often. Boring is actually good here. So keep the email address simple.
Josh (03:43)
Yes, and this email address gives you one place for college emails instead of having admissions messages buried under everything else in your regular email inbox.
Lisa (03:51)
Mm-hmm. Right. So kiddos, check it. Creating the email and then never opening it never helps anybody.
Josh (03:59)
That's an important second step.
Lisa (04:00)
Okay. So number two, if you took the PSAT this fall, actually go back and look at your score report. Do not just go, cool, I got a 1240 and then never open it again.
Josh (04:11)
Exactly, Lisa, because the useful part is not just the total score. You can look at where were your strengths, where were your weaknesses? Did one section feel more natural than another? So that's information that you can use when you start building your testing plan.
Lisa (04:24)
It's free information, y'all. And we love free information.
Josh (04:28)
Third thing, get to know your school counselor. Not because there's a problem, not because you need some emergency meeting. Just have a conversation with them.
Lisa (04:37)
And parents, this one matters. Your kiddo's counselor is going to be a part of the process. They might write recommendations. They're going to help with transcripts. They're going to know, or they should know, your school's timeline. Your student should actually get to know them. That's super important.
Josh (04:53)
Yeah, and your counselor can also tell you when your school does course registration, junior meetings, college nights, recommendation letter requests. So all these things that can vary from high school to high school.
Lisa (05:03)
Okay, so number four. Start figuring out what you like, what schools you like, not which college you're going to attend. Do you like big schools? Do you like small schools? Do you like a city? Do you like a college town? Do you want football on Saturdays with 40,000 people? Or does that sound like your personal nightmare? Do you want close to home? Do you want far away and far away that your parents cannot randomly drop by on a Tuesday? It matters.
Josh (05:29)
Lisa, are you speaking from experience? That sounds pretty specific there.
Lisa (05:34)
I mean, maybe, maybe I'm speaking from experience. And let's be honest, I really do just like asking questions. So what do you think?
Josh (05:43)
Fair.
Lisa (05:44)
What do you think you might want to study? And even if you say, I don't know, that is perfectly allowed right now.
Josh (05:50)
Yeah, that is very much allowed because right now you're just collecting information. You're not making any kind of permanent decision.
Lisa (05:57)
Junior year, it's for you to be curious, not committed.
See what I did there?
Josh (06:03)
Alrighty.
I see that. Alrighty.
Lisa (06:06)
Get a comment after that? Curious and not committed? Come on, Josh.
Josh (06:11)
Well, I knew you were gonna say something, so I decided to kinda, you know, transition.
Lisa (06:16)
Okay, so then yes, that's going on our spreadsheet.
Josh (06:21)
Alrighty. Moving on from spreadsheets. Well, actually, this might be something that blends with them. Testing.
So this is probably one of the questions that we hear most from junior families. You know, when should my student take their first SAT or ACT?
Lisa (06:35)
And for most kiddos, we like winter or spring of that junior year. It gives you time to prepare, to take a real test, see what happens, and then still have room to test again if you want. But really, it needs to make sense to you. So if you know that your spring is going to be bananas, then take it in November or December of your junior year. Really, we want y'all to take it junior year. Mm-hmm.
Josh (07:00)
Mm-hmm. Right. And so for the SAT, the remaining test dates this school year are December 5th, March 6th, May 1st, and June 5th. And then for the ACT, the remaining dates are December 12th, February 27th, April 10th, June 12th, and July 10th.
Lisa (07:19)
And y'all, the most important thing about testing is register early, especially if you're going to take it in the spring, because nothing is more annoying than finally picking that perfect date and then realizing the testing center that's just five minutes away from your house is full. And now you're driving an hour at 7 a.m. in the morning.
To a school that you may not have ever heard of, to a town you've never been in, and then you gotta find parking and all that kind of stuff. So register early.
Josh (07:50)
Yeah. And here's one thing that I'd like to get rid of permanently. The old philosophy of, hmm, I'm just gonna take one cold and see what happens.
Lisa (07:59)
Yes. You know, I would also like to get rid of that.
Josh (08:02)
So a real SAT or ACT doesn't need to be your practice test. And I think we've talked about this before, but I want to make sure we reiterate it on this podcast. If you want a baseline, we recommend that you take an official full-length practice test. The practice tests are timed and you can do one under real conditions. Then you look at the results of the practice test to build your plan from there.
Lisa (08:27)
Right, cause kiddos, walking into the SAT having never seen the digital format is not a strategy.
Josh (08:34)
Yeah. And if you're trying to decide between the SAT and the ACT, we recommend again, take a practice test for both. The SAT is digital right now. The ACT, the science section is optional, so they can feel very different.
