The fall semester is coming to a close. By now, your high school junior should be concentrating on college choice, preparing for the SAT or ACT, and working on the college essay. I’m sure it’s already starting to become a little overwhelming: so many tasks, so little time. But the winter break is a great time to play a little catchup if you’re lagging behind.

Juniors who aspire to college have much on their mind. Making a college list can seem insurmountable. There are so many choices; how do you know which ones are a good fit? If money is a factor, how do you even know what kind of financial aid you can expect to receive if you apply? What are the colleges looking for in an applicant and do you even meet those qualifications? The list of unknowns can cause a good amount of stress for both parents and students.

Take a few minutes to go over this simple to-do list with your high school junior. Discuss what you can help him with and what he should be focusing on over the break. Breaking these down into small tasks should help, doing the ones that need to be completed first and following with the rest.

Are you tackling these items yet?

1. Thinking about basic college criteria.
2. Figuring out how to organize everything.
3. Setting aside time to visit the colleges.
4. Figuring out a test strategy.
5. Keeping focused on academics.
6. Working on the college essay.
7. Getting serious about scholarships.
8. Scheduling regular checkups to evaluate progress.

For the details on how to complete these tasks, you can read the original article at TeenLife Magazine: Share This College To-Do List With Your High School Junior.