While remembering to sleep and figuring out a preferred planner routine are good rules of thumb for a lot of the stressors the year will bring, here are a few helpful college planning tips that will put you in good stead for the year ahead. Prioritize Academics

Goes without saying, right? Good. Glad we agree. Practice Standardized Testing

Fall of junior year is the perfect time to figure out your testing timeline if you haven’t done so already. Although less than 10% of universities in the US still require SAT or ACT scores for applicants, over 80% give you the option to submit scores. That option means you have a chance to add another data point that could strengthen your overall application so it’s at least worth a try or two.

Wondering which one to take? Try both! Universities don’t have a preference for one exam over the other and you can find free practice versions of both tests online at sites like Khan Academy, College Board and Princeton Review to see which one you gravitate to more. Once you’ve decided which one you prefer, be sure to register for a live exam online and prepare to get your study on! If you think you might qualify for a fee waiver or have no clue what Superscoring is, come by the college counseling office and ask! Start Scouting Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a key part of the college app process. Most schools will ask students to submit one to two teacher letters along with their college application. They are an opportunity to add a human perspective to applications and shine light on who students are as classroom contributors and schoolwide community members. Typically, letters of rec should come from junior-year core teachers in the Humanities and STEM departments as they will have the most up to date information on who students and how they’ve contributed to the Menlo community. Juniors should take note of the classes and teachers they connect with the most throughout the year, in both semester long and year long courses, as they prepare for letter request season in the Spring. Begin Crafting Your Desired School Profile

You’ll hear us over in the counseling office talk a lot about finding a school that is the “right fit” for you. But how do you do that? A great place to start is identifying what you want from a university. Would you rather a large public university or a small private university? Do you want to leave California? Are you interested in Greek life or student organizations like Cal’s famous Rubberband Club? Identifying the components that you believe will be key to you thriving in college is at the heart of finding the campus that fits you best. And I assure you, whatever you’re looking for will give you more than a few options to explore. If you’re unsure of what questions to ask yourself, think about your time here at Menlo! What has worked well for you while you’ve been here? What has been more of a challenge? You’d be surprised how much insight could come from that trip down memory lane! These tips might not help you get to the Senior Quad any faster, but hopefully they can help feel a little bit more prepared for life after Menlo as you inch ever closer to 12th grade.