Lisa (08:47)
They really can. And most kids that we work with, they have a very strong opinion on which test they want to take. And that's okay.
Josh (08:55)
I think it's fine to have that opinion and you use that opinion to pick the one that fits you better and then you focus your test prep attention, whatever shape or form that might take. You focus it there. So you don't get extra credit for preparing for both tests forever.
Lisa (09:09)
My gosh, thank you. It's so true, y'all. You are not collecting standardized tests. So find a test, make a plan, do the work, take the test, and keep moving.
Josh (09:19)
And if testing makes you particularly anxious, go back to Episode 14 where we spoke with Megan Dorsey. So during that episode, during our conversation with her, we talked about things like test anxiety, timing, and how to figure out which test makes sense for you.
Lisa (09:35)
Look at us. You're talking about Episode 14. I'm about to talk about Episode 6. That was our test optional episode. Because do I even need to submit a test score?
Is a whole different conversation, y'all. And parents, policies change. Remember, it depends. Yeah, we're already to that part of our podcast. So check the actual policy for your kiddo's application every year.
Josh (10:01)
Yes.
Lisa (10:01)
All right. Okay, Josh. So let's talk about grades. The least exciting section of this entire episode, I am afraid.
Josh (10:09)
But probably the most important.
Lisa (10:11)
I know, very true, very true.
Josh (10:13)
Right. And so we mentioned this at the top, juniors. So this year is the most recent full year of grades that colleges are going to see when you apply. So if there's a year where consistency matters, this is it.
Lisa (10:25)
Right. But we want families to hear this correctly. That does not mean, remember, one B junior year means the sky is falling. It is not. We literally just did an entire episode about doing that. So don't do it.
Josh (10:40)
Correct, Lisa. So colleges, remember students and parents, they're looking at the whole academic record. They're looking at what the academic trends are. They are looking at course rigor. They're looking at what was available at your school and what choices you made within your curriculum.
Lisa (10:56)
And this is why junior year can actually tell a really good story for you. Think about it. Who were you when you started school as a freshman? Was it a little rocky? Maybe freshman year was a little messy. Maybe sophomore year got better. And now junior year, you're really finding your footing. That is the upward trend that really truly matters.
Josh (11:18)
Yes. And rigor matters too. But again, please hear us. Rigor doesn't mean take every AP available. So it does mean challenging yourself appropriately, especially in areas that make sense for your goals.
Lisa (11:32)
Because if you're telling us you want to study engineering, then we probably want to see you stretching in math and science. We do not need you to take every single AP just to prove that you can.
Josh (11:44)
And here's some practical advice. The second a grade starts slipping, do something.
Lisa (11:48)
Yes, do not wait until the report card arrives and then decide that that class is a problem. Go see your teacher, self-advocate, ask questions, go to office hours, get the tutoring if you can, and then figure out why it's not clicking. It's so important to start this early. And y'all, trust your gut. It means something. And then go talk to the teacher.
Josh (12:10)
Yes. And here's another benefit of talking with those teachers and pursuing some of the things that Lisa just talked about. Those junior-year teachers are often the teachers that you're gonna ask for recommendation letters. So a teacher who watched you struggle with something, watched you also ask for help, adjust and improve, they'll have something meaningful to say about you in their letter.
Lisa (12:29)
Great, because remember y'all, the goal is not, my gosh, I could have never struggled in that class. The goal is what did you do when something got hard? That's very important to remember.
Josh (12:41)
And one more thing, juniors. So senior-year course selection usually happens in the spring of this year for you all. So our advice and recommendation is when you're considering choices for your schedule, please don't treat senior year, especially the spring, like a victory lap where all of a sudden your rigor can just disappear. Colleges will still see your senior schedule.
Lisa (13:02)
Right y'all. So you are not done in May of junior year. Sorry.
Josh (13:07)
Sorry guys. Okay, so let's talk about activities and the resume. Lisa, why should students start now?
Lisa (13:14)
Question, Joshua, because future you is going to love present you. So next fall, the Common App is going to ask you to list your activities. What did you do? How many hours did you spend doing it? How many weeks a year? And then suddenly you're sitting there like, my gosh, what did I do when I volunteered sophomore year? That's not fun.
Josh (13:35)
Yeah, especially because you won't remember.
Lisa (13:37)
No, maybe one or two of y'all might, but most of y'all will not. So open that Google Doc today. Start writing down your activities, your role, your hours, your weeks. What did you actually do? What did you accomplish? The problems that you solved, the lessons that you learned, the skills you gained. What made that experience unique? How did you grow?
