Junior year matters most when students focus on the right priorities at the right time. With a clear plan for academics, activities, visits, and testing, this year becomes formative—not frantic.

Test-optional doesn’t mean test-irrelevant. The decision to submit scores should be college-specific, data-informed, and made in context — not based on blanket rules or outside pressure.

Extracurricular strategy is not about doing what “looks good.” It’s about choosing activities intentionally, developing them thoughtfully, and allowing leadership and impact to emerge naturally.

College admissions isn’t about doing everything early — it’s about knowing what matters now and what can wait. When strategy unfolds calmly over time, students build stronger, more authentic outcomes.