Anything that changed because you were there and then every couple of months, y'all, go in and update that spreadsheet.
Josh (14:08)
And guys, this is also the year to think about depth, not how many more clubs can I join before college applications?
Lisa (14:14)
Please do not join six clubs tomorrow because you listened to this episode. That is not what we are telling you to do.
Josh (14:21)
Yeah, that will be the exact opposite of the advice we're giving you.
Lisa (14:24)
One hundred percent.
Josh (14:26)
Yes, primarily because, and we've spoken about this before, colleges can tell the difference between a student who signed up for a lot of things and a student who genuinely invested in something.
Lisa (14:35)
And leadership, remember, does not mean president. So can we retire that idea too, please?
Josh (14:41)
Seconded.
Lisa (14:43)
Thank you. Boop. Maybe you train new volunteers, or maybe you created something, maybe you fixed something that wasn't working, or maybe you have a part-time job and a manager trusts you to close every Saturday night. Y'all, that counts. That is leadership.
Josh (14:59)
Yeah, responsibility counts, impact counts, consistency counts.
Lisa (15:03)
Right. And go ahead and start thinking about next summer now. Not because every kiddo needs some wildly impressive summer program. But if there is an internship, a job, a research opportunity, a camp, whatever you are interested in, some of those applications actually happen way earlier than you and your family expect.
Josh (15:23)
Yeah. Winter deadlines for summer programs are common. So waiting until May to think about summer, it can actually lead to some options being not available for you.
Lisa (15:32)
Great. And it's also completely okay to work. It's okay to volunteer. It's completely okay to take care of your siblings. It's okay to do something because you genuinely love it. Not every summer needs to be engineered for a college application. Have fun and still be you.
Josh (15:51)
Exactly. And for reference, way back in Episode 7 we did a deep dive on extracurriculars. So we definitely encourage you guys to go back and listen to that one to get more information.
Lisa (16:00)
Look at us. We've done a lot of episodes, Josh.
Josh (16:02)
Well, that's what happens when you get to 19 episodes, Lisa. I mean, yeah, we have a catalogue now.
Lisa (16:05)
It's true. It's true. I love that we have a catalog. All right, so we just talked about grades. How about my favorite as a former tour guide, campus visits.
Josh (16:16)
Yes. So Lisa, since it's your favorite and since you are a former tour guide, when should juniors start these visits?
Lisa (16:22)
Honestly, let's do them now. The spring of junior year is great because you've got long weekends, spring break, teacher work days, Saturdays. But maybe you had a fall break. Even if we have sophomores or freshmen listening, if your family goes on vacation this summer, just go by and see a school. Just start doing it now. Just start going.
Josh (16:42)
Yeah. And you don't even have to get on a plane. You can start close to home.
Lisa (16:45)
Right. My gosh, I love this. If you live near a giant public university, go and see it. Go see a small private college. Go see a city campus. You do not even have to think you're going to apply there. You are learning what it feels like to be in a place like that. Remember, it's just important to learn what you like and what you don't like.
And when you go on those campus visits, remember to start marking down things that you saw. Things that you heard, things that you ate while on campus, all of it.
Josh (17:17)
Yeah, exactly. Because these kinds of early visits that Lisa's talking about, they're less about identifying like the one school for you and they're more about figuring out your preferences, what you like, what you don't like.
Lisa (17:27)
Exactly, because you don't know what you don't know. So you need to experience it. You may swear you want that giant university. And once you stand in the middle of the quad and you're like, nope, absolutely not. Or you may think you want tiny and then realizing once you get there, there's a little bit more going on. So go experience the school if you can.
Josh (17:50)
And when you do visit, we highly recommend sign up for the official tour and the information session. I think obviously doing a little drive-by is beneficial, but we want you to get out of the car and actually take the official tour and meet with an admissions person for the information session. Because some colleges, they do track demonstrated interest, which we did talk about using that catalog that we now have, Lisa. We talked about this way back in Episode 10. So give that a listen.
Lisa (18:17)
Right. But please do more than the tour. Like we said, eat something. Walk around without the tour guide. Sit somewhere for 20 minutes. Watch the students. If you are on the campus tour, look around, see if the other kids are talking to each other. If they have their head down, you will get a good feel of the vibe of the place by just being there.
Pick up a school newspaper, because yes, they still have those there. And then go find the student center and just hang out.
Josh (18:44)
Yeah, the school newspaper is a really good idea. I'm a big fan of that. Picking it up and reading through it gives you a sense of what's going on on campus, what's working well, what issues there are on campus. So finding a campus newspaper and actually reading it will give you a real inside flavor about the school beyond just the admissions presentation.
And as Lisa mentioned, talking to students and stuff like that. Definitely the tour guide's important, but you also want to talk to students who aren't being paid or were trained by the university. You want their unfiltered responses as well.
Lisa (19:19)
And if you need a question to ask, my favorite question would be, "What would you change about this place?" Because that answer actually tells you way more than, "What do you love about the place?"
Josh (19:31)
Yes, and another great practical tip, take notes after the visit. So open up your phone on your notes app. Once the visit's over, sit down somewhere, take notes, have your folks take notes. Maybe you guys can compare them. But don't fly home and then three weeks later try to recall your impressions of the visit because you're not going to. Take them right then right after the visit.
Lisa (19:53)
Mm-hmm. Because after campus number four, and sometimes you might see three campuses in one day. We suggest seeing two if you can and no more than two. Because after that second one, they all start looking the same. So you're like, my gosh, like which one was that really pretty library? Or you could possibly do the tour yourself because you've taken so many.
They all have that blue light on campus. And magically, they'll tell you that someone accidentally pushed the emergency button and the campus officer was there in sixty seconds. Everybody has that story every time they have a tour.
Josh (20:31)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. And take pictures. So going along with those notes, right? Especially if you're gonna be using your phone, take pictures to put into your notes app. So that way you have not only your written words, but visual cues and reminders as well. So that way now you can say, X University had their pretty library as you go back to check through your notes.
Lisa (20:47)
Mm-hmm. And this will also help you when you are fast forwarding to senior year and you are sitting down and you are working on your supplementals. Sometimes they'll say, well, why this college? Or if you choose this major, how will this college help you with that major? If you can go back to your notes and make it personal, that is a win-win.
Lisa (21:08)
And parents, this is really important during this campus visit. Let your kiddos ask the questions. Let them walk up to the admissions person. Let them talk to them. Let them check it out. Let them start practicing to be the person that is going to own this process the following year.
Josh (21:25)
Super important. And another thing, if travel isn't realistic, you know, schedules, finances, etc., virtual tours, online sessions, and also regional admissions events still do give you useful information. And those can also be used to track demonstrated interest as well.
Lisa (21:41)
Right, keep in mind the point is to start learning, not to rack up campus visits like they're trophies.
Josh (21:48)
Hmm, that's a good one. I don't know if that's T-shirt ready or sticker ready, but that's pretty good. It's just below.
Lisa (21:54)
I mean, we can noodle on it. I don't think it's a hundred percent ready, but I do kinda like it.
Josh (21:58)
I don't know. Okay. Alrighty. So Lisa, Hot Take or Hard Truth? You go first.
Lisa (22:03)
Man, this episode went by fast. We are already to Hot Take, Hard Truth. Let me think. Okay, mine is going to be for kiddos and parents this week. I know, look at me doing something different. Usually it's only to kiddos or only to parents. So for both of y'all, the college list you make junior year should change. I know that is a controversial opinion.
So that's why it's my hot take. Please do not get attached to this list in October of 11th grade and act like those 12 schools have been carved into stone and you cannot change them because you are going to learn things. You are going to visit, you are going to take classes that you did not expect to love. You are going to discover a major that you might not have known existed a year ago. You may decide you want a completely different kind of campus.
And yes, you may fall out of love with the school whose sweatshirt you have been wearing since seventh grade. And that is absolutely a good thing.
Josh (23:07)
Yeah, exactly, Lisa. I think sometimes families interpret changing the list as they did something wrong or something went wrong.
Lisa (23:13)
Exactly! Nothing went wrong, y'all! You learned something. That is literally what we want you to do. If your list looks the same in October of your senior year as it did in October of your junior year, I'm probably going to ask you, what did you actually learn about yourself along the way? College research is not supposed to confirm an answer you already picked. It's supposed to help you find the answer.
Josh (23:37)
That's a good one. Okay, so mine is related, but I'll take it into a little bit of a different direction. Junior year is not the year to add more. It's the year to go deeper.
I think obviously as a junior, students are starting to feel that clock now. You're seeing your friends who are seniors go through the process and you know that you're next up. You know that applications are coming, and then suddenly your instinct is, let me get one more AP, let me join one more club.
Let me try to add one more leadership title or let me try to test one more time. One more thing you can put on the application. And more, juniors and parents, is not automatically better.
Lisa (24:14)
My gosh, yes, yes.
Josh (24:16)
Yeah. Because if you already have two or three things that you care about, just go do those things really well. Take on more responsibility in the things that you're already in. Make an impact. Get better at something you're already doing. Stay with it long enough that you actually have a story to tell about it.
The same goes with your academics, juniors. Challenge yourself, but don't build a schedule you can't sustain just because you think the biggest number of APs wins. It doesn't.
Lisa (24:42)
Right. And parents, write that down because this is the year we start hearing, should we add? I mean maybe, but maybe the answer is actually to stop adding and let your kiddo go deeper in what they're already doing.
Josh (24:57)
Exactly. It's because junior year should build a stronger student, not just a busier one.
Lisa (25:02)
Josh, I like that. That is definitely going, that could be a sticker.
Josh (25:04)
Hey, now that could be a sticker.
Lisa (25:08)
I am proud of you, Joshua. That can be a sticker and it's going on the spreadsheet. Yep, absolutely. All right, so Drop the Mic, Josh. Please go first.
Josh (25:20)
Alrighty. So juniors, you don't need to do everything right now. You just need to start. And I think that gets lost because the college process is usually presented to you guys as this giant checklist: testing, grades, activities, visits, summer plans, college research.
And when you look at it all at once, of course, you're gonna feel overwhelmed. So don't pick the next thing. Make the college email, take the practice test.
Start a résumé document. Go visit one campus in your neighborhood, in your area. Have that conversation we talked about with your college counselor. Just one useful step at a time.
Because five small things you do over the next six months, they're a lot more valuable than the 20 things you panic about next August. So the goal of junior year is not to finish the college process. It is to make sure senior year does not have you starting from zero.
Lisa (26:11)
Yes, Josh. Yes. Do not start from zero. That will be not good for any of us.
Josh (26:18)
Right.
Lisa (26:18)
One hundred percent. Woo! Okay, this is just for kiddos.
Don't look around at everybody else during this process because junior year, that is a hundred percent when comparison starts getting super loud. I mean, let's be honest, y'all. You're already comparing yourself to each other, but junior year, it's really hard to turn it off.
Yes, you got that friend who got a 1500, and you have somebody else that has four APs. And then you have your other friend over here that's president of everything. And then another kid who already knows that they want to go to Vanderbilt because they visited when they were twelve. And good for them. That's awesome.
But junior year is not a race against your classmates. And we know it is really hard to turn that off. We understand. Theirs is theirs, yours is yours.
So this year you need to start figuring out you. What are you good at? What do you actually enjoy? What brings you joy? What kind of environment makes you happy? Go visit places, try new things, ask questions, change your mind.
You do not need to know exactly where you are gonna go yet. You just need to start learning enough about yourself that when it is time to make those choices, it's going to actually belong to you. So juniors, get curious and not competitive. You have time, so use it.
Josh (27:40)
Okay, that could work as a sticker. That could work. That could work.
Lisa (27:44)
Welcome to the dark side, Josh. If anyone's keeping score, that is two things that Josh has said I can add to our spreadsheet. I cannot wait till we have a break where I can go through all of our spreadsheet lists and really start making this merch. Cause I think it's gonna be amazing.
Josh (28:01)
I think it will be too. Alrighty. So Episode 20 is coming up next week, Lisa. So 2-0. So next week on Drop In, we're gonna stay on the pathways that run on their own clock, and we're talking about recruited athletes. And we're gonna bring on another guest, Mr. Brian Plotkin, who's the head men's soccer coach at Army.
Lisa (28:22)
And this one has its own universe of rules, y'all. So you have NCAA eligibility, registering with the Eligibility Center, recruiting timelines, and the periods when coaches can and can't talk to you, highlight film, campus visits, showcases, camps, the real difference between Division I, II, III. There are a lot and most families actually learn a little too late about this process.
Josh (28:46)
We're gonna get right into the thing that sinks a lot of hopeful athletes. So the coach email that never gets answered because it was too generic, the same copy-and-paste messages sent to forty coaches that none of them read.
Lisa (28:57)
And y'all, I'm excited to say we are bringing back that lightning round. We had so much fun last week with Jacqui. So how do you write a coach email that actually gets opened? Or what do coaches actually want to see and when is it already too late to start this process? Like quick questions, straight answers, get to the point. Very excited.
Josh (29:19)
So if you have an athlete in your house, we recommend that you tune into this episode.
Lisa (29:23)
Right, you don't want to miss it. So remember, we are Decision Drop, making your college journey collaborative, simple, but most importantly, yours. And if you want us in your corner helping your junior figure out testing, the classes, the activities, the campus visits, and what actually needs to happen now, so senior year does not feel a whole lot more chaotic, head to decisiondrop.com and check us out.
Josh (29:50)
And I'm gonna steal your line, Lisa. Please remember to like and subscribe. Thanks for dropping in, guys. We'll see y'all next week.
Lisa (29:55)
Bye.
